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The Circle Of Blood

      
         
         
         
     
             
Dark Witch are a heavy metal band from Brazil formed in 1999 releasing a demo in 2004. After numerous line up changes and constant touring, the band released their debut album in early 2015.    
             
Influenced by such legendary bands as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Grave Digger, Dark Witch deliver traditional heavy metal with galloping rhythms and a duel guitar attack. Opening the album is the mid tempo, heavy stomp 'Circle Of Blood'. The song is hard edged, with clean and clear vocals and superb guitar work. 'Wild Heart' ups the tempo to a speed metal style, screaming guitars and thundering drums with 'Master Of Fate' a more brutal and aggressive, very heavy song similar in style to 'Painkiller' era Judas Priest. Gentle (if there is such a thing) head banging and foot tapping is in order for the chugging 'Cauldron'. With a dramatic increase in pace 'Firestorm' comes at you like a runaway train and is a delight as it thunders its way through galloping rhythms and duelling guitars with a very catchy and anthemic chorus.    
             
Dark Witch are a band from Brazil, however their music most definitely has every trait associated with British heavy metal and European power metal. 'Stronghold' is an excellent example with its huge opening riff, an infectious stomp, clean vocals and a cracking chant of a chorus. An acoustic style intro brings 'Blood Sentence' to life and then the song turns into one of the heaviest on the album. Very heavy guitars and a brutal chug, this is a foot stomp that stamps very hard. The speed metal style returns in the form of 'Liberty Is Death', with a definite Judas Priest influence. 'Liberty Is Death' is up tempo melodic heavy metal, with an infectious need to head bang.    
             
The album contains twelve songs and will be a great addition to any collection of a traditional heavy metal fan. With a style a cross between Black Sabbath and Dio, 'Lighthouse Reaper' hits the airways and punches its way into your head. Heavy guitars and a brutal backline keeps 'Lighthouse Reaper' pounding relentlessly on and on. Increasing the pace to an almost thrash metal speed, 'Death Rain' screams into action, with a more screaming style vocal performance, duelling guitars and an in your face attitude. With a blistering pace 'Siegfried' is a blaze of guitars and rampant rhythms that will keep the mosh pit head banging for a long time. And talking of head banging, the album closer, 'To Valhalla We Ride' is the fastest song on the album and flies past like a rocket. Addictive and infectious, Dark Witch have delivered an album of superb songs with plenty of variety and pace to keep the listener interested. Ending the album is a superb cover of 'Voz Da Consciencia' by one of Brazil's first ever heavy metal bands Harppia.    
             
Overall, traditional heavy metal with strong British and European influences, this is an album for fans of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Arthorium Records    
             
             
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