Review of Seven Witches - Second War In Heaven (Re-Mastered)

This is the final Seven Witches review in a three-part series working backwards into the group’s discography. As a debut album, Second War In Heaven not only reveals much about Seven Witches’ initial ambition and goal but speaks volumes about the fairly dramatic development in sound later in the band’s career.

While Seven Witches' most recent release, Amped, sounds modern, with its more down tuned riffs and greater sense of immediacy, this debut could conceivably rest quite comfortably in the early to mid 80s. In fact, two of the eleven tracks are covers of Fleetwood Mac (“The Chain”) and Manowar (“Metal Daze”). Some would argue that the melodic, crooning, and explorative sound established on Second War In Heaven is Seven Witches at its best and most natural, while others would call the debut underdeveloped and dated. Where you fall between the two arguments depends on your taste or distaste for traditional metal. Songs like “Bewitchment” and “Dying Embers” will encourage the traditionalists to bang their god damn heads while modernists will sit there wondering what all the fuss is about, but if you’re in on the secret you will certainly enjoy the majority of this debut.

The bonus material included is paltry at best. Alternate versions of songs included on the original release’s tracklist rarely prove to be worth listening to and the three found on this re-release are no exceptions. While billed as a re-mastered recording, I find it hard to believe that the sound has drastically improved, either. Nonetheless, Second War In Heaven is a strong, if not entirely interesting, debut from a group that would later command a greater presence in the modern scene. There are better releases from bands that this early version of Seven Witches attempts to mimic.

Release Details

Seven Witches

Second War In Heaven (Re-Mastered)

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