Serpents Unleashed

Limited picture disc pressing. 2013's Serpents Unleashed served as Athens, OH metal diehards Skeletonwitch's fifth and last release for over a half a decade until 2018's Devouring Radiant Light. Recorded with Kurt Ballou (Converge, High On Fire, Isis) in Salem, MA., the album - which features artwork by Baizley who returned to the fold for the first time in six years - is another blistering helping of two-and-a-half minute blasts of blackened metal amalgamation. This time around, the band also shows off a few new tricks - note the Scandinavian doom-vibe in the opening of "Unending, Everliving" and the devil's swing of "This Evil Embrace" - but does so without compromising the frosty/fiery/abominable metal spirit or blue-collar humility that has endeared them to so many.