Band: One Eyed Doll
Album/Release Date: Witches, March 23, 2015
From: Austin, Texas
Genre: Hard Rock, Punk, horror rock/punk
For Fans Of: Jack Off Jill, Otep, Scarling
Top Tracks: More Weight, Afflicted, Witch Hunt, Ember, Ghosts of Gallows Hill
In a musical period where instrumental hyper technicality has become quite commonplace, One Eyed Doll‘s Witches shows that creative songwriting continues to ooze its own brand of innovation. At the band’s sixth album release, Witches is yet another evolution in One Eyed Doll’s discography.
Witches takes the listener on a aural journey through the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria of 1692 through Kimberly’s lyrics of witch hunts and the archaic torture methods from the perspectives of all of who were effected. In tandem with their researched lyrical account of the Witch trials, One Eyed Doll achieves their grim sound through their unhurried, dirge-like songwriting, heavy drum and guitar work, and haunting vocal melodies and harmonies. Witches also incorporates mandolin and violin in their soundscape, which further immerses the listener into their unruly colonial witch hunt. Within the doom like speed album, however, also lie some quicker paced pieces such as “Ember” and “Black In The Rye”, which creates a great melding of drudges, emotive pieces and in-your-face hard rock anthems.
While One Eyed Doll’s previous releases are chock full of hard hitting, well constructed songs, Witches provides the most cohesiveness in their sextet of full length releases. One Eyed Doll’s latest release provides the most listening enjoyment with a straight through listening of the album, but each song stands strong in their own space. This album is a must for the All Hallows Eve season, but I’m sure that this’ll be spinning in your CD player/iPods (whatever you kids do now) all year long.
Rating: 4/5
