It was in 2002 that UK doom legends ELECTRIC WIZARD last toured the US (Aside from making a one-off appearance at Maryland Deathfest in 2012). Since then, the band has released four full-length albums and three EPs. Their acclaim has grown tremendously in the last decade, so much that the announced concert at Webster Hall was sold out in just one day.
ELECTRIC WIZARD’S return was met with enthusiasm from their diehard fans. Anticipation was high as the crowd gathered early on a warm Thursday evening patiently waiting for the show to start. By the time the doors opened the line grew larger and seemed never-ending. As the audience made their way in to the main ballroom all eyes were on the merch table. All ELECTRIC WIZARD goodies for this show sold out almost immediately.
While the band was getting ready to take the stage incense was making its way into the crowd. One could not help but notice the spiritual awareness taking effect. The evening had the vibe of worship written all over. As Jus Oborn took the stage you could tell he was happy to be in New York City on his terms. He tore into the supermassive-sounding riff of a song “Witchcult Today” from the album of the same title. For seven-plus minutes it was musical foreplay.
With less to say Liz Buckingham and Jus Oborn moved right into the crowd favorite “Black Mass”. While the Bonnie and Clyde from hell ran away with the song the background included visual snippets of Jess Franco’s Exorcism and The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein, Crucible of Terror, and The Devil’s Wedding Night. These images perfectly accentuated the menacing songs. The rhythm section held the sound together perfectly and with a swagger vibe throughout the set.
The grinding sound of the song “Satanic Rites of Drugula” should be the blueprint for Doom Metal done right. Jus Oborn owned that one from beginning to end. For the elder fans of ELECTRIC WIZARD, the band performed two songs from the albums Dopethrone and Come My Fanatics… The played the title track “Dopethrone “ and then “Return Trip” thus sparking further debate as to which of these two records is their high point. Either way, we were treated to an epic musical doom aria at the end of the night with “Funeralopolis”. This evening was Doom religion in its most primal form.
SETLIST:
Witchcult Today
Black Mass
Satanic Rites of Drugula
Dopethrone
Return Trip
Incense For the Damned
Time to Die
The Chosen Few
Funeralopolis
LIVE REVIEW AND PHOTOS: ANYA SVIRSKAYA
