Trzeci krążek WITCHGÖAT w grudniu

 

On December 4th internationally, Personal Records is proud to present Witchgöat's highly anticipated third album, Serpent Hordes, on CD format. Morbid Skull Records will handle the cassette version.

In the first half of 2016, guitarist P. Scyther—after being involved in several musical projects in the Salvadoran scene since the early '90s—began composing music with the intention of forming a new band. His goal was to combine the violence and rawness of South American and European thrash metal bands from the '80s with the malevolent melodies of first- and second-wave Scandinavian blackened death metal and black metal. He soon secured the collaboration of M. Miasma, who became interested in the project and joined the effort, contributing the first occult-themed lyrics. Both musicians agreed on the artistic concept, each contributing one word to create the compound name Witch-goat, which was eventually stylized as Witchgöat.

In early 2017, M. Miasma recruited bassist C. Fog, while P. Scyther brought in drummer E. Driller. While continuing to compose new material, the band began rehearsing. In early 2018, they recorded the demo Umbra Regit, followed shortly afterward by their debut album, Egregors of the Black Faith. Both releases received positive reviews from specialized media and were unleashed by the black flag of Salvadorean label Morbid Skull Records.

In 2022, Witchgöat returned to the studio to record Altars of Necromancy, an album released in late 2023 that pushed their sound further toward pure black metal in both composition and production, also released by Morbid Skull Records. In 2024, the band reevaluated their musical direction and decided to create a new album that would combine the strongest and most acclaimed elements of their previous works. They focused on refining their compositional maturity, enhancing their guitar solos, and incorporating influences from traditional speed metal.

This approach led Witchgöat to record their third album, Serpent Hordes, in 2025. Not only does its release mark the 10th anniversary of the band, but more importantly, the album successfully captures the essence of Witchgöat and reflects the maturity and balance the members have achieved as musicians. With almost alchemical magick—or perhaps a particularly effective time-machine—the quartet incorporate trace elements of classic Swordmaster, Dissection, Lord Belial, Sweden's Crown Of Thorns, and the culter likes of fellow Swedes Cardinal Sin and Raise Hell while keeping a ripping-forth-from-Hell atmosphere of Pleasure to Kill-era Kreator. That this conspicuous synthesis results in an authentic, iron-clad identity for Witchgöat makes Serpent Hordes all the more amazing. Which is to say nothing of the freezing-fire melodicism and true-as-steel solos...in short, the past is alive and fierier than ever!

In the meantime, hear the brand-new title track "Serpent Hordes" HERE at Personal Records' Bandcamp. Preorder info can be found HERE. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Witchgöat's Serpent Hordes

1. Echoes from the Abyss (Intro)

2. Ophidian Will

3. Serpent Hordes

4. Lesser Shadows

5. Necrophiliac Fever

6. Requiem for Myself

7. Deceivers of the Crucifix

8. Storming the Walls of Eternity

9. Nyctophiliac

10. In the Fog (Outro)