Witchcult Today
Witchcult Today is the sixth studio album by English stoner/doom metal band Electric Wizard, released on 20 November 2007.
| Witchcult Today | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 20 November 2007 | |||
| Studio | Toe Rag Studios | |||
| Genre | Doom metal, stoner metal | |||
| Length | 58:53 | |||
| Label | Rise Above Records (UK) Candlelight Records (US) Leaf Hound Records (Japan) | |||
| Producer | Liam Watson | |||
| Electric Wizard chronology | ||||
| ||||
Album information
The band's fascination with horror movies and writers continues here with "Satanic Rites of Drugula", a reference to the Hammer Studios horror film The Satanic Rites of Dracula, and "Dunwich", a reference to H.P. Lovecraft's short story The Dunwich Horror; also "Black Magic Rituals & Perversions (I. Frisson Des Vampires II. Zora)" makes reference to Jean Rollin film Le Frisson des Vampires (Shiver of the Vampires) and to Italian comic book character Zora the Vampire. Furthermore, the album cover of "Witchcult Today" is edited from the poster for The Devil Rides Out and is reminiscent of a scene from the 1975 occult thriller Race with the Devil.
On 23 May 2012, Metal Blade Records issued a limited edition vinyl which contained Witchcult Today and Black Masses, in order to coincide with the 10th Maryland Deathfest.[1]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Blabbermouth.net | 8/10[3] |
| Chronicles of Chaos | 9.5/10[4] |
| Cosmos Gaming | (positive)[5] |
Reviews for Witchcult Today were mostly positive, with Thom Jurek of AllMusic writing "Musically, Electric Wizard inhabit the same basic world of stoner/doom/sludge they always have."[2]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Witchcult Today" | 7:54 |
| 2. | "Dunwich" | 5:34 |
| 3. | "Satanic Rites of Drugula" | 6:06 |
| 4. | "Raptus" | 2:13 |
| 5. | "The Chosen Few" | 8:19 |
| 6. | "Torquemada '71" | 6:42 |
| 7. | "Black Magic Rituals & Perversions"
| 11:01 |
| 8. | "Saturnine" | 11:04 |
| Total length: | 58:53 | |
Personnel
- Jus Oborn – guitar, vocals, sitar
- Liz Buckingham – guitar, Hammond organ
- Rob Al-Issa – bass
- Shaun Rutter – drums
- All lyrics – Jus Oborn
- All music – Electric Wizard
- Cover artwork – Jus Oborn
- Produced, mixed and engineered by Liam Watson
- Mastered by Noel Summerville
Release history
| Year | Label | Format | Country | Out of Print? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Rise Above | CD | UK | Yes | Limited black disc/foil sleeve version[6] |
| 2007 | Rise Above | CD | UK | No | Standard jewel case edition[6] |
| 2007 | Leaf Hound | CD | Japan | No | Includes bonus track |
| 2007 | Candlelight | CD | US | No | Standard jewel case edition |
| 2007 | Rise Above | 2LP | UK | Yes | Special "die-hard" edition; includes screened poster and patch; limited 500 copies (100 purple, 200 black/silver sparkle, 200 green)[6] |
| 2007 | Rise Above | 2LP | UK | Yes | Limited 1500 copies (500 black, 500 clear, 500 silver/grey)[6] |
| 2010 | Rise Above | 2LP | UK | No | "Black Edition", features slightly altered cover art. Non-Gatefold. |
References
- Dawes, Laina (23 May 2012). "Electric Wizard - Witchcult Today". Exclaim!.
- Jurek, Thom. Witchcult Today at AllMusic. Retrieved 203 March 2021.
- Alisoglu, Scott. "Electric Wizard - Witchcult Today". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- Ulrey, Jeremy (14 January 2008). "Electric Wizard - Witchcult Today". Chronicles of Chaos. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- Dahlberg, Chris (14 December 2007). "Cosmos Gaming review". Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- Witchcult Today at Rise Above Records