Witchchord -- love that band name -- plays “progressive instrumental horror rock for the maniacal movie in your mind.” And on Autocorrupt, the Montgomery, Ala.-based trio goes all out to deliver 33 minutes of epic and analog synths, drums and bass. The band’s first album in five years (and fourth overall) opens with the anxiety-inducing “Knob Problem” before pouncing into “Dot Hogs,” a riff-heavy bass exercise during which you’ll half-expect dUg Pinnick of King’s X to jump in with his signature soulful vocals. (Spoiler alert: The song is still almost perfect without him). From there, Witchchord slow things down with the more reflective “Time Key” and “NanoMod,” which could have been unearthed from a lost Eighties action comedy. The uneasiness returns with the dark and off-kilter one-two punch of “DigiMotor” and the title track, while the soaring synth solo on “Bittering Agent” sounds better than any guitar could. The primal tribal tones of “Susan Tyrrell,” the apprehensive “Red Light Parasite” and Rush-influenced "Race to the Middle" close out the record.
Through it all, an air-tight rhythm section -- thanks to Jeff McLeod and Shane Gillis on bass paired with drummer Tracy Harris -- help Witchchord brew its own little (and loud) niche.
Track Listing:
1. Knob Problem
2. Dot Hogs
3. Time Key
4. NanoMod
5. DigiMotor
6. Autocorrupt
7. Bittering Agent
8. Susan Tyrrell
9. Red Light Parasite
10. Race to the Middle
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