Burn Witch Burn
Burn Witch Burn
Lightyear/Razzler Records

I knew the day was about to take an unexpected turn the moment I opened this media kit to withdraw the cover letter, and noticed the salutation addressed, "My dear witches and warlocks." Unnaturally, my immediate knee-jerk response was, "Uh-oh, what the-?"

Burn Witch Burn, the self-titled CD from this Pennsylvania-based act, of which members consists of; Rodney Linderman (ex-Dead Milkmen), Vienna Linderman, Rob Piekarski, Bill Ferguson, Todd Yoder and Steve Demarest, is a strange and eerily-clad 14-track mix, indeed, of dark lyrics touting destruction. To get an even better idea, it is what gangster rap would sound like if sung, with a twist.

Further adding to the creepiness, is the musical support of Old World Irish/Celtic instrumentation such as the mandolin, banjolin, melodeon, and bouzoukin. Massacres, torture, and enslavement...you know, the "normal" stuff of everyday society, are subjects addressed fervently. This recording adds, yet, another to my 1,001 reasons to never visit warm exotic faraway lands such as Transylvania, though the band is a perfect soundtrack vehicle for the myriad of "scary" movies that are now visited upon us endlessly.

The most aptly recognized act that I, personally, can compare "BWB" to, is "Marilyn Manson," with such titles as "Kavorkian," "Flowers of Sulfur," "Cripplegate," and "Painting The Furniture Black."

Oh, yeah...the cover letter closed with the following statement: "Burn Witch Burn is almost a sick perversion of music. So lest ye want to roast on the devil's rotisserie, take a listen and let us know what you think when we call you in a couple of weeks to follow up and discuss interview/story opportunities."

Sorry, but my telephone has just been disconnected. Hmm--where is Batman when you really need him? Now, after suffering through this, then completing my own self-exorcism, that trip I've been planning to Ecuador looks mighty tempting. In fact, I'm calling up American Airlines in about 2 minutes.

- Kenny Love

Track Listing:

1. Introduction
2. Beaumont Arkansas
3. Kavorkian
4. Treetop Flotilla
5. Night Of 100 Popes
6. How Beth Found Fame
7. Flowers Of Sulfur
8. Ruffy Tuffy/At Work In The Factories Of The Lord
9. Cripplegate
10. New Tsar & Catapult/Drowsy Maggie
11. The Farragut Light
12. Painting The Furniture Black/Harvest Home
13. Citadel
14. The Mayor's Story
15. Parson's Farewell