The Only Good Wizard is a Dead Wizard (ep)
Released 14/5/22 (Unsigned)
Track list:
Witching Hour
The Only Good Wizard is a Dead Wizard
Interlude (No Peace in the Village)
Don't Be Scared of the Dark
Dungeon Crawler (featuring guest vocals by Sam Shiers of Ambrius)
The Sorcerer's Theme (Bonus Track)
Inspired by the Witch Trials of the 17th century, "The Only Good Wizard is a Dead Wizard" tells a tale of mass hysteria, ritual sacrifice and ancient magic. A series of events transpiring to create a divide between man and mage.
In the Witching Hour, cultists gather on the hill to bring an offering to their gods. As the human sacrifice squirms on the altar, begging for mercy, the blade hears not. The witching hour approaches, so the ritual begins. Upon hearing what the cultists have done, the townsfolk gather in the square. Pitchforks and flaming torches are raised to the sky as they cry out for blood. The Witchfinder General rallies them to action, for The Only Good Wizard is a Dead Wizard. In the morning, the hunt begins... As night falls, it is the calm before the storm. The people get no sleep for there is No Peace in the Village. As dawn breaks and the people gather, their fear manifests and their judgement becomes clouded. It is the unknown which frightens them most. But when the night is cold you must always remember Don't Be Scared of the Dark. The townsfolk take to the streets and spill blood. Guilty or innocent no longer matters, they take their heads all the same. As the king is slain, an ancient evil is awakened. The spirit of the damned, the Dungeon Crawler. From his tower the high sorcerer watches on, pondering his crystal ball. Just like the ouroborus, mankind is destined to destroy itself.
"The Only Good Wizard is a Dead Wizard is a hard one to categorise, it is definitely doom-ic but is it doom? It has all the right elements of doom like crunching riffs, thundering percussion and occult themed lyrical content but then it also has those uncharacteristic 90's flavoured vocals and those occasional forays into 70's glam rock, indie-flavoured post punk and experimental psych. The best thing to do when listening to this slightly confusing but utterly brilliant EP is to enjoy it for what it is and that is a highly thrilling ride from start to finish worthy of repeated listens." - The Desert Psychlist