Combining a slurry of extreme metal influences is nothing new. The blurring of traditional genre-lines has almost become a necessity for new bands nowadays in order to make an imprint of their own on the metal scene. The next band up in this regard is Vancouver’s Witch of the Waste, who released their second EP, Made of Teeth, back in March.
Witch of the Waste Slyly takes their approach from extreme metal’s most punishing of sources and melds them all together in a way that doesn’t sound particularly derivative. There’s a jangly, hardcore feeling to many riffs that come into play, as well as some of the shouted vocals. It’s equally rooted in some noise from time to time, with two easily citable influences being that of The Dillinger Escape Plan and Converge. But there’s more still, as things occasionally lean in towards grind territory, mutating with some of the noise influences to dramatic effect (see “She Burst into Snakes”). It’s these points that the band does shine brightest in, allowing the frantic approach to propel the music forward with spastic glee. “They Haunt Minds” is also one of the stronger tracks, bouncing between bludgeoning riffs and an almost haunting, urgent atmosphere when Witch of the Waste slows things down for a split second. Everything’s tied together quite neatly for such a young group.
Two EPs in, Witch of the Waste seem to have found what works for them. Their stylistic approaches are sure to make more notice them as the buzz begins to generate. While the true test will come when they usher forth their first full-length, Made of Teeth gives ample evidence that this is a band to keep an eye on for the near future.