Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls [Import]

Coven (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Original Release Date: 1969
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Akarma
• ASIN: B00102103S
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #174,261 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The debut LP from the group Coven is an interesting record that is unique and listenable. Bassist Oz Osborne performs on this album. That the group Black Sabbath formed in 1969 when this album was issued seems to indicate that Witchcraft Destroys Minds and Reaps Souls may have had more than a little influence on the more popular heavy metal band. Also notable is the fact that the majority of the songwriting on this disc is by guitarist Jim Donlinger, who a year later would move on to the group Lovecraft. Jinx Dawson's vocals are distinctive, and tunes like "White Witch of Rose Hall" and "Wicked Woman" are on target. With the "evil" prayers during "Coven in Charing Cross," Coven get a bit heavy-handed; the group goes over the top trying to push the black magic stuff. "Pact With the Devil" is written "Pack With the Devil" on the label, and the 13-plus minute "Satanic Mass" is more of a curiosity piece than musical adventure. "Choke, Thirst, Die," which ends side one, is one of the best performances on the record, though it also suffers from its excesses, with Jinx Dawson acting like a satanic Ruby Starr. The double gatefold album cover itself is a collectible piece of art. The lyrics are all included in a second gatefold, in script of course, while the first gatefold is a photo of a "black mass."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars for the vocals alone, February 1, 2008

By 

Aron D. Rush "missouri reb" (Cross Timbers, Mo usa) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls (Audio CD)

This is an enjoyable slab of 60's psych/rock any way you slice it. Comparisons to Jefferson Airplane are valid, but this group is alot better than some Airplane knock off from the midwest. The group gleans most of its attention from the satanic/occult themes explored on the cover and in the lyrics of the songs, and that's really a shame. Coven was an above average rock band with the best female vocalist in rock history. She never fails to amaze me, and I've listened to all three Coven albums alot. The single greatest weakness on this disc is the fact most of the tunes were penned by Jim Donliger who went on to the substandard Lovecraft (not even close to the brilliant HP Lovecraft). The shear strength of Jinx's voice rescues time and again what would be 3 star material. The two strongest cuts on the album are the band penned For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge and Wicked Woman. This band does deserve credit for recording the first openly Satanic rock album. That took some serious balls at the time. Black Widow was still known as Pesky Gee and jsut starting to record an early version of Sacrifice as opposed to cover songs, and I don't know that any recordings exist by The Magic Powerhouse of Oz or Powers of Evil. As usual, when ahead of your time, you get shot down, and the record company ended up pulling the album. Coven would do a good album in 71, but it wasn't till 74's Blood On The Snow that they really forged their own sound into a 5 star album from start to finish. I would recommend this to those interested in occult themes, whether serious or curious. To fans of late 60's psych rock, you should get this, too. The band is better than they're often given credit for, and you will not find a woman out there with a set of pipes like Jinx Dawson. She is the best! For those who would like an affordable copy of any of Coven's albums on CD, simply go to [...] and buy them from the Goth Queen herself. All other copies on CD are boots and Jinx and the band never got a dime for this release when it came out. Oh, and Jinx looks as good as she sings.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great psychedelia with occult overtones, May 14, 2008

By 

BENJAMIN MILER (Veneta, Oregon) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls (Audio CD)

This Chicago band obviously predated Black Sabbath as one of the first rock groups to flirt with the occult. I also wonder if Black Sabbath was influenced by this group? For one thing, Coven's bassist was named Oz Osborne. Black Sabbath's John Osbourne we all know better as Ozzy Osbourne make me wonder if he named himself after Oz Osborne? Plus Coven recorded a song called "Black Sabbath", as Black Sabbath themselves did on their debut, although they are hardly the same song. But then it's probably pure coincidence, as I can't be sure if many copies of this album made it into the UK at the time.

