The Wytches
Annabel Dream Reader
PARTISAN
6/10
British trio the Wytches seamlessly blend horror aesthetics with heavy rock riffs on their debut full-length Annabel Dream Reader. That’s not to say the lads wear gaudy cloaks plastered with jacko’lanterns, speak in Transylvanian accents, or drench themselves in blood. The group gives more of a whimsical nod towards dark themes, with performances lighter on the makeup. The sound resembles The Horrors’ early years, with a Screaming Lord Sutch–inspired punk vibe throughout. The album opens up with a howling track, “Digsaw.” Singer/guitarist Kristian Bell wails out gritty vocals, overlapping echoes of fuzzed guitar. “Gravedweller” hooks ears with a Crampsesque guitar riff, worthy of a night walk through damp alleyways. There are the acoustic beauties, too, which shine underneath the reverbdrenched songs. “Track 13,” the finale, features Bell on guitar backed up by light minimalistic drums, making it hard to decipher if the quieter songs are more harrowing and powerful than the previous.
