Witchbreed
Heretic Rapture
Rating
Style: Progressive Darkened Metal
Release date: June 29th 2009
 

Debut album from Portuguese Witchbreed is a real breath of fresh air with its blackened guitar riffs, progressive arrangements and the powerful and haunting female vocals of Ruby Roque.

Produced and mastered by Waldemar Sorychta (Moonspell, Tiamat, Lacuna Coil), who has clearly put his magic touch on their sound and style, steering them in the right direction and they are not falling into the trap of trying to sound like another Nightwish or Within Temptation.

The guitars are nicely up-front and in your face, supplementing Ruby's charismatic and strong voice very well. Sure they do take small journeys into symphonic territory without going overboard keeping it at a minimum, and mandatory harsh and aggressive male vocals do also rear its ugly head on occasion as well. I think they might have put one too many mid-tempo songs on the album, and should have focused a bit more on the faster and harder songs, which is where I feel they really excel.

A very well produced and executed debut album from a band with a clear vision of the direction they want to take their music and a good steppingstone for them on their way up...

Try out: 'Symphony of the Fallen', 'Ruby Light of the West' & 'Eden's End'.


Tracklist
01. Atheos
02. Symphony of the Fallen
03. The Eclipse
04. Rebel Blood
05. Firethrone
06. Medeusa
07. Ignis Bellum
08. Ruby Light of the West
09. Fang & Claw
10. Eternal Exile
11. Unspoken Vow
12. Eden's End
13. Heretica
Label: Ascendance Records
Distribution: Plastic Head Music
Reviewed by: Kenn Jensen
Date: June 21st 2009
Website: Witchbreed @ MySpace