Witch Fever - Congregation (Sony/Music For 
Nations)
Release Date: Out Now
I've been banging on about how good and how important Witch Fever are all year and then I went and missed the release date. What a tool. Anyway, we're here now so let's get on with it shall we? 'Congregation' is the debut long player from the Mancunian quartet and it opens with the sludge drone of 'Blessed Be Thy' - brilliantly signalling the themes of religion, anger and feminism that run through this record like blood filled veins through a stick of goth rock. 'Beauty and Grace' has more of a groove to it but there's still a punk meets grunge vibe all tamed by Amy the ringmaster while 'At The Core' churns and grinds like a lapdance in hell. It's a strong start.
The intensity drops down on 'Congregation' but that doesn't mean that the menacing and malevolent tones have gone anywhere as the guitars snake in to your mind like insidious smoke while you sleep. The furious guitars of 'Deadlight' are at least matched by those on 'Market', showing just why Witch Fever are one of the most important British rock acts around now but there's more to this than just riffs. 'I Saw You Dancing', for instance, is a slow dance with the devil that would fit perfectly in to a horror-romance film. Then again, on 'Snare', we are treated to furious garage-punk energy that makes you want to drive at speed through a neon city at night with this one turned up loud.
There's a proggy Nirvana vibe to 'Bloom' as the fuzzed up guitars create a wall of noise that could be seen from space while 'Sour' jerks across the floor towards its prey with unblinking rage. The anger continues on the suitably titled 'Bloodlust' but 'Slow Burn' is the closest thing this album comes to a ballad with warped guitars giving this a shoegaze sound that nobody was expecting. The final and thirteenth track is '12', confusingly, and it is unbridled, unfiltered and uncensored pent up rage set to furious guitars and fueled by the betrayal of those that should have been allies. This is a raw, passionate and fucking furious album but all of that is channeled with impressive focus and control in to creating a work of brutal but essential art. Take a deep breath and dive in, you won't be the same when you come back up for air but that's the point of a baptism isn't it? Whether its in water or in fire.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/witchfever