Dead, Hot and Ready

Witchery presents a well-produced and disturbing (if somewhat cliched) offering here. Black and power metal influences combine with a hard-rocking sensibility, reminiscent of Motorhead at times, to create a powerful musical landscape for lyrics that invoke evil and death. The title track alone should make this album an obvious choice for kids who want to scare or anger their religious parents but, for some fans of metal, the spooky cover art and song topics may seem like a horse that's been beaten to death a zillion times over. The lyrical themes -- or any other single element on its own -- are really not what makes this a worthwhile listen, however. The blending of musical styles and delivery may evoke certain tried and true metal themes and approaches, but the band has carefully blended these styles to create a unique delivery that manages to hold the listener's attention, and at times even manages to be exciting and entertaining. While not groundbreaking, this is definitely not a bad attempt by Witchery. ~ Paul Kott