With their sophomore album Celestial Cemetery out on Church Within Records, Norwegian Purple Hill Witch hits a sweet spot in the metal triangle between Angel Witch, Black Sabbath and Hawkwind. It’s that alchemistic moment where psych, doom, NWOBH, proto metal and rock is molded and sculpted into a perfect entity. Whereas their debut album had more of a stoner rock vibe to it, the new album takes the listener on a sheer proto doom journey past vast galaxies of swirling, Iommic riffs, blistering soli, driving drums and a steady surge of pulsating bass. What really strikes through on Celestial Cemetery is how much atmosphere and true feeling the band manages to cramp into the furrows of their sonic landscape – this album oozes with hallucinogenic visions of occult rituals and barren medieval country sides haunted by wicked witches. As such it leaves an even darker, more sinister imprint, and if there ever was an immaculate soundtrack for when going witch hunting across celestial cemeteries this would have to be it. Grab the magic wand and a copy of Purple Hill Witch’s new album before the next hunt, you will need it.