But aside from that, there is nothing remotely resembling Black Sabbath musically in the music of Coven. There really is nothing heavy about their music (despite that silly Dental Hygiene Dilemma segment found on Frank Zappa's movie 200 Motels where Jeff wanted to be heavy like Grand Funk, Black Sabbath, and Coven), and so really nothing scary about the music, but as a psychedelic album it really is a great, lost gem of psychedelia. The group consisted of vocalist Jinx Dawson, Oz Osborne, as mentioned already, drummer Steve Ross, and guitarist Chris Nielsen. Turns out James Vincent aka Jim Donlinger of Aorta (whose self-entitled 1969 album is a great album of psychedelia, think how Chicago or the Al Kooper-led BS&T might be like if they were psychedelic leaning) provided the songwriting, plus one other Aorta member Jim Nyeholt provided keyboard work. It's a bit strange that James Vincent is on this album as he's a Christian and involved himself in Christian music. In 1969 comes Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls on the Mercury label. What if Jefferson Airplane flirted with the occult, instead of flower power? Then you're not far off. Another comparison is the British group Black Widow (although when Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls came out, Black Widow was still called Pesky Gee and concentrating mainly on covers of other people's songs) as that group's 1970 album Sacrifice covered similar subject matter, but Coven lacked the Jethro Tull influence. Plus Jinx Dawson does not sound much like Grace Slick, although the occasional male vocals, like on "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge", might remind you a bit of Paul Kantner. Nine cuts are regular songs, that last piece, "Satanic Mass" is as you guess, a Satanic Mass, consisting mainly of chanting, although there's a section where a young woman is being initiated, and the priest demanded her to "kiss the goat", which I found completely hilarious, because the way he yelled that phrase in a very angry and demanding tone to her.

In March 1970, Esquire Magazine published a scandalous article called "Evil lurks in California" and was said to have a photo of Charles Manson holding this album. Mercury quickly pulled the album from circulation to avoid any further bad publicity. Like Black Widow, bad publicity forced them to move away from Satanism. Coven adopted a more commercial approach and scored a hit with "One Tin Soldier" (and released a couple more albums). This song sounds like, to my ears, typical AM radio fare and lacks what I like so much of the Witchcraft album. The only thing going for it is I can still recognize Jinx Dawson's voice. I am not in the least bit surprised this song was featured on Rhino's Have a Nice Day compilation set (it was on Vol. 7), which consisted of AM hits of the 1970s (think "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head", "Seasons in the Sun", "Afternoon Delight", "Brandy, You're a Fine Girl", Blue Swede's version of "Hooked on a Feeling", and so on, most of the songs I have an aversion to), each volume progressing later in the decade (from 1969 to 1979). I can only imagine how many AM music listeners were in total shock that Coven actually recorded a Satanic album before they had a hit with "One Tin Soldier" (AM radio at that time was considerably more conservative than FM). At least Black Widow did not go commercial after Sacrifice, they simply dropped the occult lyrics.

If you aren't bothered by the subject matter covered on the album, are a fan of groups like Jefferson Airplane or Black Widow, you owe it to yourself to give this album a try. But for those expecting the heaviness of Black Sabbath, look elsewhere.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bold For Its' Time, January 23, 2008

By 

Fred Rayworth (Las Vegas, NV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls (Audio CD)

I've had this LP for a long time and finally burned it to CD so I could listen to it on my long commute to work. I remember hearing it years ago and thought "Jefferson Airplane" and that pretty much still applies today. This album is fascinating in that they were so brazen and bold to come out with this at a time before anyone had heard of death/black metal or The Exorcist.

Their stage show was over the top and involved a black mass and I can imagine they had a pretty hard time getting gigs once the venue knew what they were about, especially in the bible belt. Yet, they still managed to get around and attract the interest of the actor that played in Billy Jack. They later came out with their "one hit wonder" single, One Tin Soldier.

This album is a group of songs, mostly, if not all about witchcraft and black magic, ending with a "real" satanic ritual that takes up most of side two. The music itself reminds one of, I have to say it again, Jefferson Airplane. The subject matter is, of course, way different from that the Plane did, but music wise, I feel it is a valid comparison.

Of course, there is the obvious (to a Pagan at least) contradiction in that Witchcraft has nothing to do with black magic, or Satanic rituals, but for the times, it sure added to the shock value. Anyone really in the know would realize it was show and not a real representation of Wicca. However, to a fundamentalist Christian, this is the proof that Rock and Roll is the Devil's music!

I give it four stars more for the novelty than the music, though this is something I can listen to more than once. Musically, it is far from groundbreaking, but for shock value and showmanship, it was way ahead of it's time. Recommended.