BEWITCHER's debut album, recorded, mixed and mastered by none other than Joel Grind of TOXIC HOLOCAUST and influenced by some of the best bands out there. There's a lot to say about this album, most of it is coming up in the next little bit, but the one I'll leave you with here is when you turn on this album you get to say "I'm listening to 'Bewitcher' off 'Bewitcher' by BEWITCHER" and that's always fun. The album kicks off quick with "Bewitcher", a perfect example of how you mix Black and Speed Metal together and show off the best of both genres. The song is full of killer riffs, like the verse riff and vocals that are both melodic and harsh, the band tears through every song quickly and doesn't leave much time for solos but somehow still manage to fit something in that's both awesome and jaw dropping quite often. "Speed 'Til You Bleed" follows and keeps true to its name keeping generally the same formula that worked before with a little more Speed Metal in the influence of this one.

"Harlots of Hell" has a bit more of a VENOM feel to it than most of the other song, the Speed and NWOBHM influences are there as well as the Black Metal harshness but instead of following the general sound of Black Metal it's more using it for shock factor, for lack of a better term to use. The album ends on the longest song it has, "In the Night (The Cult Will Rise)", sticking to what you should be use to by now if you want to get to know this band the end is where you should start, the song is as fast as fast can be with a great intro to boot. The solo is pretty outstanding and for being the longest song on the album, it can almost feel like the shortest. Right after the solo you'll be banging your head to the pace of the chorus and from beginning to end you'll get to hear the true musicianship of the entire band.

BATHORY meets KREATOR, or VENOM meets SLAYER. BEWITCHER are here and arguably can be called the BATHORY of a new generation. From beginning to end their debut self-titled album is influenced by all the right bands and pulls punches at all the right times in all the right places. BEWITCHER's new album is a Blackened Speed Metal masterpiece and will bring the sounds of old Black Metal to a new generation, easily one of the best albums of 2016.