New album, “Cult”, out on October 31st!
Danish doom metal outfit DREAD WITCH are preparing to unleash CULT , their second album and a darker, heavier and more cinematic evolution of the band’s sound. CULT is a 36-minute descent into an occult nightmare built from colossal riffs, crushing drums, ritualistic vocals and an immense wall of sound.
Formed in Denmark in 2023 by former members of Scamp, Horned Almighty, Stone Cadaver and The World State , DREAD WITCH came together with one simple mission: create exceedingly heavy and dark doom metal inspired by horror literature, cult cinema and bands such as Pink Floyd and Triptykon .
With CULT , that vision has been pushed even further into the darkness.
The album unfolds like a horror movie translated into sound. From the unsettling opening instrumental “Born Again,” where the cries of a bawling infant collide with dissonant guitars, to the monumental eight-minute closing journey “Omen of Oblivion,” DREAD WITCH create a bleak and immersive universe inhabited by serpents, witches, human sacrifices and unspeakable horrors.
The title track, “Cult,” drives the listener deeper with bone-shattering riffs and dark psychedelic textures, while “The Summoning” introduces occult chanting, sinister lyrics and an eerie atmospheric passage before erupting into a crushingly groove-heavy finale.
The pace picks up on “Cyclops,” the album’s shortest and most aggressive track, delivering an in-your-face barrage of riffs built for serious headbanging. “Altar” brings another dimension to the record with a guest appearance from Sofia Schmidt of Ethereal Kingdoms , who takes on the role of the Dread Witch herself in a performance that is both technically impressive and deeply unsettling.
Then comes “Marrow,” where up-tempo death metal phrasing and staccato riffs collide with the unexpected sound of a didgeridoo, creating what feels like an infernal freight train barreling straight into the abyss.
Instrumental “Vesexuff” serves as an ominous prelude to the album’s epic finale, “Omen of Oblivion,” completing a journey through dark landscapes of monumental riffs, powerful vocals and oppressive atmosphere.
At the center of the sonic assault is an immense wall of sound created from three low-tuned guitars, distorted bass, crushing drums, ritualistic vocals and ambient textures . The result is doom metal that is massive without sacrificing dynamics, atmosphere or detail.
CULT was engineered, produced, mixed and mastered by legendary Danish producer Tue Madsen , whose extensive credits include Meshuggah, Baest, Moonspell, The Haunted and Belphegor , among many others. The album was recorded at Antfarm Studios , with artwork created by Deliriavision and layout by Andreas Cadaver .
DREAD WITCH previously established their reputation with their 2023 debut, Tower of the Severed Serpent , which Deathrattle Podcast praised for its “riffs of gravitational force and neutronium density.” The band has continued to develop that crushing foundation on CULT , creating what is arguably an even more immersive and sinister statement.
DREAD WITCH creates Boschian landscapes of doom that, as RockHard Italy said, “capture the listener in a magnetic whirlpool that is difficult to escape.”
With CULT , there may be no escape at all.
