Anatomia TUR: Witchtrap

 

 

SWITCH TO POLISH

It's usual and normal that many band jump into the popular bandwagon. Such was the case with then fresh Thrash Metal squads, which were still heavily rooted in Speed / Power / Heavy style, as well as similarly was with Death Metal crews, with Symphonic bands pretending to be Black Metal. Witchtrap at their core were coming from this specific Doom / Heavy, suspended between the traditional, Sabbathesque approach, and the more modern, gravely touch. In other words, they sounded like your typical Greek band, and the guys eagerly joined the Black Metal family.

About Turkey you can say a lot, as a country. On one hand, they're the second strongest NATO army, so their alignment seems clear, but on the other hand, they are still shifting between the former Ottoman Empire, and the reformed, more secular european identity. Well at least until a certain president started ruling there.... But as it is, it caused a certain barrier, because of which, Turkey can't really showcase a healthy Metal scene. One thing that this country is probably known for nowadays, is the fact that Mayhem, during their legendary line-up (Euronymous + Dead) did a gig in Istanbul, from which, a live album was supposed to surface eventually, alas it did not happen, as the tape was stolen.

Anyway, like every, real country, Turkey also has a "national style", and a mandatory label, which tried their best to promote their local fruits. In regards to former, the style crystalized after 2002, thanks to groups like Cenotaph and Decimation, ie. Brutal Death Metal. As for the latter, I'm talking about Hammer Müzik, which was (and apparently still is) responsible for the 80% of physical Turkish releases (including today's heroes), featuring the aforementioned bands, who, like Vader, managed to break through into a global scene, along with less known acts like Asafated, Death Project, or Undermost - I sincerely doubt it rings anyone's bell.

However, Witchtrap wasn't your typical national band, due to their music having a strong, mediterranean smell. Despite the cultural differences, from the historical perspective, a Turkish band following the Greek example is not really that exotic. After all, the two countries are neighbors, and had been in war with each other. Therefore, while their compatriots focus on merciless brutality, Witchtrap fancies going into a different direction, opting more for a general vibe, rather than being a slaughterhouse.

Their one and only album, "Witching Black", was recorded in 1994, but it took 3 years before it was released on tape. And another 5 years passed, before a digipack CD version got released (presumably for a global market). As you can imagine, it was kinda 5 years after the Greek scene celebrated its popularity. No vinyl version to my knowledge.

Today it probably wouldn't matter that much, especially that many albums go digital first, but please do consider that the sole fact that I could easily purchase the original edition for a very low price, as there were some unsold copies lying in the warehouses of some online shops... well, you get the idea.

The music is delightfully primitive, with this typical fusion of Doom / Death with Black Metal shrieks. Riffs, despite their occasional oriental mood, reek of old Rotting Christ. Musicians are rookies, but they still manage to achieve a melodic depth, and present themselves accordingly. The opener "Asura" showcases what Witchtrap is all about. And as is the case with the obscure bands, the title track (which is "Witching Black" if someone wasn't paying attention) is undeniably their best. It's not like there are many tracks to choose from, as discounting intro / outro, we get only 7 songs. They're not sophisticated either, which combined with the amateurish production, give a very raw and dirty experience. I hope that none of you are a candyass, as I do recommend sampling this material.

The band still exists, they play gigs from time to time, but they haven't released a second album so far, albeit I did read that the material for their sophomore was ready and they even started recording it. Alas, I'm not going to suffer much, if "Witching Black" is their sole full length. Maybe sometimes it's better to have a one-off, than ruin your legacy with diminishing returns.