Posts Tagged ‘witchcraft’

Album of the day: Magnus Pelander – S/T

Posted on Saturday, July 3rd, 2010

Praise for Magnus Pelander‘s S/T from San Francisco’s aQuarius Records: Attention, all worshippers of Witchcraft!! What we have here is the next best thing to new music from that more ’70s than thou band of Swedish heavy prog downer doomsters, and huge AQ faves. It’s the debut solo recording from Witchcraft frontman Magnus Pelander, a four song, 21 minute ep. If you’re a real Witchcraft fan, you’ll want this. Since Magnus is the prime mover in Witchcraft, and this highlights his distinctive, mellifluous voice as well as guitar playing and songwriting talents, it’s one of those “solo” projects that doesn’t sound too different from the main band… except it’s mostly acoustic!

A few years back, one time when Witchcraft were playing in San Francisco, Magnus told us he had plans to team up with a friend of his back home, who’s also his guitar teacher, to do an acoustic album. We’d been eagerly waiting ever since, and it seems that their project has finally borne fruit. Magnus plays 6 string acoustic guitar, electric as well, plus drums and percussion. And of course sings. Meanwhile, his friend Mike (first name only given here, he’s shy or something) plays 6 and 12 steel string acoustic guitars, plus piano, bass, percussion, and handles the string arrangements.

AQ’s Allan, actually, was lucky enough to get to see the duo’s first ever performance, this year at the Roadburn festival in Holland. For him, it was definitely a highlight of the fest, though Magnus and Mike were frustrated by some technical difficulties during their set. Still, they rose to the occasion and delivered some of the most “musical” moments of the whole Roadburn experience. Let’s put it this way: Magnus is no slouch on guitar, but this guy Mike was really phenomenal!

The glorious, intricate interplay of guitars Allan heard there is fully on display here, as is the manner in which Magnus bears his heart vocally and lyrically, these songs so personal and emotive, like a lot of the most moving Witchcraft tunes. Some of this has got that sad Sabbath “Solitude” vibe, though the EP starts out on the brighter side with ‘A Sinner’s Child’, featuring melodious whistling, and lovely female backing ah-ah-ah’s, but also lyrics like “I am a sinner’s child / you better wait a while / before you take my hand / can you see Satan smile?” keeping it well within the realm of something dark and occultic that Witchcraft themselves might do.

‘Hope’, which begins just with voice and piano, getting even more intimate in feel than the first track, soon turns into even more of a showcase for this duo’s impressive 6 and 12 string chops. They rip… acoustically. Track 3, ‘You Have Got No Friends To Turn To’ is by far the heaviest offering here, Magnus busting out the electric guitar for some plodding riff stomp and amped-up psychedelic soloing, though the track is still adorned with plenty of acoustic filigree and hand percussion. Certainly another one that wouldn’t be out of place on a Witchcraft album.

The last, and longest, track, ‘Stardust’, is an achingly beautiful and melancholic ballad, Magus’s singing starting off hushed, the strumming almost sacred, a string section gradually building up in the background, piano notes intertwined with the guitar lines, it gets pretty progged out and epic! Allan definitely remembers this one from Roadburn, even in the stripped down way they played it there.

This record recalls at moments the likes of Comus and Six Organs and Aztec Two-Step and even, unintentionally but awesomely, Tenacious D, just a teeny bit. Fellow Swedes Dungen and Bjorn Olsson would be other references. And while in our experience, most people into the whole current indie acid folk scene already do dig Witchcraft, those who haven’t heard ‘em might find this to be a particularly lush, gorgeous, somewhat mellowed out entree.

At 40 years old, Aquarius is the oldest independent record store in San Francisco. We try to only carry music we love, and we’re always searching for more new, cool, weird and wonderful music. All of which we then share with you, our loyal customers.

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Posted in 2010, Album of the Day, Roadburn Recommended | 3 Comments »

Troubled Horse: Debut Single Due In March

Posted on Friday, January 29th, 2010

Troubled Horse will release its debut single, titled Bring My Horses Home on March 19 via Crusher Records. Hailing from Örebro, Sweden, Troubled Horse is comprised of Witchcraft’s Ola Henriksson (Bass/Back-up vocals) and John Hoyles (Guitar/Back-up vocals) along with Jens Henriksson (Drums/Percussion) and Martin Heppich (Guitar/Vocals). The band sports a ...read more

Roadburn’s Album of the Decade: Electric Wizard – Dopethrone

Posted on Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

The votes are in, the points have been awarded and the math has been done. More than 150 of you have taken the time to forward your Top 10 list for the Roadburn Album of the Decade. Here then is your list (and a stunning list it is). It seems ...read more

Witchcraft’s Magnus Pelander to perform acoustic set at Roadburn 2010.

Posted on Friday, December 4th, 2009

We are very pleased to announce that Witchcraft vocalist Magnus Pelander will be part of the Roadburn festival lineup on Thursday, 15 April 2010. Magnus will perform some very personal songs on acoustic guitar that will be recorded sometime next year for a full-length record. According to Magnus, “the record ...read more

Album of the day: Witchcraft – S/T (Rise Above Records 2004)

Posted on Monday, May 25th, 2009

(From our archives): Witchcraft S/T should be emblazoned with a HUGE health-warning sticker, as should you, the listener suffer from motion sickness… BE WARNED!!! As the speed with which this blissfully anachronistic heavy rock album sucks you down, a delirious time tunnel would warp the mind of H.G Wells himself. ...read more

Witchcraft: new pro-shot concert footage available

Posted on Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Strike, the metal show on StreetClip.tv, has uploaded brand new professionally filmed concert footage of Swedish doom rockers Witchcraft. Witchcraft, who formed in 2000 in tribute to band heroes Roky Erickson and Bobby Liebling (Pentagram), create heavy, blues-based rock augmented with touches of psychedelica and late ’60s pop flourishes. The ...read more