share chaostrophic new single ‘Reincarnate’
Sign to Sony Music’s Music For Nations
UK Festival slots for 2021, and IDLES support at
O2 Academy Brixton
Praise for Witch Fever:
“If Witch fever were a cult it would be incredibly difficult to refuse an offer to join them.” – CLASH
“They look cool as fuck, they sound like a reckoning and they really mean it.” – NME 100: Essential emerging artists for 2021
Concocting a potent sonic assault that recalls the foreboding darkness of Black Sabbath, Savages’ monochrome post-punk, and the dirty breathlessness of Bleach-era Nirvana, Manchester’s Witch Fever create a confrontational racket that takes no prisoners.
Formed four years ago through mutual friends, the band went through several personnel changes before arriving at the current line-up. In 2019, bassist Alex, drummer Annabelle, vocalist Amy and guitarist Alisha released the rabid single ‘Berzerk(h)er’, followed by an eerie follow-up in ‘The Hallow’ via Venn Records, which the band worked on with Creation Records founder Alan McGee, the Manchester scene legend who launched the careers of My Bloody Valentine, Oasis and Primal Scream.
Today, the doom punk quartet share new single ‘Reincarnate’, an anthem of post-breakup independence, set to Sabbath-esque graveyard noise, alongside a seductive video that explores womxn’s desires and fetishes. ‘Reincarnate’ is just a taste of what’s to come from Witch Fever, with further tracks to follow over the coming months, all recorded over a period of days with producer Jaime Gomez Arellano (Mayhem, Ulver, Ghost) in 2020.
Witch Fever have also announced that they have signed to Music For Nations, part of Sony Music.
“We’re not here to say, ‘This is what you need to do with your life’, we just want to make angry music and make sure we don’t take any shit from people who give us shit,” says singer Amy.
“There’s a big emphasis on female empowerment and female anger,” adds bassist Alex on the message raging behind the band’s music – “It’s about celebrating yourself and self-expression. Not being stifled and held back.”
“There’s something about playing heavier music that feels so empowering,” says guitarist Alisha. “We all have completely different music tastes and inspirations, but that’s what makes our sound so unique.”
“It’s important for us to do things our own way and represent ourselves as we wish, regardless of outside opinion,” adds drummer Annabelle. “We represent an honest voice about breaking out of the indoctrination in our society and all oppressive institutions.”
Witch Fever’s modern punk should put them firmly on the radar of fans of Bikini Kill, IDLES, Dream Wife, Savages, and Show Me The Body, bands who are pushing noisily for social change. And in 2021, the band plan to take their new music and the white-hot energy of their relentless live show on the road. They’ll be playing the sold-out Truck Festival in July, and in September playing Leeds’ All-Dayer A Wave Before A Kick In The Chest, playing Devon’s Burn It Down, and Futurama Festival in Liverpool headlined by Heaven 17, and Peter Hook and The Lights. In 2022 they will be joining IDLES at London’s Brixton Academy, and dates in Europe, as well as supporting Bambara on selected Europe dates.
Tonight, they’ll be giving a live streamed performance for the esteemed Scruff Of The Neck in Manchester from 7.30pm, plus an interview with Abbie McCarthy. Log in here Twitch.tv/scruffoftheneck.
Being named as ones to watch by NME, CLASH, Metro, and more, as well as championed by Fred Perry, Vans and even Orange Amps, Witch Fever are a band you’ll want to keep a close eye on.
TOUR INFO
FESTIVAL DATES
Sunday, 20th June 2021 – Bigfoot Festival, Warwickshire
Saturday, 24th July 2021 – Truck Festival, Hill Farm
Saturday, 4th September 2021 – The Wave Before The Kick In The Chest – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
Saturday, 11th September 2021 – Burn It Down Festival, Devon
Sunday, 12th September 2021 – Futurama Festival, Liverpool
IDLES & BAMBARA* SUPPORT TOUR
Monday, 17th January 2022 – London, O2 Academy Brixton
Tuesday, 1st March 2022 – Paris, Elysee Montmartre
Wednesday, 2nd March 2022 – Lyon, Transbordeur
Thursday, 3rd March 2022 – Milan, Fabrique
Friday, 4th March 2022 – Turin,Cap10100*
Saturday, 5th March – Nimes, La Paloma*
Sunday, 6th March 2022 – Toulouse, Le Bikini
Monday, 7th March 2022 – Bilbao, Santana
Wednesday, 9th March 2022 – Barcelona, Razzmattazz
Thursday, 10th March 2022 – Madrid, Riviera
Friday, 11th March 2022 – Lisbon, Coliseum
Tickets can be bought HERE
About Witch Fever:
Witch Fever’s name is inspired by the hysteria which accompanied the witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts, and Europe, which the band have long considered were a means to belittle, suppress and diminish women.
William Morris, owner of the UK’s largest mining plant, DGC, and originator of the British Arts and Crafts movement and arguably the finest wallpaper designer of his generation, coined the term Witch Fever, which was a phrase to dismiss arsenic and- wallpaper-related public health concerns in 1885.
In Germany, in 1814, Wilhelm Sattler created an extremely toxic arsenic and verdigris compound pigment, Schweinfurt green, known also as Paris, Vienna, or emerald green, which became an instant favourite amongst designers and manufacturers the world over, thanks to its versatility in creating enduring yellows, vivid greens, and brilliant blues.
Most insidiously, the arsenic-laced pigment made its way into intricately patterned, brightly coloured wallpapers and from there, as they became increasingly in vogue, into the Victorian home. As its use became widespread, commercial arsenic mines increased production to meet the near-insatiable demand. Not least of which was whose owner was William Morris.
Witch Fever are:
Amy Walpole: Lead vocals
Alex Thompson: Bass and backing vocals
Alisha Yarwood: Guitar
Annabelle Joyce: Drums
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