‘Say what is felt, still no respect for what is spoken, hearing what is wanted, human error, are we only filled with greed?’ (My Words Are Sacred)

A thoroughly welcome return from Iowa’s Closet Witch, some three years on from their four-way split release with Racetraitor, Neckbeard Deathcamp, and Haggathorn.  And what a return it is.  Closet Witch deal in brutal hardcore-infused grindcore and this LP sees them in monstrous form.  Chiaroscuro is a technique used in art and film to create depth by focusing on how extremes of shade interact with a single source of light, and Closet Witch have forged their own unique sonic realisation of the concept.

Viscerally harsh vocals synch in vicious tandem with an utterly brutal rhythm section.  The guitars weave rather more independently through the carnage, and when they lock-in with the wider band, Closet Witch coalesce into a force of unbridled intensity.  The lyrics are darkly allusive, almost allegorical in places, spanning personal trauma and loss as well as the more explicitly political.  Guest vocalist appearances include Full of Hell’s Dylan Walker on My Words Are Sacred.