Witchcult Today

Witchcult Today
Studio album by Electric Wizard
Released	November 20 2007
Recorded	April - August 2007 at Toe Rag Studios in Hackney, London, England
Genre	Doom Metal, Occult Rock
Length	58:53
Label	Rise Above Records
Producer	Liam Watson
Electric Wizard chronology
Radio 1 Session 1/05 (2006)	Witchcult Today (2007)	Electric Wizard / Reverend Bizarre (2008)

Witchcult Today is the sixth studio album by the Dorset doom metal band Electric Wizard. Recorded entirely on vintage analogue equipment at Toe Rag Studios with producer Liam Watson, Witchcult Today would be released in the Fall of 2007 and serve as a major turning point for the band as Electric Wizard's sound would lean more into occult rock rather than the abrasive doom metal of past releases. Along with becoming the foundation for Electric Wizard's sound going forward, Witchcult Today would become a fan favorite and many of the album's songs have become live staples.

Background

In 2007, the band would start working with producer Liam Watson, famous for working with The White Stripes among other bands. This stemmed from Oborn hearing about the studio and finding out about their vintage equipment that was 100% analog. The band intended to write a twenty minute song for the album ("Black Magic Rituals and Perversions") but it would be shortened to eleven due to the limitations with the studio equipment.

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. "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. Notably the first half of Black Magic Rituals & Perversions would be a cover of the Italian band Acanthus, whom wrote the soundtrack to Le Frisson des Vampires. 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.

Witchcult Today was initially released on 20 November 2007 in what would be RISE100 for Rise Above Records. The initial release on CD and Vinyl, with limited CD editions with Black CDs and a foil sleeve. The initial vinyl edition would feature gatefold silver foil sleeves with a gatefold insert, some of which in a "Die Hard" edition with a bonus poster and patch. The band's first tour in support of Witchcult Today would be the band's first tour of Japan as part of Doom Age Festival. Notably it would be the final shows with bassist Rob Al-Issa, who would leave the next year.

Witchcult Today would attain positive reception from several publications at the time of release, such as Your Last Rites, Sea of Tranquilityand Blabbermouth among others. Retroactively it would attain it's critical praise from publications such as Metal Injection, Self Titled Magazine and That Devil Music.

Versions

• Standard Rise Above Records CD (2007)
• Deluxe Rise Above Records CD (2007; Holographic Sleeve and Black Media Disc)
• Standard Candlelight Records CD (2007)
• Standard Leaf Hound Records CD (2007; Bonus Track)
• Purple Die Hard Vinyl (2007, 100 copies; Foil Sleeve, Print and Patch)
• Green Die Hard Vinyl (2007, 200 copies; Foil Sleeve, Print and Patch)
• Black Sparkle Die Hard Vinyl (2007, 200 copies; Foil Sleeve, Print and Patch)
• Silver Grey Vinyl (2007, 500 copies; Foil Sleeve)
• Clear Vinyl (2007, 500 copies; Foil Sleeve)
• Black Vinyl (2007, 500 copies; Foil Sleeve)
• Black Vinyl (2010, Unknown Limited Amount; Inverse Cover and No Gatefold)
• Metal Blade Records CD (2012)
• Grey/Black/Clear Vinyl (2014, 1000 copies; Inverse Cover)
• Clear Vinyl (2014, Unknown Limited Amount)
• Pink Vinyl (2014, Unknown Limited Amount)
• Black Vinyl (2014, Unknown Limited Amount)
• Silver and Clear Vinyl (2016, 1000 copies; Record Store Day Black Friday Exclusive)
• Silver & Black Marble Vinyl (2018, 300 copies; Newbury Comics Exclusive)
• Purple & Purple Marble Vinyl (2018, Unknown Limited Amount)
• Purple Vinyl (2018, Unknown Limited Amount)
• Rise Above Records USA CD (2018)

Tracklist

All songs written by Electric Wizard. All lyrics by Jus Oborn.

• 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 i) Frisson Des Vampires ii) Zora (11:01) (Acanthus; Electric Wizard)
• 8. Saturnine (11:04)

Personnel

Electric Wizard - Witchcult Today (Full Album)

• Jus Oborn - Guitar, Sitar, Vocals, Artwork
• Liz Buckingham - Guitar, Hammond Organ
• Rob Al-Issa - Bass
• Shaun Rutter - Drums
• Liam Watson - Engineer, Mixing, Producer
• Noel Summerville - Mastering

External Links

• / Discogs