Review WICKED LEATHER “Season of the Witch”

Spain has quite some good metal bands. Hailing from Barcelona, Wicked Leather is one of the bands representing metal from southern Europe. “Season of the Witch” is the title of their debut album, which contains eight songs.

The title track introduces the album and immediately establishes the band’s traditional heavy metal roots. The song has a good momentum and features well-crafted guitar melodies. The vocals, however, are somewhat distracting. Yamila Martins has a unique voice that gives songs such as “Crystal Lake” and the up-tempo “Black Goat Rising” a mystical and occult vibe. However, the vocals remain in the same pattern throughout, making the album a lengthy experience. Whether listening to the fast-paced “Black Goat Rising” or the pulsating “Midnight Creature”, excitement remains elusive.

“Season of the Witch” is the band’s first album. It has some good starting points, and there is undeniable potential. However, there are also quite a few things that need further development, a factor that is also evident in “Masquerade of Shadows”. While the approach is ambitious, the execution of ideas is less thrilling than the ideas initially suggest.