TEMPLE OF THE FUZZ WITCH is a Detroit, Michigan based Doom/Stoner Metal band.  Their self- titled debut is unfortunately something of a snooze fest. As a lover of all things Doom, I really wanted to like this album more. I can't count how many times I listened to this album, just waiting for it to click with me. The main problem with this album is the influences contained within are worn on very big sleeves and taken to the extreme—this sounds just like ELECTRIC WIZARD and BLACK SABBATH. Obviously, this style of Doom is nothing more than SABBATH worship—I get that.  I also understand that if you are going to mimic any band, ELECTRIC WIZARD is the one to do.  However, with all that said, enough is enough.  The dynamics of TEMPLE OF THE FUZZ WITCH's sound are basically non-existent, so stalwart they are in presenting their love for fuzzy Doom that this album becomes nothing more than a paint by numbers presentation for the genre.

This isn't to say there are not any good parts within the album.  The first track, "Bathsheba," is placed smartly as the opener because it is the best song on the album.  That opening riff is extremely crushing.  As with the other songs, the riffs are huge, they are fat with fuzz but it has all been heard before and done better.  Bruner's vocals are typical of this style of Doom-distant sounding and often ran through a filter of some sort. There isn't any real problem with this vocal style and I find many bands do it well but the production on this album often times buries them in the mix more than necessary.

The songs are boosted quite a bit by Cooper's drums.  They aren't too flashy or overly proficient but he knows how to compliment the songs well and also when to deliver a burst of energy from the scattered beats. Thayer's bass is thick and fills the sound with a constant ebb and flow of fuzz.  However, sometimes he can over power the guitar riffs which is a problem because both instruments, most of the time, just play the same thing so it it turns into one big messy wall of sound.

"The Glowing of Satan," features a lower register, deeper vocal style from Bruner and it works far better than the rest of his performance.  The hazy atmosphere of the song worked pretty well but at almost six and half minutes in length, it over stays its welcome. In between my many reviews and own personal discoveries, I listen to and discover A LOT of Doom; this year has been a standout year so far for the genre.  Unfortunately, TEMPLE OF THE FUZZ WITCH and their album don't have what it takes to stand out among the giants of the year.