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! ! ! ! !
Artist......: Atomic Witch
Album.......: Death Etiquette
Year........: 2025
Genre.......: Thrash Metal
Type........: Album
Label.......: Redefining Darkness Records
Language....: English
Source......: WEB
Encoder.....: libFLAC
Quality.....: 1891kbps avg. / 48.0kHz / 2 channels
Tracks......: 8
Playtime....: 00:27:14
Size........: 386.44MB
R.Date......: 2025-07-31
S.Date......: 2025-07-25
Url.........: http://play.qobuz.com/album/adumfk8oe7l8a
01. Morgue Rat 2:18
02. Of Flesh & Chrome 3:45
03. Worms & Dirt 3:15
04. Dream Rot 4:09
05. Sabbath Breaker 2:51
06. Death Edging (Come to the Light) 4:53
07. Skelecidal 3:06
08. Vicious Mistress 2:57
Cleveland, OhioÆs death thrash quintet, Atomic Witch,
began as Bulk & Skull in 2012ùa nod to the comic
relief duo from Mighty Morphin Power Rangersùbefore
changing their moniker in 2016. After releasing a few
singles and EPs, Atomic Witch partnered with
Redefining Darkness Records and producer Dan ôThe Manö
Swan÷ for their debut album, Crypt of Sleepless
Malice, in 2022, which created a splash in the death
thrash pool with its visceral riffs, horror-themed
lyrics, and completely unhinged vocals. Three years of
lessons learned later, Atomic Witch and new producer
Noah Buchanan (Nunslaughter, Solipsist) at ClevelandÆs
Mercinary Studios have reopened the crypt to unleash
sophomore effort, Death Etiquette, upon the phantasmic
masses. Do these Midwest marauders have what it takes
to infect a crowded scene even further, or should we
stake this vampireÆs heart now and slam the coffin
door shut?
As Death Etiquette comes not only crashing through but
completely mangling the gate, itÆs clear Atomic Witch
hasnÆt tweaked their formula. In just over two
minutes, album opener ôMorgue Ratö packs everything
Atomic Witch does well into one brief, bristling
bruiser. Frenetically furious riffing melded with
drummer Nick AmatoÆs (Axioma) rolls and fills hit you
right between the beady eyes before the track settles
into a nice, mid-paced chug-a-lug. Like Stallone
turning his trucker hat around in Over the Top, when
singer Nick Martinis pulls his neon green ski mask
down over his face, shitÆs about to get real, and when
he delivers the very cheeky Drowning Pool-ish line
ôLet the bodies hit the morgue,ö itÆs also clear
Atomic Witch donÆt take themselves too seriously. New
bassist David McJunkinsÆ low-end rumblings, in
conjunction with AmatoÆs battery, keep the frantic
riffs and twisted solos of Jesse Shattuck and Jonah
Meister in check. Death Etiquette delivers short and
sweet thrash first and foremost, falling somewhere
amidst the sonic Bermuda triangle of Slayer,
Forbidden, and Xoth. At the same time, there are
sprinkles of Sentient Horror-like death (ôOf Flesh and
Chromeö) and a little bit of black metallicism (ôDream
Rotö) boiling in Atomic WitchÆs cauldron. Performances
reign supreme here, and itÆs the vocal pyrotechnics
that take center stage.
Eschewing the punkier, more straightforward approach
of fellow Midwest acts like Midnight and Wraith,
Atomic Witch differentiate through the crazed vocal
tandem of Martinis and Shattuck. Betwixt the two,
Martinis carries the bulk of the responsibility, and
his snarly screamsùreminiscent of HavokÆs David
Sanchezùbring some extra lethality to the material and
highlight the catchy choruses (ôMorgue Rat,ö ôWorms
and Dirtö). While the completely bonkers,
high-pitched, full-throated power falsettosùlanding
within Rob Halford, King Diamond, and Mark Osegueda
territoryùand deep, guttural growls of Shattuck serve
as an insane accompaniment to MartinisÆ raspy delivery
(ôDeath Edging (Come to the Light)ö). Both coalesce
perfectly on my favorite track, and album closer
ôVicious Mistress,ö a Venom song title if ever there
was one. Carrying over from the debutÆs ôLove Curse,ö
the track features a swaggering groove composed of
bendy chords and flirty riffs, the high-low vocal
trade-offs accentuating the hectic solos and furious
instrumentals with a romping effect.
Death Etiquette benefits from Noah BuchananÆs rawer
production. As masterful as Swan÷ is, I found the mix
on Crypt of Sleepless Malice too mutedly polished. And
while Atomic Witch may have sacrificed some DR in the
process, the slightly louder mix works for me with
this material. A testament to cohesiveness, the
songwriting on Death Etiquette is tighter and more
focused too, as Shattuck and Meister continue to
refine their ability to craft engaging music. And
while even the shorter tracks feel fully resolved,
despite their brevity, the twenty-seven-minute runtime
did leave me wanting a little more meat on my plate.
Atomic Witch continue to make a name for themselves in
the death thrash space, and Death Etiquette is another
solid step forward. And while theyÆre not doing
anything too groundbreaking or boundary-pushing, these
two first noteworthy releases indicate a band
embarking on a decently consistent career. I suppose
only time will tell. Atomic Witch seems like a fun
band, and I found Death Etiquette a fun listen. IÆd
certainly opt to catch them, and their ski-masked
frontman, live should they make a stop anywhere near
my stomping grounds. IÆll be spinning Death Etiquette
more as this humid summer trudges on and will be
keeping my eyes peeled for what Atomic Witch does
next.