Breathing the Fire

Skeletonwitch | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 13, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Prosthetic Records
• ASIN: B002IJQ3FC
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,421 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Formed in Athens, Ohio, Skeletonwitch has been launching Metal assaults on an unsuspecting underground since 2003. The members of The Witch are bonded by the universal truth, that Heavy Metal is the law, thereby unleashing the band's brand of ripping, epic Thrash. Everything begins with the purity and aggression of the '80s Bay Area Thrash scene, but Skeletonwitch further fuels its evil onslaught with elements of Black and Viking Metal while proudly waving the NWOBHM flag. Imagine a young Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Exodus slamming beers and cranking up Immortal records at a rager in 1985. Just when you think the keg is killed, Judas Priest joins the party with a fresh case of beer.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This album is fire, swords, zombies, volcanoes, thunder and lightning wrapped up into 30 minutes of metal!, December 13, 2009

By 

William Dorfer - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Breathing the Fire (Audio CD)

Hopefully the title will give you some idea of what "Breathing the Fire" is like. Skeletonwitch has made another great thrash metal album, and honestly, it's even a few steps ahead of "Beyond The Permafrost". This album is like a musical flaming electric hurricane that may just instigate a gigantic moshpit with each time it's cranked.

The band is quite talented indeed, coming up with plenty of riffs that are catchy but not too simple. The drums are also insane, putting an edge to an already edgy sound. And to top it off, the vocals add an interesting element because instead of the aggressive singing of thrash masters such as Metallica's James Hetfield or Machine Head's Robb Flynn or the whine of Overkill's Bobby Ellsworth or Exodus's ex-vocalist Steve Souza, Chance Garnette uses a cross between gutteral death metal vocals and upper register black metal vocals. This sort of overlapping vocal styles for different metal subgenres adds a fresh feel and makes things even more exciting. It's also crazy to think that most of these songs are all of three minutes but contain just as much energy as a song twice their length.

Now, as for the album itself, I think "Breathing the Fire" is a few steps forward form "Beyond The Permafrost" for a few reasons. For one, the songwriting here has gotten even better. Secondly, the band has added some more melodic elements to their sound. Listen to the beautiful, clean guitar passages on "Repulsive Salvation" or "...And Into The Flame". Skeletonwitch is able to combine a good sense of melody with brutal, crushing thrash metal. And the combination works here!

Well, I've said enough here. For a half-hour of pure, raw metal, this album is one to get! Five stars to the newest album from the most evil band from Ohio! Thanks for the time, and peace.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid follow-up to a classic, October 13, 2009

By 

Frank Rini (Maryland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Breathing the Fire (Audio CD)

I really felt Beyond the Permafrost was an incredible release. Every song was catchy both musically and vocally, and I can hum every tune in my head. It's rare to find a band that can create such a memorable release w/tons of catchy riffs and vocals. So I set the bar high for this release, maybe a little too high. This is 100% Skeletonwitch, no doubt, but it's not as memorable as BTP. the first thing that is noticeable is the production has a much rawer sound than the last cd, not as polished and has a more underground feeling. I feel this detracts from material, as it's not as punchy sounding as BTP. The other big draw back, for me, is the fact that the songs are not that memorable. Sure their are a fair amount of tunes that rock like the awesome opener submit to the suffering, stand fight and die, crushed beyond dust and strangled by unseen hands, but more often than not I zoned out of the songs. I got the preorder last thursday and have listened to it half a dozen times already and the songs just don't stick out that much. Muscianship is top notch and this band still cranks. I think this is more of a grower, as an album, but when something does not hit me hard the first several times I ususually relegate it to the pile of cds I will listen to down the road. The band claim this is their most brutal release. It's about the same as BTP. Blast beats woven in between thrashier parts. I love the vocals. The black metal coupled w/the sinister deep death growls are better on this release, I feel. Anyway if you like this band you will like this, for me, it's just not as striking as BTP.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Damn good follow-up, August 22, 2010

By 

Cynthia D. Thompson "NO!" (Somewhere) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Breathing the Fire (Audio CD)

Good album. Their sound changed a bit, different tone with the drums/guitars, but still a very good album from a very good metal band. If you like Skeletonwitch, buy it.