In the deep reaches of the psychedelic doom world, it’s not uncommon for any of us to be confronted by a vast array of colors and be transported to lands that only the musicians that take part in the crafting have ever visited. Yet, there’s always darker material to find yourself in should you change your tune even by just a little bit. Witchthroat Serpent has become a name that many have a high reverence for given what they’ve brought to the table since their debut nine years ago, and it was in the crafting of their fourth full-length album that this French quartet sought to explore the more macabre of their influences with this effort delivering a performance that feels distinct to its predecessors in more ways than one.

While there is always some remote subsection of the metal underworld that yields some classic, sometimes almost cheesy, Satanic vibes to their music to add some interesting flavors to the mix, incredibly few are able to capitalize on it in such a way that compels the listener right from the get-go with the rest of the album only further delivering that dark glory. Paying tribute to classic horror media and having sensations that are for the most lost of souls, “Trove of Oddities at the Devil’s Driveway” does a fantastic job at not just having a classic vibe to its riffage but the psychedelic nature of these six tracks allow Witchthroat Serpent to become larger than life sensation that truly feeds off the very darkness in the corner where you’re not looking for a threat. Slower than the records that have come before it yet wielding an essence that feels far more potent because of it, “Trove of Oddities at the Devil’s Driveway” brings real enchantment and mysticism through expertly executed psychedelia that puts a nice shiny coat back onto Satanic Panic in a way that makes it fun again with every aspect of the album always piling upon its greatness whether it’s from the carefully crafted atmosphere or the exclusive use of analog technology to bring the six tracks to life. Quickly becoming far more than another loosely tied knapsack of riffs with some weird wiggling passing for psychedelia, Witchthroat Serpent has made a creation that manages to stand out in their discography up to this point while also showing us that there’s still more to the band than what might meet the eye at first.

If it’s from the likes of Heads for the Dead that horror media has been able to find a talented home in the world of death metal then Witchthroat Serpent has to be acknowledged for doing the same in the world of psychedelic doom with all that was brought to the table for “Trove of Oddities at the Devil’s Driveway” nothing short of an undisputed victory lap for this band. A captivating listen right from the beginning and nothing that is to be denied for its mildly demonic yet voraciously intoxicating blend, it would be an insult upon the very notion of quality for all of psychedelic doom to insinuate that this release is anything other than a thumb way high up in the night sky.

“Trove of Oddities at the Devil’s Driveway” releases on March 3rd via Heavy Psych Sounds!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Trove of Oddities at the Devil’s Driveway” via YouTube here, or below.

PRE-ORDER “Trove of Oddities at the Devil’s Driveway” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Witchthroat Serpent on Facebook here.