Witchcult Today

{{Infobox album

|name = Witchcult Today

|type = studio

|artist = Electric Wizard

|cover = Witchcult Today.jpg

|released = 20 November 2007

|studio = Toe Rag Studios

|genre = Doom metal, stoner metal

|length = 58:53

|label = Rise Above Records (UK)
Candlelight Records (US)
Leaf Hound Records (Japan)

|producer = Liam Watson

|prev_title = We Live

|prev_year = 2004

|next_title = Black Masses

|next_year = 2010

}}

Witchcult Today is the sixth studio album by English stoner/doom metal band Electric Wizard, released on 20 November 2007.

Album information

The band's fascination with horror movies and writers continues here with "Satanic Rites of Drugula", a reference to the Hammer Studios horror film The Satanic Rites of Dracula, and "Dunwich", a reference to H.P. Lovecraft's short story The Dunwich Horror; also "Black Magic Rituals & Perversions (I. Frisson Des Vampires II. Zora)" makes reference to Jean Rollin film Le Frisson des Vampires (Shiver of the Vampires) and to Italian comic book character Zora the Vampire. Furthermore, the album cover of "Witchcult Today" is edited from the poster for The Devil Rides Out and is reminiscent of a scene from the 1975 occult thriller Race with the Devil.

On 23 May 2012, Metal Blade Records issued a limited edition vinyl which contained Witchcult Today and Black Masses, in order to coincide with the 10th Maryland Deathfest.{{cite magazine|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/electric_wizard-witchcult_today_2|last=Dawes|first=Laina|title=Electric Wizard - Witchcult Today|magazine=Exclaim!|date=23 May 2012}}

Critical reception

{{Album ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{AllMusic|id=mw0000489991|last=Jurek|first=Thom|accessdate=203 March 2021}}

|rev2 = Blabbermouth.net

|rev2Score = 8/10{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/cdreviews/witchcult-today/|last=Alisoglu|first=Scott|title=Electric Wizard - Witchcult Today|website=Blabbermouth.net|accessdate=23 March 2021}}

|rev3 = Chronicles of Chaos

|rev3Score = 9.5/10{{cite web|url=http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/articles.aspx?id=2-5070|last=Ulrey|first=Jeremy|title=Electric Wizard - Witchcult Today|website=Chronicles of Chaos|date=14 January 2008|accessdate=23 March 2021}}

|rev4 = Cosmos Gaming

|rev4Score = (positive){{cite web|url=http://www.cosmosgaming.com/music/music-reviews/electric-wizard-witchcult-today/|last=Dahlberg|first=Chris|title=Cosmos Gaming review|date=14 December 2007|accessdate=23 March 2021}}

}}

Reviews for Witchcult Today were mostly positive, with Thom Jurek of AllMusic writing "Musically, Electric Wizard inhabit the same basic world of stoner/doom/sludge they always have."

Track listing

{{Track list

|total_length = 58:53

|title1 = Witchcult Today

|length1 = 7:54

|title2 = Dunwich

|length2 = 5:34

|title3 = Satanic Rites of Drugula

|length3 = 6:06

|title4 = Raptus

|length4 = 2:13

|title5 = The Chosen Few

|length5 = 8:19

|title6 = Torquemada '71

|length6 = 6:42

|title7 = Black Magic Rituals & Perversions"

I. "Frisson Des Vampires"
II. "Zora

|length7 = 11:01

|title8 = Saturnine

|length8 = 11:04

}}

Personnel

Jus Oborn – guitar, vocals, sitar
Liz Buckingham – guitar, Hammond organ
Rob Al-Issa – bass
Shaun Rutter – drums
All lyrics – Jus Oborn
All music – Electric Wizard
Cover artwork – Jus Oborn
Produced, mixed and engineered by Liam Watson
Mastered by Noel Summerville

Release history

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
Year !Label !Format !Country !Out of Print? !Notes
2007 \|Rise Above \|CD \|UK \|Yes \|Limited black disc/foil sleeve version[https://riseaboverecords.com/product/witchcult-today-2/ Witchcult Today] at Rise Above Records
2007 \|Rise Above \|CD \|UK \|No \|Standard jewel case edition
2007 \|Leaf Hound \|CD \|Japan \|No \|Includes bonus track
2007 \|Candlelight \|CD \|US \|No \|Standard jewel case edition
2007 \|Rise Above \|2LP \|UK \|Yes \|Special "die-hard" edition; includes screened poster and patch; limited 500 copies (100 purple, 200 black/silver sparkle, 200 green)
2007 \|Rise Above \|2LP \|UK \|Yes \|Limited 1500 copies (500 black, 500 clear, 500 silver/grey)
2010 \|Rise Above \|2LP \|UK \|No \|"Black Edition", features slightly altered cover art. Non-Gatefold.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

Year

!Label

!Format

!Country

!Out of Print?

!Notes

2007

|Rise Above

|CD

|UK

|Yes