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Nashville’s All Them Witches is a group that defies the modern need for hyper-classification. A case can be made for calling them sludge, psych, post-metal, or even, perhaps, doom. The cold hard fact is that all of these labels fit, more or less equally, so perhaps it would be best to use the good ol’ fashioned catchall, rock. They’re a band whose sound appeals to a diverse audience for diverse reasons, but the rock label feels appropriate given that they do, in fact, rock.
After a series of self-released and European label released albums, All Them Witches announced this week their alignment with New West Records with their latest record, Dying Surfer Meets His Maker, set for release on October 30. Added to the announcement was the release of the album’s lead track, “Dirt Preachers,” a song that continues the band’s genre bending style and adds new depth to the All Them Witches oeuvre.
Its droning opening fades quickly into a raw, thundering rhythm that cuts directly through all bullshit and gets down to the business of rocking. In doing so, it culls from a vast array of influences, from blues to metal, to create a sound uniquely their own. It bodes well for the upcoming record, suggesting an intensely lo-fi aesthetic that works in service of All Them Witches’ moody and mysterious sound.
The dark atmospherics of the band are accentuated by the rawness of the recording—made in a secluded cabin in the mountains of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The song descends upon on you like a pre-dawn mist, clouding the senses and making it easy to get lost inside the hazy mystery. Fuzzy rock riffs give way to bluesy solos, as if in homage to the musical gods who paved the way and made is possible for All Them Witches to carve their own path.
If “Dirt Preachers” is any indication, Dying Surfer Meets His Maker will be a stunning new direction of All Them Witches. It’s the perfect evolution of their dirty rock and roll sound that maintains the headiness that first propelled them into the spotlight. For now, we’ll have to be content with just this one track, but it looks like all is well for these burgeoning titans of psych infused rock.
Dying Surfer Meets His Maker comes out October 30 via New West Records.
