Personally, I think every single piece of music that Mr. Pat Ranieri and Co. has released so far is amazing. I have been a long time fan starting from the 1989 “Purveyor Of Fear” 7″ EP. Now, to be completely honest, we need a little more than one album every 13 years (in average) from HELLWITCH. But let’s focus on the good news. “Annihilational Intercention” has been released courtesy of Listenable Records. And upon first hearing, I can not believe how great this album turned out. Production wise, it’s exactly what I was expecting: just massive. The whole album feels like straight out of 1990, heavy as a ton of bricks, but with a clearer and more balanced mix. Even the mastering is perfectly done, showcasing all the dynamics and the nuances in every single song. This I welcomed the most, since the Metal “scene” has not only been plagued with plastic and sterile sound quality, but also with the “compression wars” issue, where everything is so damn loud one cannot appreciate a thing. I dare to say that the drums have minimal processing, especially since the cymbals resonate perfectly as if you were right there sitting in the room. Also, Brian Wilson’s surgical drum performance is superb; neither overpowering his bandmates nor overplaying when not needed. His use of interesting breaks is as good as his understanding of the space that the guitars, the bass and the vocals demand. Whoever recorded the bass (John, Pat or both?) did a great job. Even though the bass lines follow the guitar riffing most of the time, there are certain parts where it pops out with small but noticeable variations, also providing a dense and well rounded foundation. And since we got to the guitars, let me tell you that HELLWITCH’s signature riffing is all over the place. The guitar tone is natural and organic. Actually, I dare say that the gain setting in the guitar distortion was set low, but it made the tone much heavier and dense. Pat and John’s riffs are technical, twisted, precise, eccentric, unbounded, distinctive and absolutely amazing. These songs scream HELLWITCH loud and proud. And to top it off, we have the frantic, hysterical, demented and unique vocals, which are such an important and identifiable part of the band’s sound. He even manages to growl, gurgle and scream like time has never passed. I still cannot figure out how he does this, but the good news is that he does and I am so effing happy about it. There are eight songs in “Annihilational Intercention”, including one instrumental. Both ‘Antrophophagi’ and ‘Torture Chamber’ are classis (re-recorded versions off the “Anthropophagi” 1994 demo and “Transgressive Sentience” 1986 demo respectively). Then ‘At Rest’ and ‘Megalopalypytic Confine’ come off their 2017 7″ EP. Plus four awesome new songs that have been on the burner for some years now. However, the album sounds completely cohesive and so connected that one can never tell some of these songs are 30+ years old. For me, the wait was well worth it. HELLWITCH has been one of my fave bands for all these years. No matter how many times Pat has been ripped off by shitty labels, the band keeps delivering the goods. And then some. That is obviously a huge commitment to his music and even more so, staying true to his art. I really hope that with Listenable Records’ support, HELLWITCH will finally get the respect and the attention they rightfully deserve. And I say this not based on nostalgia or “the good old days”. If you want proof, throw “Annihilational Intercention” in your stereo and let it bash your head relentlessly for 41 minutes. Or choose randomly between any of their previous releases. You will find my reasons there. If you call yourself an Extreme Metal fan, you need this album in your collection. It is a must buy. Absolutely essential! Show the band your support at www.facebook.com/hellwitchofficial666 and get their album from their label www.facebook.com/listenablerecs