Witchery - Don't Fear The Reaper (2006)

Previous Witchery albums, although certainly evil sounding in their own right, often maintained a morbid sense of humor about them that gave the impression the band didn’t always take themselves too seriously. Around five years has passed since the release of the group’s last studio effort, “Symphony For The Devil” and Witchery has grown a great deal more serious in the meantime. “Don’t Fear The Reaper” is easily the band’s darkest themed record yet.
As always, Tue Madsen makes the difference at the mixing desk and for the first time, the band has managed to come up with a record that you need not be a Witchery fan to appreciate out-of-hand. Seeking a musical middle ground in comparision to their past efforts, “Don’t Fear The Reaper” sees Witchery taking advantage of slower tempos at times but the primary shift in the band’s songwriting focus lies in the arrangements in particular, with the band making a conscious effort to shift between sounds from track to track, giving the album as a whole a diabolical yet defined character.