LITANIES FROM THE WOODS

WITCHWOOD are a new band out of Italy playing a heavy, bluesy style of Progressive music. The harmonica is quite prominent along with the flute and we get a powerful vocalist that brings Classic Rock to mind. If you like BLACK BONZO, WICKED MINDS, URIAH HEEP or DEEP PURPLE you need to check these guys out. I really think that fellow Italians WICKED MINDS had to have been an influence. Heck they even had an album called "Witchflower".

Man this is a long record at just under 78 minutes. First up is "Prelude/ Liar" which opens with this repeated guitar melody before it kicks in heavily after 1 1/2 minutes, vocals follow. My favourite part of the song is the instrumental calm after 4 minutes with flute. Ripping guitar comes in a minute later as it kicks back in. A kick-ass start but i'm not a big fan of this one. The organ, flute and drums standout early on the next track called "A Place For The Sun". Harmonica follows then vocals. I'm not really digging this until it calms down before 3 1/2 minutes with strummed guitar and keyboards without vocals. Nice. Back to that powerful sound with vocals late to end it. "Rainbow Highway" has plenty of passionate vocals along with organ and guitar. Check out the guitar solo before 4 minutes that goes on and on along with some pleasant piano melodies.

"The Golden King" is a top two track for me. This is more like it! They tone things down some here with the keyboards and percussion standing out, even the vocals sound better as he scales back the passion(haha). My other top two is "Shade Of Grey" which opens with intricate guitar as reserved vocals join in. Female vocals help out on this one and we also get some mandolin and flute. It's starting to heat up before 6 minutes but it settles right back down, in fact it becomes even more pastoral. Flute to the fore then synths. "The World Behind Your Eyes" is a ballad with relaxed vocals until it kicks into gear after 2 minutes and these contrasts will continue. He actually sounds like Bon Jovi here.

"Farewell To The Ocean Boulavard" is the longest song at 15 1/2 minutes. Strummed guitar to start as the flute joins in then a full sound. A pleasant guitar solo arrives around 2 1/2 minutes in. Keyboards after 6 minutes come to the fore then organ as it stays relaxed. Flute and harmonica as well before the guitar starts to light it up around 11 1/2 minutes. A calm after 13 minutes with classical sounding guitar then it turns more powerful to the end. "Song Of Freedom" features mandolin and harmonica early on as the vocals join in as well. Some percussion too. It becomes more powerful 2 minutes in and contrasts will continue. An okay tune. "Handful Of Stars" has some grungy sounding guitar that I like as those expressive vocals join in. Some organ runs later then we get an instrumental section after 4 minutes to the end.

These guys are a talented band, and while the music here doesn't do a lot for me because of my tastes I applaud them for this ambitious album.