Review KING WITCH ‘III’

King Witch was founded in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2015. Their debut album, ‘Under the Mountain’, hit the shelves in 2018, followed by ‘Body of Light’ in 2020. It took a while for King Witch to return with their next release, but here it is. Simply entitled ‘III’, the Scottish powerhouse has launched an extraordinary new album with a real wow factor.

‘III’ features an eight-song tracklist, with ‘Suffer in Life’ in pole position. The album kicks off with a sinister intro-like sequence, and the following riff shows where we are heading. It is a mighty doom-riff from Jamie Gilchrist that adds some first power to the throbbing opener. It is the overture to an excellent doom metal anthem, with the vocals being a key element of this composition.

Laura Donnelly’s unique style gives King Witch its own identity, as she doesn’t just sing; she performs. She has an enormous vocal range, and the strength of her voice makes each track a blood-curdling experience for listeners.

Following the opener is ‘Deal with the Devil’, a more classic rock-oriented track that showcases the band’s and singer’s versatility. While the opener features raspy and powerful vocals, ‘Deal With the Devil’ is heavy doom rock, with vocals that convey more than just words. Donnelly has the ability to convey pure emotion.

‘Swarming Flies’ is a complex, classic rock-driven adventure that leads to ‘Sea of Lies’. The latter is a slower-paced track with a roaring riff that reminds me of bands like Soundgarden. Alongside the doom metal and heavy rock influences, grunge resonates in some of the tunes, such as ‘Sea of Lies’. Exceeding six minutes in length, the song features a pleasant twist halfway through. The composition is punctuated by a transition to a passage of atmospheric resonance, which is succeeded by a vigorous solo segment that serves to revitalise the piece.

Mentioning the atmospheric aspect of King Witch also means focusing on ‘Behind the Veil’. This acoustic-driven track once again showcases Donnelly’s vocal versatility, giving the song a lot of feeling. It’s incredible how easily she transitions to a metal singer as the song shifts gears towards the end. The high-pitched screams are as good as the emotional singing at the beginning of the song — a talent not every singer possesses.

‘Diggin’ in the Dirt’ is a galloping metal song and it is an acoustic guitar welcoming ‘Little Witch’. When listening to this 70s-rooted song, I was reminded of Ann Wilson.

The grand finale is the seven-minute stunner ‘Last Great Wilderness’, which King Witch placed at the end of their third album. It is a dark and sinister doom metal anthem that sends shivers down your spine. In a way, the song perfectly concludes everything you have previously heard on this album. The combination of calmer moments, sonic outbursts and emotionally touching vocals makes it easy to connect with ‘Last Great Wilderness’.

‘III’ is an excellent release that brings a fusion of classic rock, doom metal and grunge into the modern era. It is a blistering demonstration of passion and dedication to music, an attitude that is echoed in each song on the album. There was a time when a band’s future depended on their third release. If this formula is still in place, we can expect great things from King Witch in the future.