The American band Vipërwitch was formed in 2014, but it’s only now that they are releasing an album. Witch Hunt – Road to Vengeance is their debut album and features heavy metal that feels straight out of the 80s. This devotion to the 80s is what I appreciate most about the band, and the initial impression set high expectations, especially due to the visual presentation. The logo and cover art look like they’re pulled from the 80s, and the band is dressed as if they stepped out of a post-apocalyptic movie from that era. Leading the charge is vocalist Lynx the Huntress—a buxom woman who looks ready for a sword fight in Cimmeria. The album opens with an intro featuring synth and classic 80s-style drums, reminiscent of something straight out of L.A. Law. A narrator’s voice over the synth outlines an intriguing post-apocalyptic tale, suggesting we might be in for an epic concept album.
But that’s where the joy of Vipërwitch ends. When the band starts playing, the professionalism drops off dramatically. The performance is exceedingly rough, the production is paper-thin, and most disappointingly, Lynx the Huntress sings off-key. Unfortunately, Vipërwitch sounds dreadful. This is incredibly disappointing, as I genuinely wanted to like them based on the strong first impression. Witch Hunt – Road to Vengeance barely scrapes by with a three-point rating, and that’s solely because the packaging is so well-executed—musically, this album is a complete disaster!
Released October 31st, 2024 on Stormspell Records.
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