Symphony for the Devil (Witchery album)
Encyclopedia
Symphony For The Devil is Witchery
's third full-length studio album after Restless & Dead in 1998 and Dead, Hot And Ready in 1999. "Symphony..." was released in 2001 (see 2001 in music
) and has received underground acclaim from metal fanzines and webzines. The album continues in the style of previous Witchery releases, with thrash metal
riffing and solos, but with a black and death metal influence. This album sees Martin Axe of Opeth
on drums, after the departure of Mique. The reissue of the album in 2007 uses slightly different cover art.
. This involves fast paced thrash riffing with melodic solos in most of the songs, though there is very little evidence of the Gothenburg sound in "Symphony..." unlike The Haunted. Jensen (guitar), Toxine (vocals) and Martin Axe (drums) all previously played in Satanic Slaughter
and Toxine, Jensen and Richard Corpse (guitar) were in Seance
. This leaves only Sharlee D'Angelo (bass) of Arch Enemy fame, who has no previous experience with other band members .
Given each musician's other projects, the tight and attacking sound of "Symphony..." is unsurprising. The lyrics include topics such as black magic, death and the occult, similar to the themes explored in Witchery
's first three releases and also those of Satanic Slaughter and Seance.
Tracks marked with a * do not appear on all versions of "Symphony..."
The Japanese edition (TFCK-87249) contains the same tracks but "Enshrined" is track 6, "None Buried Deeper..." is track 7, "Wicked" is track 8, "Called For By Death" is track 9, "The One Within" is track 10, "Hearse Of The Pharoahs" is track 11 and "Shallow Grave" is track 12.
Witchery
Witchery is a Swedish thrash/speed metal band, formed by former members of Satanic Slaughter in 1997. The current lineup consists of vocalist Emperor Magus Caligula , ex-Devian), guitarists Patrik Jensen and Rickard "Richard Corpse" Rimfält, bassist Sharlee D'Angelo, and drummer Martin Axenrot...
's third full-length studio album after Restless & Dead in 1998 and Dead, Hot And Ready in 1999. "Symphony..." was released in 2001 (see 2001 in music
2001 in music
See also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....
) and has received underground acclaim from metal fanzines and webzines. The album continues in the style of previous Witchery releases, with thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
riffing and solos, but with a black and death metal influence. This album sees Martin Axe of Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
on drums, after the departure of Mique. The reissue of the album in 2007 uses slightly different cover art.
Musical influences
Since most of the music and lyrics on the album are written by Jensen, much of the album is similar in sound to his main band, The HauntedThe Haunted
The Haunted is a Swedish metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1996.The original members were Anders & Jonas Björler, Peter Dolving, Adrian Erlandsson and Patrik Jensen...
. This involves fast paced thrash riffing with melodic solos in most of the songs, though there is very little evidence of the Gothenburg sound in "Symphony..." unlike The Haunted. Jensen (guitar), Toxine (vocals) and Martin Axe (drums) all previously played in Satanic Slaughter
Satanic Slaughter
-History:Having previously performed under the name Evil Cunt, the group first adopted the name Satanic Slaughter in 1985. The group went through several guitarists and other lineup changes in its early years before releasing its first demo, One Night in Hell, in 1988. The group split late in 1989...
and Toxine, Jensen and Richard Corpse (guitar) were in Seance
Séance
A séance is an attempt to communicate with spirits. The word "séance" comes from the French word for "seat," "session" or "sitting," from the Old French "seoir," "to sit." In French, the word's meaning is quite general: one may, for example, speak of "une séance de cinéma"...
. This leaves only Sharlee D'Angelo (bass) of Arch Enemy fame, who has no previous experience with other band members .
Given each musician's other projects, the tight and attacking sound of "Symphony..." is unsurprising. The lyrics include topics such as black magic, death and the occult, similar to the themes explored in Witchery
Witchery
Witchery is a Swedish thrash/speed metal band, formed by former members of Satanic Slaughter in 1997. The current lineup consists of vocalist Emperor Magus Caligula , ex-Devian), guitarists Patrik Jensen and Rickard "Richard Corpse" Rimfält, bassist Sharlee D'Angelo, and drummer Martin Axenrot...
's first three releases and also those of Satanic Slaughter and Seance.
Track listing
All music and lyrics written by Jensen unless otherwise stated.- "The Storm" - 3:34
- "Unholy Wars" - 3:12 (music by Jensen/Corpse)
- "Inquisition" - 3:57
- "Omens" - 4:30
- "Bone Mill" - 2:41
- "None Buried Deeper..." - 3:58
- "Wicked" - 2:59
- "Called For By Death" - 4:58
- "Hearse Of The Pharoahs" - 5:07
- "Shallow Grave" - 4:24 (music by Jensen/Corpse)
- "Enshrined"* - 4:15 (music by Jensen/Corpse, lyrics by D'Angelo/Toxine)
- "The One Within"* - 3:14 (music by Jensen/Toxine, lyrics by D'Angelo/Toxine)
Tracks marked with a * do not appear on all versions of "Symphony..."
The Japanese edition (TFCK-87249) contains the same tracks but "Enshrined" is track 6, "None Buried Deeper..." is track 7, "Wicked" is track 8, "Called For By Death" is track 9, "The One Within" is track 10, "Hearse Of The Pharoahs" is track 11 and "Shallow Grave" is track 12.
Personnel
- Toxine - vocals
- JensenPatrik JensenPatrik Jensen is a Swedish guitarist who formed the Swedish thrash metal musical group The Haunted in 1996 with Adrian Erlandsson. He was formerly a member of Seance and Satanic Slaughter and is also a founding member and sole music/lyric writer of Witchery. He is sometimes just referred to as...
- rhythm guitar (written as "riffguitar" in the album notes) - Richard Corpse - lead guitar (written as "sologuitar")
- Sharlee D'Angelo - bass (written as "Bassguitar")
- Martin Axe - drums