Band: Castle
Title: In Witch Order
Label: Ván Records
Distribution: Candlelight Records / Plastic Head Distribution
Release date: May 6th 2011
Review: CD

San Francisco-based trio Castle (founder / song writer / guitar player Mat Davis, bassist / vocalist Elizabeth Blackwell and drummer Al McCartney) recorded their debut album In Witch Order at the Lucky Cat Studio (also in San Francisco) with Phil Manley behind the recording desk. It lasts for forty five minutes and stands for a combination of different related genres.
Opener Descent Of Man is a groovy and pounding Epic Doom track with an occult, haunting atmosphere and those mesmerizing vocals by Elizabeth, which are an absolute surplus. And (almost) everything fits: the sludgy rhythm section, melodic solos and oppressive riffs, along with a dense, dusty sound and a timeless approach. Fire In The Sky is somewhat heavier, yet still based on (traditional) mid-tempo song-structures and an unusual yet exceptional equilibrium between epic and melody. The third track, Slaves Of The Pharao, is the first wherein Elizabeth explores her vocal range: the higher regions, yet unfortunately this does not work out cleanly, and a rough throat, which does not convince that much either. Knife Of The Temple is one of the most thrashing compositions (along with the massive grand finale Devils Castle), and one of the most technical as well, while Total Betrayal or Sleeping Giant go on in the mystic and hypnotic vein of the first songs; others are more up-tempo and punkish Thrash’n’Roll based (Shaman Wars), or injected with progressive elements (Butcher Of Los Angeles). And so on…

80/100

Ivan Tibos.