Album Review

Wykked Wytch - The Ultimate DeceptionWykked Wytch – The Ultimate Deception

Wykked Wytch are an extreme –by extreme I really do mean bloody extreme – metal band founded in Florida 15 years ago back in 1994; lead vocalist Ipek Warnock has the sole original member since she formed the band and has kept the band going this long on her own with numerous different line up changes. “The Ultimate Deception” marks the 5th full length studio release in the band’s back catalogue with the one previous to this being self financed 4 years ago, with a drastic line up change leaving Warnock debating whether to even release the album or not under the Wykked Wytch name could spell disaster, or it could be a glorious saving grace.

The first thing I’d like to point out is that this band is predominantly labelled as a black metal act, this particularly record though even after a brief glance has more than that stirred around in this mix; I’m hearing some death metal elements, hardcore techniques coated with some of that thick black metal style mashed together, for the most part it genuinely does work fantastically but at the same time it does feel like it becomes a mesh of tones lumbering themselves from point to point. The title track “The Ultimate Deception” has so much potential as all the right notes and techniques are there, they just aren’t meshing together effectively and maybe reorganisation of structure could have sorted that out right there. “Serpents Among Us” is actually really well written if you really sit and admire it but still has some duff sections in it as well which let the side down.

There’s a bit too much blasting me in face in terms of drums, even on their Metallica cover “Fade to Black” (Ignoring the poor choice in song to cover based on the type of band they are) wouldn’t need that kind of explosive playing for the entirety to be honest, minimal amounts would suffice. By the time “Abolish The Weak” hits I’ve already had enough, it’s just really confusing because everything is there and there are definitely tracks that have outstanding potential at times like “When The Sleepers Rise” kicks off with a brilliant riff but then it goes south again, “Despised Existence” is all well until there’s a transition from bouncy riff verses and heavy breakdowns.

I will definitely have to go back and revisit their past work and see if I can pull out somewhere in time where everything went right for them, if I was to take an educated guess after this I’d say I wouldn’t find it as they’re still on the way to the perfect structure. I have complete faith that they can get there I think all that’s needed is a bit more TLC when it comes to writing and mixing, they’ll get there.

3/5

Review by James Webb

 Band Members

Ipek
Gio Geraca
Sean Young
Kenny
Salvatore LoPresti
John Rae
 Track Listing
1. Birthing The Beast
2. The Ultimate Deception
3. Serpents Among Us
4. Despised Existence
5. Prayers of the Decapitated
6. When The Sleepers Rise
7. Ecstasy
8. Fade to Black
9. Abolish The Weak
10. Eyes of a Vulture
 Band Related Links
Wykked Wytch Facebook
 Review Score Code
- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
- What Was That?