Through opening for notable alt bands like My Chemical Romance and Nova Twins, the group are famed among punk and rock enthusiasts for their utterly captivating performances and crowd work. Catching them in a support slot, or dusky small venue headliner, is a must.
So, it comes as little surprise that their latest single ‘The Garden’ can be described wholeheartedly as an explosive, moody delight.
Harking back to their signature autobiographical themes of religious trauma, exceptional vocalist Amy Hope Walpole spins a tale of Biblical temptation. Singing of how “Eve brought the apple to [her] home”, the lyrics hold such deep rage, the kind of soul-baring fury that audiences have come to expect from the band. Her vocals overflow with it. Every belt, every yell from that erupting chorus feels like the most guttural of battle cries. This is all the more powerful in the contrast against the track’s verses, where her delivery switches to a haunting siren-song of doom, with gruesome, visceral imagery. The band’s horror influences are highly apparent.
As with any Witch Fever performance, their instrumentals are a spellbinding hook. Those opening strummed chords from Alisha Yarwood are a driving force underneath the track, lifted by Alex Thompson’s heavy bass that packs a punch. This swells into that burning energy that Walpole sings of upon the chorus, where Annabelle Joyce’s formidable drums throw the beat into motion. It perforates the eardrums like all good punk should do, and leaves you stunned in a shrill pedal-heavy haze. The mosh pits are sure to be one for the history books.
Witch Fever’s sophomore album ‘Fevereaten’ releases aptly on October 31st and will feature this single and many others. Run, don’t walk, to the local record shop for a copy.
Sofia Neal
Image: ‘The Garden’ Official Single Cover
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