REVIEW – Witchery – In His Majesty’s Infernal Service

Purveyors of the blackest of thrash metal, Swedens Witchery have been blasting out their brand of catchy and speedy blasphemous metal hymns since they formed from the ashes of cult black/death metal band Satanic Slaughter in 1997. In His Infernal Majesty’s Service is the bands sixth album and sees them striving forward with a new vocalist and drummer in Angus Norder (formerly of Vox and Nekrokraft) and Chris Barkensjo respectively joining original members, guitarist Patrik Jensen and Richard Corpse and bassist Sharlee D’Angelo in a new and focussed version of Witchery.
The band waste no time in grabbing you by the scruff if the neck with the formidable Lavey-Athan and this formidable start carries on throughout the duration of the albums eleven tracks. The classic Witchery guitar sound is still present and correct as rapid speed metal riffs crash through at lightning speed especially on a song like Nosferatu or Empty Tombs and this combined with the bands classic black thrash assault results in a sound that harks back to the bands first albums on Necropolis Records but sounds current and fresh. The addition of Norder on vocals has proved to be a good move for the band and he does a fine job on this album, his vocals stand alone especially performances on the songs The Burning Of Salem and In Warm Blood and he proves himself to be a good replacement for former vocalists Toxine and Legion, none of whom are missed to be honest and this is testament to Norders ability as a vocalist and frontman. New drummer Barkensjo is no slouch in the rhythm department either and puts in a sterling performance with a drum sound akin to that of former member Martin Axenrot, his work on the albums closing track shows his skills off to full effect, that number, the crawling and atmospheric Oath Breaker is superb and cements the fact that Witchery have embraced this new lineup full of accomplished musicians and as a result has elevated the bands sound.
In His Majesty’s Infernal Service roars by in a flurry of metal goodness and the album reflects the bands newfound hunger when it comes to making classic sounding and relevant metal songs.