The Witch of the Fates is a mythical character that appears in several different mythologies and folklore. In Greek mythology, she is known as the Moirai, while in Norse mythology, she is called the Norns. In each mythology, the Witch of the Fates holds significant power and control over the destiny and fate of individuals. In Greek mythology, the Moirai consist of three sisters: Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. Clotho spins the thread of life, Lachesis measures out the length of the thread, and Atropos cuts the thread, determining when a person's life will end. Together, they control the destiny of all individuals, including gods and mortals alike.
Together, they control the destiny of all individuals, including gods and mortals alike. The Moirai are often depicted as old women or crones, showing their ancient and timeless nature. In Norse mythology, the Norns fulfill a similar role as the Witch of the Fates.
Witches – The Fates Review
It never ceases to amaze me how many metal bands can continue to release high quality material so late in their careers. This year alone has seen terrific releases from both Vulcano and Sinister, for instance, and I’ll now be adding Witches to this list as well. Admittedly, I’d never even heard of this group until AMG Himself recommended I give them a try, a decision I’ve become quite happy with over the past week. Led by vocalist and guitarist Sibylle Colin-Tocquain, this thrash group originally formed in 1986 and claim to be the first French band with female guttural vocals, an assertion I certainly don’t dispute. After releasing their 3.4.1 debut in 1994, the group would split up a few years later before reforming and putting out their second album 7 in 2007. Sibylle has since enlisted a new cadre of musicians from the French metal underground and is finally unleashing Witches’ third album The Fates to (apparently) knock the world on its ass while we’re all standing around waiting for normal life to resume. I can assure you that it certainly did the trick for me.
I went into The Fates expecting old school thrash metal but to my surprise, Witches sound a hell of a lot more like blackened thrash. A large part of this is due to Sibylle, whose raspy vocals are forceful and demonic yet entirely intelligible. She reminds me a lot of Tyrannizer from fellow blackened thrashers Nocturnal, though I actually think Sibylle’s vocals are even more impressive. Her and her bandmates are quite skilled at their instruments as well, with performances that are almost technical in the way they fluidly shift from crunchy riffs to loopy melodies to swift tremolos without ever missing a beat. As such listening to them is an utter pleasure, like watching a skilled gymnast perform feats you could never imagine doing yourself. Interestingly enough, the best example of this comes in the final minute of closer “Death in the Middle Ages,” where the band get progressively faster and faster until it sounds like Archspire have taken over in the last few measures. It’s one of those stupidly awesome ways to end an album that I’d wish we’d hear more often.
Of course, musical ability means nothing without quality songs, and fortunately The Fates has plenty of those as well. Opener “We Are” stands out right away with its addictive refrain where the track title is screamed several times over a quick tremolo riff that mimics the vocals. Late highlight “Off the Flesh” is even more enjoyable, with a technical and melodic main riff that recalls Revocation at their most catchy and playful. “Last Wishes” succeeds on a similar idea, while “Let the Stones Fall” excels with a unique melodic lick that worms its way into your brain until you’re mashing the repeat button like a zombie. Yet it’s the aforementioned closer “Middle Ages” that’s perhaps my favorite cut, with its acrobatic guitars buttressed by layered vocals that ultimately conjure the album’s strongest chorus.
Yet while early highlight “Black from Sorrow” offers some variety with its slow tempo and tangled main riff, a bit more rhythmic diversity (not to mention more guitar solos) certainly wouldn’t have hurt. Fortunately Witches largely redeem themselves by keeping the album as tight as possible. Only one of these nine tracks passes the four minute mark and most sit around three, ultimately making for a record that barely cracks 29 minutes. I’m quite fond of the production as well, with a clear and modern sound that allows Sibylle’s crisp guitars and vicious rasps to be heard in all their manic glory. I’d also be remiss not to mention drummer Jonathan “Sangli” Juré, who propels the album with plenty of airtight blasting and hammering beats.
Going into The Fates, I expected a decent old school thrash album and little more. What I got was a stellar blackened thrash release full of killer songs and carried by incredibly tight performances. Witches sound more pissed and inspired than many bands half their age and I have no doubt that fans of blackened thrash like Nocturnal (or even more traditional European thrash like Kreator and Destruction) will get a nice swift kick out of this. If nothing else, The Fates once again reminds us that regardless of how long a band has been around, there’s always the chance they have something truly incredible in store.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 192 kbps mp3
Label: Mighty Spell Records
Websites: witchesmetal.bandcamp.com | witches.fr | facebook.com/witches.fr
Releases Worldwide: June 5th, 2020
We've updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
They are also three sisters: Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld. Urd represents the past, Verdandi the present, and Skuld the future. Like the Moirai, the Norns control the destiny of gods and mortals, weaving the fabric of time and determining the course of events. The main idea here is that the Witch of the Fates or the Moirai and Norns are powerful mythical figures that control the destiny and fate of individuals. They are often depicted as three sisters who hold the threads of life and weave the fabric of time. Their role is significant in determining the course of events in mythology and folklore..
Reviews for "The Witch of the Fates: Navigating the Web of Destiny"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really excited to read "Witch of the fates" as I love fantasy novels, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The characters felt one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it hard for me to connect with them. The plot was also quite predictable and I found myself losing interest midway through. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it to others.
2. Mark - 1 star - "Witch of the fates" was a complete letdown for me. The writing style was disjointed and confusing, making it hard to follow the story. The world-building was underdeveloped and left me with more questions than answers. Additionally, the pacing was incredibly slow, and it took me ages to get through this book. I was bored throughout and found myself skipping paragraphs just to get to the end. I regret wasting my time on this book.
3. Emily - 3 stars - While "Witch of the fates" had some interesting concepts, the execution fell short for me. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, and the character development was lacking. There were unresolved subplots and loose ends that left me feeling unsatisfied. Despite its potential, this book failed to deliver on its promises. I wouldn't actively discourage others from reading it, but I can't say I enjoyed it either.
4. Alex - 2 stars - "Witch of the fates" had an intriguing premise, but it failed to live up to its potential. The pacing was inconsistent and it felt like the story dragged on unnecessarily. The romance was underdeveloped and lacked chemistry, making it difficult to root for the characters. The author also relied heavily on clichés and tropes, which made the plot predictable and unoriginal. Overall, I was unsatisfied with this book and wouldn't recommend it to fellow fantasy readers.
5. Jason - 1 star - "Witch of the fates" was a major disappointment. The plot was convoluted and difficult to follow, leaving me confused and disconnecting me from the story. The writing was tedious and overly descriptive, with unnecessary details that didn't add anything to the overall narrative. The lack of character development made it hard to empathize with any of them, and I found myself not caring about their fates. I wouldn't waste my time on this book if I were you.