Kitchen Witch is an Australian rock band that is an answer to the desert and stoner rock scene in California, and the heavy psych/stoner rock scene in Europe. I’ve really been digging the European heavy psych scene recently, especially so with The Sonic Dawn and Psychedelic Witchcraft, which are two bands that I listen to regularly at the moment. This album, Earth and Ether (2020), is Kitchen Witch’s second full length album, and their first album since 2017 from what I can tell from the group’s Bandcamp page. I’m pretty stoked to give this album a listen, so with that said, I’m going to jump on into the music.
“Lost” starts out with some really interesting sounds with the guitar work that actually remind me a lot of TOOL. Oh wow, a massive wave of sound enters the soundscape, and is driven forward by massive fuzz, big bass, and spacious kicks. Oh wow, I’m really digging the track so far. The female vocalist’s voice have a refreshing contrast with the massive waves of sound from the instrumentation, but are mixed in such a way that it’s like the singer is surfing on these waves of sound. I really want to grab my guitar and jam along to this track. Oh wow, the track keeps on giving. Holy smokes, the tune mellows out for a bit, and sort of returns to a sound again that reminds me of TOOL. Wow, I’m really digging this so far. Wow, awesome track, and I’m stoked to hear more.
Oh wow, “Cave of Mischief” starts out with a mean, fuzzed out guitar lick and a sturdy backbeat and bass line that combine to remind me of modern groups with a take on the classic early hard rock sound like Geezer (which is Geezer Butler’s band) and Killer Boogie. Wow, the riffs somehow seem to continually get lower, almost like the Shepard tone in reverse. It’s almost like doom metal mixed with surf rock at this point, and I’m absolutely digging it. Holy smokes, the chorus guitars at the end of the track deliver an absolutely face melting solo that somehow make me dig the song even more. Great track.
“Sunrise” starts out with what might be described by some as the quintessential, big, fuzzed-out, heavy, and somewhat sinister guitar riff. Oh wow, the tune somehow mellows out after that intro, and while still incorporating the intro riff, seems to gradually get more harmonious and melodic as the track progresses. I really dig the pacing of this track so far. Holy smokes, the tune seems to shift into a higher gear and the track enters a speedy, harmonious movement that I’m really digging. Oh wow, great track.
“Chase the Sun” gets grooving with some heavy riffing from the guitars that are accompanied by a strong backbeat, and set a pace that seems to be a bit quicker than the earlier tracks at the start. Holy smokes, this wah-pedal’d guitar solo is absolutely awesome. Wow, I’m continually pulled further and further into the music in this album. Great track.
“The Frontal Lobe” gets started with a crunchy, distorted guitar that gets a riff grooving, and is soon joined by the bass and another guitar that make the soundscape even more ominous. Wow, the heaviness of this track can’t be understated. I used to be very into heavy metal when I was younger, and this is a great blend of my current tastes with that heaviness I used to really enjoy. Holy smokes, the bridge of the song is filled with different distorted effects that reminds me of Fifty Foot Hose if they were a doom metal band. Wow, this track is super groovy. Great track.
“Earth and Ether” starts out with just the vocalist’s voice for a moment, and almost gives you a chance to take a quick breathe before the heavy psych waves of distortion begin making their way through the soundscape. Oh wow, the riffs from the guitar almost have a mellow, hypnotic feel at the moment. Holy smokes, the instruments seem to get you in a whirl while the vocals seem to rain in from the sky above. Holy smokes, the track gets into another movement that create a sound that is as if you’re being abducted by some stoner/doom rock aliens to take you to some far out land in their rock and roll UFO. Wow, great track.
Holy smokes, “Many Moons” starts off with some shamanic sounds with a droning didgeridoo in the background, while some heavy riffs gradually make their way into the soundscape. Wow, this is sweet. There’s very little distortion/fuzz if any at all in the soundscape, and the tapping of the tambourine (or other jangling percussion), combined with the reverberation in the vocals and mellow guitar work have a hypnotizing effect. Holy smokes, the track picks up the tempo along with some distortion and gets grooving again, almost as if the band is taking you up the final ascent of the mountainous journey that is the listening experience that this album presents. Holy smokes, the wah-pedal’d guitar solo at the end of the track wraps together motifs from the track in a super groovy style. Wow, great track and a great way to end this album.
Wow, this album is great. If you’re into the heavy psych or stoner rock scenes at all, you might want to consider checking out this album. There were quite a few elements that mixed some of the sounds from the early hard rock days of Black Sabbath combined with some modern sensibilities that you might hear from heavy psych and doom metal groups, and even TOOL at certain points. I’m currently weighing my options to see how expensive it would be to purchase the record on vinyl, as I would have to order from overseas, it would seem. Regardless, I’m glad I listened to this album tonight, and am very hopeful for the future of music with more and more modern groups I find that I enjoy. If you do decide to give this album a listen, I sincerely do hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A