Welcome to the ceremony. We will be discussing Sweden’s heavy rock/occult rock band Wytch and their debut album, Exordium. Some albums resonate with you instantly and leave a lasting impact. Exordium is one such album. It fires on all cylinders and delivers the goods in spades, my friends. As part of the Ripple Music label—quite probably the finest purveyor of heavy/stoner/doom music out there—the expectations were high for this release, and this female-fronted outfit doesn’t disappoint in the slightest.
Initially called Aska, this quintet fronted by the uniquely haunting Johanna Lundberg on lead vocals, renamed itself Wytch following the release of an EP in 2017. It’s a cool band name but their songs are less occult than you would expect from a band called Wytch. Nevertheless, don’t judge a band by its name as they are all skilled musicians and can hang with the best of them. It’s been stated a lot about this album, but it needs to be reiterated: Wytch’s brand of rock is a perfect fusion of Fleetwood Mac and Black Sabbath in their prime with a blues rock edge. An absolute delight to this listener’s ears!
This 39-minute, 8 song ceremony begins with “Black Hole”, with an infectious opening riff and its sing-along chorus; a real standout track on the album. Things slow down a notch for the next song, “Savior”, a more contemplative tune, with yet another catchy chorus. The album seems to follow a pattern of alternating between a fast song followed by a slower one, and so on and so forth, giving the record a good balance. “Savior” is meticulously crafted and proves to be just as solid as the opening cut. “Evil Heart” is a gloomier song with pulse-pounding rhythms, fast-paced, and fun. “Blood” slows things down and has got a retro bluesy vibe. Next up is “Warrior”; this one has a take-no-prisoners attitude, high energy, and provides a good showcase for the drummer. “Rebel” is a gem of a song and my second favorite on the record. It’s another slower-paced track which erupts at one point, a kind of ballad with teeth as they used to be called back in the day. The chanting of “Now is the time to rise, Lord of flies” will find its way into your brain and stick there. “Break You Down” is more of a reverse ballad, if there is such a thing. It’s melodic, catchy, distorted, and memorable, with some awesome guitar playing. The album closer, “You”, is my absolute favorite song on this superb record. It’s music to drive to on a desert highway wearing shades with the windows rolled down going way faster than the speed limit. The very definition of a classic rock tune.
Wytch’s Exordium is in my opinion a strong contender for album of the year thus far. I’d also go as far as say that it’s potentially Ripple Music’s best album released in 2021, and that’s saying a lot. Ripple have had a phenomenal year up to now in terms of bands and albums they’ve put out—maybe their best ever—and show no sign of slowing down. I’ve heard a lot of their output, but to me, Wytch takes the crown as the finest record of the year, five months into 2021. Do yourself a favor and add this record/digital album to your collection ASAP!
Ripple Music’s Wytch Bandcamp page: https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/exordium
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