Witchcraft IDAG CD Review
Back in the late '90s, I fell back into the molasses-thick world of Doom Metal, thanks in no small part to the gloomy, green-tinged brilliance of Type O Negative. Once I had a PC, I was lost for hours, days, maybe even weeks digging through the murky depths of the genre and its fuzzed-out cousin, Stoner Rock. I was fully enamored, caught in a haze of down-tuned riffs and unsettling grooves.
But like any good party, eventually the high wore off. And when it did, the crash was brutal. A good chunk of those CDs I’d once wanted so badly were swiftly sold, traded, or just flat-out given away. Gone. Ridiculous, in hindsight, but it also turned me into a certified Doom/Stoner snob. I don’t say that lightly. It’s not just any band that gets past my filter these days. If it doesn’t bring something special, I’m out before track two finishes.
Which brings us to Witchcraft.
This was one of those bands that never clicked for me the first time around. I picked up their first three albums as they came out, gave them more chances than they probably deserved, and… nothing. I genuinely wanted to like them but for whatever reason, we just weren’t meant to be. So out they went, casualties of the great Doom purge and I haven’t listened to anything the band has released since.
Fast forward to the present. I got a promo for Witchcraft’s seventh full-length, “IDAG”, and I groaned. “Oh no, not these guys again.” But because I have terminal FOMO when it comes to Doom Metal, I gave it a spin.
Well, damn. “IDAG” is good. Like, really good. This album feels raw, honest, and unpretentious. It doesn’t try too hard to be cool or retro or kvlt. Witchcraft finally sounds like a band that knows exactly what they want to do, and they’re doing it with zero regard for trends or expectations. The riffs are dank, dirty, and soaked in that vintage fuzz-tone that sounds like it was dug out of a forgotten 1970s reel-to-reel tape. It doesn’t chase speed or complexity; it just sits in the pocket and rides the groove like an old rusted-out truck on a gravel road.
The first half of the album is sung entirely in Swedish, which initially threw me off. It’s always harder to connect when you can’t follow the lyrics or hum along with the melody, but in this case, the atmosphere does all the talking. Then, halfway through the album, the English lyrics kick in, and everything starts to lock into place. The vocal lines hit harder, the melodies stick around a little longer, and suddenly the whole record feels more cohesive.
In terms of vibe, “IDAG” plays like a lost Proto-Doom relic from the early '70s. Think Coven, early Pentagram, with flashes of Pagan Altar, not necessarily as imitation, but in spirit. The whole album sounds like it was tracked with analog playback in mind, and the warm, hazy mix complements the Retro-Doom aesthetic beautifully.
After years of bouncing off this band, I can finally say it: Witchcraft have found their stride. “IDAG” isn’t just tolerable, it’s a genuinely compelling Doom/Stoner record that holds its own in a very crowded genre.
Standout tracks: “Burning Cross”, “Spirit”, “IDAG”, “Irreligious Flamboyant Flame”