Witch of the Waste
Made of Teeth
(Self Released)
With a name like Witch of the Waste, it’s fair to assume this Vancouver-based band plays some type of occult trad or doom metal, right? Not exactly… Thankfully, just as it does with its music, Witch of the Waste is not at all content with convention or typical norms. This is pure, thrice-distilled progressive metallic hardcore. You can hear shades of Converge, Ulcerate, Russian Circles, Dillinger Escape Plan, and shades of post-rock and black metal. This is heavy, dissonant, and harrowing music; it’s equal parts shocking and shockingly good. Have I mentioned that this is awesome yet? Witch of the Waste employs a great understanding of dynamics and empty space, allowing these songs just enough room to breathe in between sonic blows.
In fact, the biggest problem with this musical maelstrom is how short it is, even if that’s a bit of a blessing. The six tracks breeze through at a brisk 15 minutes, leaving you wanting more. Made of Teeth is the fine Brazilian steak of hardcore, tasty, 100% pure, and trimmed of all unnecessary fat. It’s a rare feat to be this floored by a previously unknown band, but Witch of the Waste yet again proves that you can trust music from Canada to be of the highest quality (popular groups/artists notwithstanding). (Nicholas Senior)
