What's the greater difference between Stoner Metal and Doom Metal? Well, it can be said that the first one has a focus on something crude and full of groove, in a form of organic approach inherited from BLACK SABBATH's approach used on "Master of Reality" (and that can be heard clearly on "The Ethereal Mirror" of the English band CATHEDRAL), can be played with extremely slow tempos or not, and have a clear touch of 70's Hard Rock and Psychedelic Rock; the second is totally focused on slow tempos and doesn't need to be crude at all (remember what CANDLEMASS plays as a reference). This is to explain what WITCHES COVEN, hailing from Singapore, plays on "World on Fire".

It's a crude and nasty form of Stoner Metal with the heavy grasp and groove approach used by names as CATHEDRAL, MONSTER MAGNET and C.O.C., but with some parts playing with slow and oppressive tempos (obviously, an influence inherited from BLACK SABBATH). The band still has a way to go, but the potential shown on this first album is really great, something full of energy and impact that will conquer the fans at the first notes. The production was conducted by Imran Manaff himself (the only member of the band), and the focus is really on something crude and that gives the idea of something covered with dust. But it's a feature of the genre, and the work was done in a way that the fans can understand what's being expressed. It could be better, but's nothing bad at all.

Musically, the tendency to use long songs can be boring for some, but the ideas and harmonic constructions are fine, and with very good rough melodies. And "Reason to Believe" (a song filled with a massive groove and with a good work of the vocals), "Shackles of Desire" (the 'sabbathic' slow approach until the middle of the song is oppressive, but then, it gains some energetic energy, totally based on very good guitar riffs), "Blinded by Lights" (once more, the presence of groove parts with crude melodies is a fine choice, with good nasty vocals), "Falling Through" (a total BLACK SABBATH 'slow 'n' groove' approach is used on this song, but with a personal touch), and "Blurring the Lines" (another massive blow of bitter weight is given to the ears) are the right ones for the fans.

As mentioned above, WITCHES COVEN still has to mature and evolve a bit more, but "World on Fire" is really a good release.