BURNING WITCHES – Inquisition (2025) *HQ*
Back with their sixth studio album “Inquisition”, BURNING WITCHES are celebrating their tenth anniversary year with a blast of melting heavy metal. Featuring 12 brand-new tracks, the album marks a bold new era for the Swiss band, forged in the flames of classic power / heavy metal, sharpened by anthemic songwriting and epic instrumentation.
And if you thought that 2023’s predecessor The Dark Tower was the pinnacle of classic metal epicness, ”Inquisition” is a trip in itself with tight production and an unrelenting onslaught of burning riffs, crushing drums, and vocal sorcery, driven by producers Damir Eskic & V.O. Pulver and shaped by the songwriting of founding guitarist Romana Kalkuhl.
Already the haunting opener “Sanguini Hominum” sets the mood for the heavy metal madness with booming drums, Latin choirs and ominous guitar riffs, which takes its listeners back to the most brutal time of the Middle Ages. With “Soul Eater” the band dives deep into thrashy realms thanks to Romana and Courtney Cox’s brutal riffs and the tireless rhythm section of Lala Frischknecht and Jay Grobbacking, Laura Guldemond’s razor-sharp screams whipping through the darkness.
“High Priestess Of The Night” convinces with a carefree rocking attitude and a catchy 80s guitar solo that captures the mysterious power of ancient rituals.
The title track unleashes a true power metal thunderstorm where raw emotions are channeled into a fierce gripping groove. After the energetic “Burn In Hell”, the atmospheric torch bearing ballad “Release Me” strikes softer tones that get under your skin.
Other tracks like “Mirror, Mirror” present the riff-laden and indomitable DNA of the band, while “Malus Maga” is remembered as an epic conclusion with a driving groove and concise vocal lines.
With ”Inquisition” BURNING WITCHES present their most intense album to date – a dark and powerful manifesto between light and shadow. With epic melodies, menacing riffs and an unparalleled energy, the Swiss witches once again capture the essence of classic heavy metal, which they combine with modern heaviness – and proves how much their proverbial hex is on fire.
01 – Sanguini Hominum
02 – Soul Eater
03 – Shame
04 – The Spell Of The Skull
05 – Inquisition
06 – High Priestess Of The Night
07 – Burn In Hell
08 – Release Me
09 – In For The Kill
10 – In The Eye Of The Storm
11 – Mirror, Mirror
12 – Malus Maga
Romana Kalkuhl – Guitar
Laura Guldemond – Vocals
Courtney Cox – Guitar
Jay Grob – Bass
Lala Frischknecht – Drums
BUY
drownedworldrecords.com/products/inquisition-cd
