SEVEN WITCHES - Deadly Sins

Posted: 11/28/07

Reviewed by: Dirt

Category: Heavy Metal

Released: 11/20/07

Label URL: www.screamingferret.com

Artist URL: www.sevenwitches.net

1/2

Jack Frost has a never say die attitude about him.  Despite too many lineup changes to count, he keeps Seven Witches forging forward.  Deadly Sins, a concept album about Mahatma Ghandi's seven deadly sins, is the second album to feature vocalist Alan Tecchio (ex-Hades).  Truth be told, I was surprised when Frost selected Tecchio as a replacement for James Rivera, but I'm sure one small factor was that Tecchio is from Frost's home state, New Jersey, and this allows for an easier time in recording material.  Clearly, Tecchio can hit the high notes with some really wicked screams but his style is substantially more raw and unrefined than previous Witches vocalists Wade Black and Rivera.

I didn't hear Amped, the band's first recording with Tecchio, but word on the street was that the band didn't quite hit the mark.  Deadly Sins is more aggressive and less melodic than Passage To The Other Side and Year Of The Witch and slightly more contemporary sounding.  "Deadly Sins" and "Science" are primarily million mile per hour speedfests, and "Wealth" has a infectious gallop to it, while a serene side comes in "Man Of The Millennium," a song which is Tecchio's finest moment. 

Jack has a great guitar sound (and the production captures it).  He's got really tough, chunky riffs with his trademark trill technique.  These riffs have a contemporary edge yet he doesn't forget about adding strong traditional metal solos to add dimension.  Jack's playing and the thunderous drumming are the highlights of the album. 

The Bloody Truth:  I miss the vocals of James Rivera.  He had an incredible range, could be both fist-in-the-air metal and melodic, and I think Jack's style of playing worked well with his vocal style.  Alan Tecchio is a more aggressive vocalist and will be the reason you buy this record or the reason you do not.  As said previously, Tecchio isn't as refined (listen to him on "Pleasure") as Rivera, yet this is his best recorded vocal performance.  His vocals often got out of control in Hades, and for the most part Jack, who also produced this record, seems to have captured Alan in a range that works best for him.  As said previously, the guitar work is riff-happy and impressively catchy.  I think there is some needed improvement in coming up with catchy vocal hooks though.  I think a template for this could be what was done on "Wealth" with the lower vocals used in the chorus and the "Give It To Me" lyric.