Style: Progressive metal, sludge metal (mixed vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Mastodon, Baroness, Khemmis, Spirit Adrift
Country: United States (Washington)
Release date: April 10, 2026
As we approach twenty-four years since Mastodon debuted with Leviathan, a whole generation has grown up with the Georgia band’s sludge and progressive metal as the soundtrack to their lives. The influence the quartet has had on modern progressive rock and metal is undeniable, inspiring a host of bands to follow in their “prehistoric” footsteps.
Witch Ripper from Seattle, obvious “natives” of Blood Mountain, aim to stand out from the pack with their third full-length release, Through the Hourglass. But do they manage to create a unique voice in progressive metal, or do they just blend into the rest of the herd?
Through the Hourglass is packed with harmonious guitar hooks and grooves, with Chad Fox’s rising vocal melodies and the “howls” of guitarists Fox and Curtis Parker. Alongside the downtuned hum of the rhythm section, Witch Ripper resonate with a velvet, rich, sludge echo. “Earworms,” like the chorus of “The Portal” and the guitar harmonies of “Symmetry of the Hourglass”, burrow deep into the listener’s parietal lobe, echoing long after the album ends. Drummer Joe Eck is a wizard behind the kit, steadily composing grooves that whirl into double-kicks and fills on the toms to build tension effectively. The resemblance of Fox’s singing to the vocal tone of Brann Dailor (Mastodon) is undeniable — while Parker’s alternating rough and harsh vocals closely mimic the howl of Troy Sanders. With this almost identical imitation of their idols, Witch Ripper struggle to escape Mastodon’s heavy shadow.
The first half of Through the Hourglass, after the fleeting “Odyssey in Retrograde”, offers high-energy and catchy “bangers”. “The Portal” and “Symmetry of the Hourglass” flow fluidly, alternating rough sludge verses with uplifting, catchy choruses. The transitions between sections are seamless, as the riffs evolve and progress naturally rather than seeming merely “stitched” together. The guitar solos serve the broader purpose of the song, adding extra layers of melody and raising Witch Ripper’s dynamic range. The sturdy “stomp” of “Echoes and Dust” slows the pace without reducing the intensity or effectiveness. The instrumental sections are often marked by riffs that wander up the fretboard, with a “two steps forward, one step back” approach, bursting into a harmonic celebration once released from the low frequencies.
While an emphatic “hell ya!” characterizes the first songs, the album closes with a small yawn, as the second half of Through the Hourglass, after “Echoes and Dust”, suffers from a less energetic pace. Witch Ripper trade their catchy hooks for more “proggie” elements on “The Clock Queen”, “Proxima Centauri” and “The Spiral Eye”, each with extended acoustic passages and more sprawling structures. The slower tempos, combined with song lengths averaging over eight minutes, make the album’s ending “drag”. Perhaps alternating the high-energy tracks with the more subdued ones would have offered a more effective and engaging listening experience. This doesn’t mean these tracks lack peaks. The slow distorted guitar melody in the middle of “Proxima Centauri” and the transcendent chorus of “The Clock Queen” add interest to the subdued progressive “valley”.
Fans of Mastodon from the Once More ‘Round the Sun era will probably find Through the Hourglass almost impossible not to enjoy. Although Witch Ripper’s impact and “ceiling” are limited by the imitation, their sludge hooks, harmonies and grooves satisfy. Let’s hope that in time Witch Ripper will develop their own unique voice; if that happens, there’s the promise that they could stand out from the herd with something truly special.
Recommended tracks: The Portal, Symmetry of the Hourglass, The Clock Queen You may also like: Anciients, Dvne, Desert Storm, Boss Keloid
Final verdict: 6.5/10
Witch Ripper are:
- Curtis Parker (vocals, guitars)
- Chad fox (vocals, guitars)
- Brian Kim (bass, vocals)
- Joe Eck (drums)
With guests:
- Irene Barber – vocals on The Spiral Eye
