On paper, Witch had everything lined up for Maria Brink: the witch aesthetic pushed to the limit, a committed alt-metal/electro fusion, and a cover of « Another Brick In The Wall » widely described as « haunting ». The press mostly approves: 77/100, with Blabbermouth at 9/10 praising the balance « between heaviness and melody » finally struck, and Kerrang! (4/5) under the spell.
The public, though, isn’t following at all: 49/100 from listeners — the most violent critic/audience gap of the season. Distorted Sound (6/10) explains the unease: invasive electronic production, an inconsistent album, far from the intensity of the Blood era.
The high points are consensual — opener « Shame » and « Crawl » leading. A record of spectacle more than songs: depending on what you come for, it’s a spell or a smoke machine.