AXEWITCH – Out Of The Ashes Into The Fire

Out of the Past

Swedish metal fans from the 80s might remember Axewitch. They had a demo, a few EPs and 3 studio albums from 1982 – 1986, just starting to make a mark in the metal scene. After 30+ years 2007 saw them reunite, though it took till 2021 for them to bring out new material in the form of Axewitch – Out Of The Ashes Into The Fire. The band is mostly the original lineup with Anders Wallentoft on vocals and keyboards, Magnus Jarl and Mikael A Deild on guitars, Mats Johanson on the drums, and Björn Hernborg replacing Tommy Brage on the bass.

Classic Metal Rekindled

Out Of The Ashes Into The Fire is a fairly straight forward sequel to their 80s material, with of course greatly improved production values. The material feels like it could have easily been written back in 1986, though the sound is more refined, showing the bands musical maturity. Gone are the over the top guitar chorus effects, but the drum mix still has that dated snare sound that makes the album feel like an older release.

Top Tracks

The album definitely has highs and lows, depending on the listeners tastes. For this reviewer the stand out songs that left an impression are the heavy “Dues To Pay” and “Going Down”, as they both have the Heavy Metal heft needed to keep you headbanging. “Lie To Me” is probably the heaviest song on the album, and has good, driving hooks. A nice addition is the re-recordings of “Axewitch” and “Nightmare” that originally appeared on the bands first demo, giving fans updated versions of the songs that started it all for Axewitch.

Final Notes

Following up a release from 1986 can be challenging for a band trying to rekindle the flame of Heavy Metal that originally brought them together, and Axewitch have done a fairly decent job on Out Of The Ashes Into The Fire. Will the album blow minds? Probably not. Does it fit in the chronology of Axewitch as a continuation of their earlier work? Definitely. If you are a fan of Axewitch already, it’s a no brainer to pick it up. If you are new to the band and love mid 80s metal, it’s worth checking out.

Lineup

Anders Wallentoft – vocals, keyboards
Magnus Jarl – guitars
Mikael A Deild – guitars
Björn Hernborg – bass, vocals
Mats Johanson – drums

Out Of The Ashes Into The Fire – Tracklist

1. The Pusher
2. In Pitch Black Darkness
3. Dues To Pay
4. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
5. Boogie Of Death
6. Losing You
7. Going Down
8. The Healer
9. Lie To Me
10. Violator
11. Nightmare (Bonustrack)
12. Axewitch (Bonustrack)

Total Playing Time: 57:56 min