Burning WitchesDance With the Devil

No matter what shape it takes or which divergent direction it veers off into, there will always be those who pay tribute to heavy metal in its purest form.

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Swiss quintet Burning Witches probably don’t even know what modern metal sounds like, and if they do, they probably don’t care. 

Like a first-time horror film director throwing in every trope they can to pay homage to their influences, Burning Witches draw unashamedly from the classic acts of the 80s for every aspect of their art, from riffs and lyrics to image and artwork, with a portrayal of the band on their Dio rip-off cover just in case you weren’t aware they are an all-female band.

Burning Witches put all the pieces together with a true feel for what they’re doing and a deep love of their genre, not to mention solid talent.

Unlike that first-time director, while Dance With the Devil offers absolutely nothing new, Burning Witches put all the pieces together with a true feel for what they’re doing and a deep love of their genre, not to mention solid talent. This album is laden with the type of catchy, heavy riffing Accept and Judas Priest were ripping out in their prime, with short, stabbing solos and lead breaks cutting through speedy and savage metal. New vocalist Laura Guldemond stamps her authority on the songs with a wild raspy howl that can turn harmonious at a moment’s notice, leading the band through a set of tracks so well played and put together one can completely overlook the cliched subject matter and goofy lyrics—in fact that makes it even more authentic, if anything. 

Burning Witches make no bones about being nothing more than a pure metal band, and if getting Ross the Boss from Manowar on board to play on their cover of Battle Hymn doesn’t prove their mettle, nothing does. Dance With the Devil is about as metal as you can get.

STANDOUT TRACKS: Lucid Nightmare, Threefold Fight, Six Feet Underground
STICK THIS NEXT TO: Dio, Warlock, Accept