Sometimes there are things that together simply make the perfect combination; fish and chips, The Chuckle Brothers, and metal music and horror movies. The relationship between these two art forms has been deep-rooted ever since Iommi and company first unleashed those infamous single notes on the world, taking their band name and that song title famously from Spanish 60’s flick Black Sabbath. It’s a relationship that Acid Witch have firmly embraced throughout their existence, and paid homage too on Midnight Movies (Hells Headbangers).
Acid Witch have always shown a little bit of a tongue in cheek side to them but this collection of covers taken from cult horror b-movie soundtracks is still surprisingly cartoonlike. Most of this is down to their shedding of their own doom/death roots, instead choosing to perform true and familiar renditions of the likes of Sorcery and Fastway, with some additional eerie growls. Production wise this has quite a sheen but doesn’t detract from the old-school vibe and keeps its atmosphere; all the while sounding like they are having the time of their lives.
Far from the year’s most important release of course; this is a complete nostalgia trip to some of metal and horror’s campest and animated moments with four covers that stick to the original formula and prove just as grin inducing.
7.0/10
CHRIS TIPPELL
