Review by Felix on May 31, 2022.

An e-mail drew my attention to SexWitch. The band originates from Quebec, but it has nothing in common with the Francophile black metal movement from this metropolis. The dudes play thrash metal and I think they do it with chainsaws, jackhammers and machine guns. These instruments create a musical carnage which is far away from more or less melodic thrash that bands like Testament or Artillery celebrate. Here everything is focused on total intensity and absolute devastation while the vocalist screams pretty high-pitched tones like a pig at its final hour in the slaughterhouse. He sacrifices charisma on the altar of sheer insanity, but this approach fits the musical surrounding very well.

Usually, thrash is about riffs, riffs and even more riffs, but SexWitch offer a slightly chaotic touch. With this said, the riffs dominate only short parts of the EP, for example at the beginning of 'Drogue, Propulsion, Rituel'. Most of the time there is just a violent storm. Technical subtleties, high-sophisticated details or fine-grained nuances do not show up. That’s okay, because SexWitch manage to deliver a tight and pretty coherent performance. It’s a bit one-dimensional, that’s true, but come on, we are talking firstly about a debut and secondly about an EP. Thus, I understand this release as a first statement that wants to leave no question unanswered about the general style of the duo. No doubt, this purpose is fully met. Incidentally, this is also a merit of the production which presents pressure and power. Of course, transparency falls by the wayside, but who cares about such wimpy details? I don't.

All in all, Ritualistic Sex Magick combines the ultimate fury of Demolition Hammer’s “Epidemic Of Violence” with the merciless intention that Deströyer 666 create in their best moments. Okay, the Canadians, who are no absolute beginners, do not yet reach the level of quality of the aforementioned bands, but maybe this is just a question of time. It’s not only the mighty closer that indicates a high potential, inter alia due to some dynamic-creating tempo changes. Especially the marginally less insane mid-tempo parts work very well. So let’s see what the future will bring. Perhaps another SexWitch release and a second e-mail?

Rating: 6.8 out of 10

Review by Adam M on October 13, 2016.

Omnium Gatherum continues the refinement of their wares on Grey Heavens. The resulting sound is warm and full of life. This album is the logical continuation of what they started a long time ago and shows the band flex its muscles in even more interesting directions. Frontiers shows Omnium Gatherum at the peak of their abilities with its memorable chorus section. However, the band is stuck in something of a rut as it refuses to progress in really interesting directions. This is merely a continuation of their legacy, but not something entirely new and original.

Still, it must be said that Omnium Gatherum are good at the style they perform and this is close to the quality of the newest Insomnium album. The competition between these bands is now at a frantic peak. The problem is that where Insomnium decided to push in an interesting new direction, Omnium Gatherum continues to stick to the guns that they employed on previous albums. The ability of the band is unquestionable, however, as they hit breathtaking riff after riff. It is hard to fault the melodicism and power that are on display here. There are simply a number of memorable moments that further solidifies this band as a leader in the melodic death metal movement. When one of these moments is achieved an incredible climax can be assured. The music still has a massive amount of powerful momentum that continues to astonish and intrigue. The band is still trying to figure out how to surpass their moment of glory, New World Shadows, however and like Insomnium’s newest output, this fails to do so. It is even in the shadows of the new Be’lakor album, which has a bit more of an epic component to its sound.

However, the melodic death masters are able to push out more quality material and it must be said that Grey Heavens is another quality entry in a great discography.

Rating: 8 out of 10