Album Review: Earth Witch - Earthbound EP

Artist: Earth WitchAlbum: Earthbound EPTrack Listing:1. Sky Knight2. Lunar3. Aggregate4. Wizard's Cloak5. EarthboundOther publications may deny it, but the truth is there is a new king of heavy here in the C-U, and that is Earth Witch.The new stoner metal trio local to the area dropped its debut release, Earthbound EP, two weeks ago today in the most perfect setting: Halloween night, the same night the three of them took the stage to play a set of Black Sabbath covers for the Halloween Cover Shows at Error Records. After seeing the group perform on three or so different occasions, it was nice to finally be able to take away this token of their "witch"-craft.For those of you who are unaware, Earth Witch, in terms of Champaign-Urbana, is more or less a supergroup. On drums is Nathan Landolt, formerly of Rvins and owner and operator of Error Records, through whom the release is being made available. Nathan also currently drums for Doomsayer. Ivan Catron- the mastermind behind such acts like Dino Bravo, Orange Soda, Planet Farm, and most recently, a revival of folk-punk outfit Bad Catman - is on lead guitar and vocals. Rounding out the crew on bass, and also taking the reigns for recording the album, is Sean Hermann. Sean, who plays for Enta as well, most notably operates his own label, Skeletal Lightning, which was responsible for a critically acclaimed DIY music festival last April at the Red Herring and Channing Murray Foundation. That festival, Skeletal Lightning Fest, will be held again this coming April at Error Records and is proving to be a splendid addition to the roster of local festivals, being the first of its kind to take place in the C-U.For one familiar with the C-U scene, the sound of Earth Witch is very much a compilation of the styles of all three musicians. The driving, obliterating brand of hardcore once seen with Rvins is lurking in the background of the rhythms throughout the tape. Ivan's vocals are reminiscent of Dino Bravo, and it is quite apparent that all three members of the band are raving of fans of the Sabbath. Prior reviews have criticized this release for that, its emulating of classic heavy metal, but I beg to differ that this be something to write off. The nostalgia is there, but it comes with much more of the heavy as well as a fresh sound. Ivan cites other bands such as Sleep, Pentagram, Witchcraft, Blue Cheer and Sir Lord Baltimore as being main influences.In regards to the tape, the whole thing is a trip, but side A is a journey of its own. From the galloping intro to "Sky Knight" and the first taste of Ivan's heroic roars to the dreamy yet haunting finale of "Lunar," it walks listeners through a forest where the trees speak in power chords, their branches fists raised in the air. Side B, however, is where it really gets exciting. My personal favorite off the tape is "Aggregate," with the introductory riff of that particular tune being, in my opinion, the greatest riff ever written, or at least somewhat encompassing of their overall sound. It also is probably the most recognizable, especially for those who have seen the band live. As far as heavy is concerned, "Wizard's Cloak" takes the lead-filled cake, opening with a bass-led riff before Ivan sings arguably the most memorable lines of the tape. Much like the tape begins, the final track "Earthbound" takes listeners on a roller coaster of driving tempos, palm mutes, and a finale featuring a face-melting guitar solo that picks at nostalgia of the classic heavy metal sound.Overall, Earthbound through and through is a solid release from a band that has been rising through the Champaign underground scene as the year has progressed. It features engaging and well-structured songs written by talented, hard-working musicians, and is a release made possible exclusively by the very people who wrote it. Best of all, they are giving their creation away to all listeners, as a free download of this album is available on Earth Witch's Bandcamp. The link for that can be found here.Give Earth Witch a listen, or check them out at an upcoming show, and you will not be disappointed.Rating (by pizza size):10″ (small pie)12″ (medium pie)14″ (large pie)16″ (X-large pie)18″ (Really big pizza)