Electric Wizard – Time to Die

If there’s one thing you can give credit to Electric Wizard for, it’s sticking to their guns. Time to Die, their eighth studio album released at the end of last month, continues that trend. Throughout their now 21 year history, they’ve never swayed to the mainstream, never gone along with trends, nothing – just followed their own artistic visions and built a huge fanbase hungry for something a cut above your average doom metal band. The new release sees frontman Jus Osborn take full control of the production for the first time and, more tellingly, sees original drummer Mark Greening return to the fold for the first time since 2002’s Let Us Prey.

The adverts displayed for this record have said ‘The heaviest band in the world returns…’ A bold statement, but once you get stuck into 11-minute opening track ‘Incense for the Damned’, it becomes very clear that, actually, they made a very good point. The opening sounds of trickling water and mournful pianos lull you into a false sense of security before the riffs hit with the force of a sledgehammer swung by Andre the Giant; unbelievably crushing and perfectly married with Jus Osborn’s vocals that sound like an ancient high priest shouting incantations at a black magic ritual as they echo over the cacophony of incredibly heavy guitars and crashing drums. Speaking of drums, Mark Greening does an excellent job and doesn’t sound at all like he’s been out of the band for over a decade, which says a lot about his playing ability. Osborn and second guitarist Liz Buckingham link in perfectly together, especially on ‘Sadiowitch’ and the deep, powerful basslines produced by Count Orlof tie everything together into a lovely neat and intense bundle. The high points are all over the 60 minutes that Time to Die encompasses but special mentions go to the title track which harks back to the band’s Dopethrone record with a gorgeous, warped blues feel and ‘Funeral of Your Mind’ which showcases a faster tempo than the rest (albeit not by much) and has enough feedback and soundscape to leave you feeling spaced out without the need for any form of psychedelic drugs. Handy if you fancy saving them for another day…

Recommended listening is definitely in a darkened room with headphones and nothing else going on, for this is an album designed to consume your every being and leave you in a state of limbo with no idea what is real and what isn’t. It will leave you feeling out of your comfort zone and a little shaken up, but that’s what Electric Wizard have always been good at and what they have done yet again with Time to Die. Here’s to another 21 years of it.

Lineup
Jus Osborn – guitar, vocals
Liz Buckingham – guitar
Count Orlof – bass
Mark Greening – drums

Track Listing
Incense for the Damned
Time to Die
I am Nothing
Destroy Those Who Love God
Funeral of Your Mind
We Love the Dead
Sadiowitch
Lucifer’s Slave
Saturn Dethroned

Links
http://www.electricfuckinwizard.com/
http://www.ihateelectricwizard.com/
http://www.facebook.com/electricwizarddorsetdoom
http://www.twitter.com/ElectriccWizard