I have a strange and turbulent relationship with Prog. Well, I say turbulent but it is more of a Push- ME Pull- You llama of an affair. One half of me despises the over blown and indulgence of the genre whilst the less “angry punk” traits of my psyche love to wallow in all the textures and grandeur, like a Crusty star-fishing in a four-poster bed.

Witch Ripper, from Seattle have a name that suggests either head down leather and spikes black n roll about Satan and sex or massive riffed bong laden doomy tales of pagan torment.

In reality “The Flight After the Fall” is an epic album that blends the modern prog of Muse and Coheed and Cambria with the pomp and big guitars of arena giants like Queen and Bowie whilst also featuring elements of post hardcore a la Bird in Row and Torche with the big riffs and nifty hooks and the cranium bending grooves of Baroness.

The PR blurb pigeonholes the band as Sludge Metal – nope not even close. There is nothing swampy and drug-laced about this bunch, this is big sounding tracks filled out with majestic production and show biz pazazz.

The album has a concept around a mad professor and his dying wife etc but with no lyric sheet or album art I am just immersing myself in the music rather than the story – from what I can gather it will be worth a read along for purchasers.

“Enter the Loop” is a great opener – filled with massive hooks and riffs – very Muse like although when it seems to threaten to Chad Fox does not allow his voice to soar into a Matt Bellamy-esque squeal – rather letting the guitars take over. There are arms in the air moments here which bring to mind the pomp and grandeur of Freddie and co and fans of Queen will definitely prick up their ears at this entry into the Witch Ripper world.

Big drums usher in “Madness and Ritual Solitude”, the kind of classic big drum sound that is straight outta 1970 then an opening riff that borrows a little from “Immigrant Song” before dropping into a dirty High on Fire metallic groove.  The hooks are still there throughout and a tribal rhythm kicks in towards the end that grips me by the danglies and won’t let go. The mix of clean vocals and rasped creates a marvellous cacophony and the track whips itself into a frenzy before an abrupt end, edging into the gentle opening of “The Obsidian Forge” .

Here Witch Ripper skilfully mix sci fi Prog Rock with big gnarly stoner riffs and the result is a lazer sword fight between the vocalists and their opposing styles – this is Luke vs Darth or Khan vs Kirk whilst guitars fire everything they have to break up the bombast of bass and drums. A truly epic and joyful romp which deposits the listener into the tragic “Icarus Equation” which I have to admit I got completely lost in. I have listened to it three times in a row and attempted to make notes but I get lost in the squalling guitar and thunderous drums. “What have I done? My world is broken” rings around my head whilst twin guitars ride off the back of a riff that could be classic first wave black metal. Man I am a little bit blown away by this album.

The final track – “Everlasting in Retrograde- Parts 1 and 2 “ is nearly 17 minutes long and wears it’s post rock patches on its stoner jeans as it’s Prog cape flutters above it. Utter over indulgence but in a great way – like a kid at the Pizza Hut dessert buffet – this is all the hundreds and thousands , Jelly Tots, Strawberry, Caramel and Chocolate sauces, whipped cream and a flake . You can picture the vomit down the upholstery of a Seat . Who cares about the clean up when it tastes so good.

This is pomptastic and flits from Matt Pike sounding gruff sweaty stoner to camp as a row of tents stadium Rawk at the flick of a switch.  That is Witch Ripper. The band with a name that sounds nowt like they do, and a band that with bi-polar. At once they seem to be riding an inflatable dragon firing off multi-coloured flares into the night sky and the next they are a bunch of heads down gruff guitar pedal stomping stoner metal bastards who wanna get this outta the way so they can get another beer at the bar. But all wearing silver lame jumpsuits.

It’s Prog Jim – but not as we know it!

(9/10 Matt Mason)

https://www.facebook.com/Witchripper

https://witchripper.bandcamp.com/album/the-flight-after-the-fall-2