House of Mirrors is All Them Witches eighth studio album over a career which began in 2012 with Our Mother Electricity, but their first for a major label. It almost didn’t get here either, as following 2020’s Nothing as The Ideal drummer and co-founding member Robby Staebler left, forcing the remaining members to consider their options.
Singer Christian Parks has since laid out their thought process in carrying on after the recruitment of Christian Powers: “It turned out to be a breath of fresh air, through a little bit of suffering, we came out on the brighter side. It re-sparked our love for performing and writing.” Creatively re-envigored, they headed to Nashville’s Blackbird Studio with producer with Eddie Spear (Zach Bryan, Jesse Welles) put energy that into motion.
There is a point where all of that self-proclaimed suffering appears to have transformed the quartet into a tidal wave; adapted from a traditional Appalachian folk song, the gothic menace of opener Red Rocking Chair is almost physical, it’s sludge metal belly writhing like a snake with its head cut off. Inevitably however this peak is one which the quartet don’t reach again. There’s no lack of decent songs amongst the album’s remainder – and if you like hard rock, blues and edge filled country you won’t be disappointed – but the overriding impression is of a door being opened and then someone, somewhere deciding it should be slammed shut. Witchcraft? If only it were so.
You can read a full review here.
The Voice Of Unreason 