This album, the fifth by long-running Swedish thrash act
Witchery, is the first to feature new vocalist
Legion, formerly of
Marduk. That's in addition to the presence of
Haunted guitarist Patrik Jensen,
Mercyful Fate/
Arch Enemy bassist Sharlee D'Angelo and
Opeth's Martin Axenrot on drums.
Witchkrieg is even more of an all-star affair than the band's previous output, though, as several tracks include guest guitar solos. The opening title track is augmented by some squeals from
Slayer's Kerry King; "The God Who Fell from Earth" features D'Angelo's former
Mercyful Fate bandmate, Hank Shermann; "The Reaver" brings in both Gary Holt and Lee Altus of
Exodus; "From Dead to Worse" has a solo by
King Diamond's guitarist, Andy LaRocque, and Jim Durkin of
Dark Angel plays on "One Foot in the Grave." This gives the album a somewhat patchwork feel, as there's no dominant lead guitar style to augment the band's fairly basic thrash/death songs, but
Witchkrieg is still a solid disc, and
Legion's vocals add a pleasingly creepy/hostile vibe without pulling the band too much in the direction of black metal -- he's doing a different thing here than he did with
Marduk, and doing it well. ~ Phil Freeman