All the best tunes belong to the Devil, and Portland’s bastard sons Bewitcher have returned to take back rock n’ roll in Baphomet’s name.
“Starfire Maelstrom”, the pummeling first invocation from the vaunted trio’s upcoming studio album “Spell Shock”, due out on September 27th, 2024, via Century Media Records, is the hardened and bloodthirsty sound of Bewitcher – noise, filth, fury n’ all.
Check out the lyric video for “Starfire Maelstrom”, that was done by Scott Taysom, below.
“It’s full of apocalyptic, speed demon vibes, and imagery taken from the worst of current events that only get more apocalyptic as time goes by”, says Bewitcher frontman Mateo Von Bewitcher of “Spell Shock”’s lead missive. “It’s the feeling you get from ‘Fight Fire with Fire’ on [Metallica’s] ‘Ride the Lightning’. It’s immediate how it feeds into themes of human destruction and war, but also has cosmic elements. It’s a classic album opener”.
Joining Von Bewitcher, bassist A. Magus, and drummer A. Hunter in the studio this time was none other longtime Bewitcher fan Lars Frederiksen. Most of the world knows Frederiksen as a force in his own right, playing in the likes of Bay Area punk heroes Rancid, as well as his own Old Firm Casuals. While to some, it may have been an unlikely pairing with Frederiksen taking the producer’s seat, for everyone in the studio the connection was immediate. Says Frederiksen on “Spell Shock”: “The best record I’ve ever produced”.
Bewitcher is already touring in anticipation for “Spell Shock”. Recent months have seen the band blast through Europe and Mexico, and they are presently churning up the road with Portland Black Metal practitioners Uada, and Century Media labelmates Upon Stone for a string of dates that includes the legendary Milwaukee Metal Fest. More dates including a Fall North American tour, and Bewitcher’s return to Europe as they continue to extol their “Black Magick Metal” gospel will be announced soon.
US Tour Dates 2024:
05/22/24 Nashville, TN – Vinyl Lounge
05/23/24 Dallas, TX – RBC
05/24/24 Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad
05/25/25 Phoenix, AZ – Pub Rock
05/27/24 Las Vegas, NV – Usual Place
05/28/24 Sacramento, CA – Goldfield Midtown
(Supporting Uada)
Festival 2024:
11/8-9/24 (SE) Umea – House of Metal Festival
Line-up:
Mateo Von Bewitcher – Vox & guitars
A. Hunter – Drums & percussion
A. Magus – Bass guitar & backing vox
Weblinks:
www.bewitcher.us
www.facebook.com/BewitcherOfficial
