SHADOW WITCH is a Stoner/Doom Metal band out of Kingston, New York. They formed in 2015 and have one EP and three full-length albums to their credit. Their third album, "Under the Shadow of a Witch," was released on Valentine's Day, 2020. If I were a metal alchemist, I'd say the album comprises two parts Stoner, one part Doom, and a splash of Psychedelic. Put together is one helluva combination.

Although the album is laid out in two acts with the nine tracks more or less split down the middle, I really wouldn't have noticed it without looking at the track listing. This isn't a Prog concept album laying out a complex, multi-layered storyline, rather it comes across as nine tracks that take the "Sucker for the Witch" (CLUTCH) idea, explodes it outwards, and explores in inwards. Not saying this detracts from the album in any way, but if you were expecting some sort of pseudo-folk tale foundering, this isn't it. If, on the other hand, you're looking for some infectious riffs complemented with clean vocals (Earl Walker Lundy) played out against a backdrop of a groove-infused rhythm section, this is pretty much it.

The album kicks off strong with "Spearfinger," a hard-rocking tune spinning a cautionary yarn of seduction and blood, and pretty much holds the course throughout. "Demon Hook" follows with an acoustic intro giving off an early days URIAH HEEP vibe. This soon falls away, though, replaced with a galloping riffs and a contagious chorus. Following are a stack of standout tracks, including: "Witches of Aendor," joining BLOODY HAMMERS in the lonely pantheon of bands with awesome Witch of Endor songs; "Saint Magdalene," another cautionary tale of a seductive enchantress; "Fountain," a bluesy number lamenting the bewitching ways of, yep, some sort of magic wielding lady of the dark; and "6x6," probably the heaviest and darkest track on the album, but still revolving around a deadly obsession with a cold mistress.

Altogether, "Under the Shadow of a Witch" is a remarkably consistent and well executed album. The production is tight, the songs, like the women they celebrate, are enthralling and will keep you coming back for more. Whether you've been with SHADOW WITCH since the beginning or you are just discovering them now, "Under the Shadow of a Witch" does not disappoint.