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Witchcraft - The Alchemist

Compared to their self titled debut and Firewood, their 2005 sophomore release, The Alchemist is definitely the band's strongest effort. The band's no longer so reliant on Bobby Liebling for inspiration that you feel the need to check the songwriting credits. Sure, I doubt the band will ever be able to fully shake the influence of their elders (“Hey Doctor” is almost scary the way it channels Sabbath so effectively), but they compensate with superior songs that don't fit neatly in the “stoner” or “doom” categories. There's a grace and fluidity to tracks like “Walk Between the Lines,” “If Crimson Was Your Colour” (previously released on the limited edition split of the same name), and the three-part title track, and the band often plays with an almost progressive melody...

...That comes to a head with “Samaritan Burden,” the fifth song and highlight of The Alchemist. Here the band (vocalist/guitarist Magnus Pelander, guitarist John Hayes, bassist Ola Henriksson, and new drummer Fredrik Jansson) lays into a low simmering groove that's accented by some great guitar accents and an overall masterful push-pull dynamic. With a song like this, you'd expect it to build up and then cut loose with a bombastic outro, but Witchcraft goes the opposite direction, ending in an almost folk-like manner. The interplay between the two guitars is simply beautiful.

While The Alchemist retains the band's “If you're gonna do it, do it the old fashioned way” ethos (in Witchcraft's world, “Pro-Tools” means well maintained vintage equipment), it also has the band adding new sounds. “Samaritan Burden” has a brief moment where you can hear the swell of violins (or some similar instrument), the re-recorded “If Crimson Was Your Colour” is accented by Moog, and “Remembered” closes out with a saxophone solo. That last one is probably the only mis-step on the album – it comes off awkward and somewhat out of context with the rest of the material on The Alchemist.

It's a minor complaint, and, given the creative stretching done on The Alchemist, a petty one as well. There's some soulful, expressive music here. Witchcraft may be considered a throwback band by some, but they do it better than most. Whether it brings them a wider audience is besides the point – they've grown as musicians and have once again outdone themselves. Highly recommended.

Magnus Pelander (vocals, guitar)

John Hoyles (guitar)

Ola Henriksson (bass)

Fredrik Jansson (drums)

with

Tom Hakava (mellotron, moog, uptight piano, organ)

Anders Andersson (saxophone)

1 Walk Between the Lines 3:24

2 If Crimson Was Your Colour 3:47

3 Leva 4:34

4 Hey Doctor 5:13

5 Samaritan Burden 6:27

6 Remembered 5:15

7 The Alchemist (parts 1, 2 & 3) 14:37

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