Sometimes we, the people, need proofs whether there are accomplishments that can be achieved only by taking risks and walking the thin plank. I believe that we have plenty of examples taken from evolved bands and others that chose to complicate things in order to challenge themselves and their audience. Nonetheless, taking a risk in music doesn't always mean on creating music that wouldn't be necessary likable by listeners, yet it is also depends on performing or composing pieces that the artist has never been used to be doing. When I discovered the American WYKKED WYTCH and read about their new endeavour of "The Ultimate Deception", via Goomba Music, I had to find out if what was before my eyes had been carried out to the utmost levels.

WYKKED WYTCH, under the ongoing guidance of the profound vocalist, Ipek, has been maintaining the fine, sometimes brutal, worlds of Death and Thrash Metal while inducing Black and Gothic Metal elements for the conception of a hellish kind of melodic extremity. I would suggest the later era of DIMMU BORGIR as the next closest thing, yet even WYKKED WYTCH has slightly more to offer than the Norwegians, especially when Thrash Metal is involved. Furthermore, and that is the special thing about the band and this particular album, the several vocalic dimensions along with the fresh blooded composing minds of a new guitarist set the tone of this album's high quality and paramount diversity in extreme Metal.

When I talked about walking the plank earlier, I mostly meant of what Ipek did on this release. Though I was immensely pleased by the album's flow, even with the high technical prowess and what seemed to me like a fixated attention to details by the band's new guitarist, Nate Poulson, Ipek made the highest impression on me with her vocalic performance. Don't get me wrong, Poulson added a wonderful, cold as ice, feeling to the music that made it sound so rich. Furthermore, the addition of the excellent drummer, Kevin Talley (DAATH & SIX FEET UNDER), sadly that not as a permanent member, elevated Poulson's complex ideas even higher.

Now back to Ipek. As a vocalist I know that every frontman has his or her comfort zone, which in this case is the style and systematic procedure of singing, essentially what the vocalist is used to be doing on a regular basis. However, Ipek broke the chains and endorsed nearly every type of singing (from brutal growls to operatic singing) while attempting to inflict the entire selection onto single tracks. To say that is worked well for her, I can surely say yes, even if I didn't quite admire every sort of vocals she used. I can add that if you were looking for the witch in the wickedness of "The Ultimate Deception", look no more, she has been always there at the front.

I can't really end this review without providing my attention to the production. "The Ultimate Deception" was produced and mixed by Daniel Castleman (Also did works for AS I LAY DYING) and mastered by the famous Alan Douches (Also on THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN and THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER). Though I am an old school freak, Castleman mixing sounded great to me. For a release with what sounded like a large amount of channels, I didn't feel any lack of order. As for the enrichments, Douches, as always, laid everything to sound amazing.

To be frank, with the mastery of this band's recording members, not everything pleasured me, yet I would recommend "Serpents Among Us", "Despised Existence", "Birthing The Beast" and the amazing arrangements made on the METALLICA cover of "Fade To Black". This album is an excellent diverse while being both raw and intelligent piece of extreme music. I urge you to follow this band.