BURNING WITCHES – Inquisition (Album Review)

Six times the hex.

For a decade, the all-female troupe of old school revivalists with a penchant for modern aggression dubbed Burning Witches have been at the forefront of the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal. Though it might come across as counterintuitive given their very present-oriented approach to studio production relative to much of said movement, their commitment to the stylings of noted trailblazing metal institutions like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Dio, and Manowar is unmistakable.

Since the release of their 2017 eponymous debut, the quality of their studio output has mirrored the mighty crescendo of their rise to prominence in heavy metal circles, with each subsequent album proving more potent than the last. True to form, their sixth studio opus Inquisition finds this fearsome quintet tapping deeper into their creative well, conjuring forth a brilliant succession of metallic anthems that blur the lines between traditional, power, and occasionally thrash metal.

Though by every measure a band dealing in consistency on all fronts, Burning Witches has not been totally immune to shifts in membership and corresponding modifications in sound, the most notable and positive of which being the entry of the mighty banshee pipes of Laura Guldemond following the departure of Seraina Telli.

This time around, the 2024 departure of guitarist Larissa Ernst has seen former The Iron Maidens guitarist Courtney Cox stepping in to wield the six-string alongside Romana Kalkuhl. This was arguably the most logical choice given her occasional work on both the Hexenhammer and The Dark Tower albums in a session capacity and her signature style serving to further accent the Iron Maiden influences upon their sound from both a songwriting and performance standpoint. The ultimate result is the same well-oiled machine of melodic mystique and driving force with a little added potency to make for an even more explosive result than past efforts.

As has been the case since their 2018 sophomore LP Hexenhammer, Inquisition makes its menacing presence known via a short theatrical prelude in “Sanguini Hominum”, evoking visuals of chanting monks preparing for the conclusion of a witch trial with its haunting atmosphere and military-like march. The subsequent first foray into metallic fury, “Soul Eater,” pulls zero punches in laying down this quintet’s speed metal bona fides, rolling through like a runaway freight train with crushing riffs, blinding lead guitar breaks, and the chilling resound of Guldemond’s Halford meets Dio-like shrieks.

Nipping close on its heels are two no less formidable bangers in “Shame” and “The Spell Of The Skull”, each stomping the ground mercilessly, while the latter proves a tad more expansive while delivering the most infectious chorus hook yet. Then again, if there were a couple of contenders for earworm anthem of the year, “High Priestess Of The Night” and “In The Eye Of The Storm” would definitely be in the running.

The sheer power at play throughout this LP’s 41-minute run is brilliantly tempered by a multifaceted approach to songwriting that touches just about every base that heavy metal established 40 years prior. The speed and luster of “Burn In Hell” channels the fast-paced splendor of early 80s Manowar and Judas Priest that inspired the likes of Hammerfall and Wolf to a sheer fault, while the pummeling riff work and dueling guitar elements of “In For The Kill” and “Mirror, Mirror” blur the lines between traditional and thrash metal similarly to several prominent melodic death metal bands, though Guldemond’s wrathful wails maintain their melodic character and the wild leads of Cox and Kalkuhl remain unapologetically 80s in demeanor.

Throw in a coup de grace epic banger of a title anthem in “Inquisition” that doubles as a demonstration of the chops of every individual member of the fold, a harrowing and sorrowful power ballad right out of the Iron Maiden playbook in “Release Me” and the whole album being bookended by a ghostly atmospheric outro dubbed “Malus Maga” and virtually no stone is left unturned.

In a time where heavy metal has become increasingly theatrical in character, Burning Witches may just have found the ideal balance between thematic intricacy and a straightforward presentation. Each chapter in this compact yet highly elaborate auditory codex could easily stand as its own short story, as was the norm during the days when terrestrial radio was king, yet the whole thing works even better as one continuous tale of unforgettable melodies woven into a storm of distorted riffs and a rampaging beast of a rhythm section.

It stands as the best entry in a continually expanding catalog of archaic spells with a jolting dose of modern rage, building upon an impressive legacy that has already become the envy of their contemporaries in the NWOTHM and beyond. It’s perhaps fitting that Inquisition marks this fold’s sixth studio offering, for it casts a mesmerizing hex upon all within earshot from which none would want or even hope to escape.

Release Date: August 22th, 2025
Record Label: Napalm Records
Genre: Heavy Metal

Musicians:

• Romana Kalkuhl / Rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Jeanine Grob / Bass
• Lala Frischknecht / Drums, backing vocals
• Laura Guldemond / Lead vocals
• Courtney Cox /– Lead guitar, backing vocals

Inquisition Track-list:

1. Sanguini Hominum
2. Soul Eater
3. Shame
4. The Spell Of The Skull
5. Inquisition
6. High Priestess Of The Night
7. Burn In Hell
8. Release Me
9. In For The Kill
10. In The Eye Of The Storm
11. Mirror, Mirror
12. Malus Maga