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Barbara The Witch
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Barbara The Witch |
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| Critical Solution are a horror thrash metal band from Norway formed in 2005 who released their debut album in 2013 with the follow-up 'Sleepwalker' in 2015. The bands third album is a concept album and will be released in 2017. The concept is based on a true story from the bands hometown Helleland which took place in the 1600's. The story follows Barbara Belladonna, also known as Barbara The Witch, and the horror that she inflicts on the villagers of Natas Fo Live. The story features story lines narrated by musician Arthur Brown, also known as "The God Of Hell Fire". | ||||||
| The opening 'Natas Fo Live' is a chilling and sinister, tension mounting instrumental, accompanied with narration that welcomes the listener to the village, and so begins the story of Barbara Belladonna, aka Barbara The Witch... 'The Village' is a thunderous thrash metal assault that is bold, blunt and brash. Machine gun style riffing propels 'The Village' along at break neck speed, giving thrash metal fans the world over an immediate reason to head bang furiously. Rocketing into life 'Barbara The Witch' is a pulsating and powerful flurry of furious riffing and aggressive vocals. Displaying a hint of US thrash metal giants Testament, 'Barbara The Witch' is fast and ferocious, yet catchy at the same time. Eerie and haunting, 'Red Hooded Devils' wanders into sight and then explodes into life and races off at high velocity. A more aggressive and arrogant vocal delivery accompanies the rampant and brutal pace set by 'Red Hooded Devils'. | ||||||
| 'Peter Crow' is a relentless and thundering thrash metal assault. Blistering pace and power propels 'Peter Crow' along at a frenetic pace. Intertwined with slower, mosh pit stomping breakdowns, 'Peter Crow' is a menacing and sinister journey that sees Barbara The Witch meet her end. Following her death the eight minute plus epic 'The Burning Pyre' sees the witch burn and the village freed from her horror. As for the song itself, 'The Burning Pyre' is a thunderous rampage of savage riffs and rampant rhythms. Pace and power, very heavy guitars and time changes, 'The Burning Pyre' is a beautifully crafted song and includes the fantastic chant "Burn the witch, Burn the witch, Burn this God forsaken bitch" . . . simply superb. 'End Of The Beginning' is another narration, menacing and sinister in its delivery, setting an horrific mood for 'The Headless Horsemen' to come crashing through the speakers at a speed that threatens to break the sound barrier. The fastest song on the album, 'The Headless Horsemen' is a furious flurry of frenetic guitars and thunderously aggressive rhythms. | ||||||
| Theatrical sounding 'Officer Green', is a mix of the bold and majestic with the furiously fast style of thrash metal and provides ample opportunity for fiercely aggressive head banging. This is an album not for the faint of heart...it is an album for the thrash metal fanatic with a flexible neck. Acoustically fuelled and mellow, 'Lady In White' wanders in stealthily before the biggest and heaviest doom laden riff smacks you around the head. Thudding angrily, 'Lady In White' is a sinister and scary instrumental that may raise a few hairs on the backs of necks. With the album racing to a conclusion, the story turns to the return of the witch from beyond the grave. 'Return Of The Witch' is a glorious romp of pulsating thrash with a very heavy vibe. In less than an hour, across twelve songs, Critical Solution have delivered a superb slab of very heavy thrash metal that has been a sinister and menacing journey. Bringing the album, and indeed the story, to an end, is the narration 'Into The Abyss', a scary and chilling end to a scary and chilling story. Some of you may have to sleep with one eye open and the lights on until the fear in you subsides... | ||||||
| Overall, a superb and swaggering album of out and out thrash metal that is fierce and ferocious with the underlying storyline delivering a sinister and chilling vibe. | ||||||
| Review by Iron Mathew Collins | ||||||
| Reviewed for Metal Gods TV | ||||||
| Other Reviews | ||||||
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| Sleepwalker | ||||||
| "fast paced, aggressive heavy metal with strong hints of Metallica and Iron Maiden, this is a pulsating and blistering thrash metal album" Read Review | ||||||
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