On third album, Witch Wife in an Alien World, Smoulder sounds confident and uniquely themselves as they wield their brazen wares. On debut Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring, the Canadian ensemble delved into epic doom that plodded and pounded with towering riffs and heaving, swollen builds. In 2023, Smoulder released follow-up Violent Creed of Vengeance, which introduced more diverse tempos that stoked the fire and urgency of their compositions. Now three years later, Smoulder returns with Witch Wife in an Alien World, a forty-three-minute platter mixing heavy metal with hard-rocking doom that never lacks for enthusiasm. Back in 2022, some members of Smoulder moved to Finland, and at some point singer Sarah Ann and guitarist Shon Vincent tied the knot,1 providing the basis of experiences on which Witch Wife in an Alien World is built. Tackling topics such as the increasing disconnection between people and feelings of isolation after immigrating to a new country, Smoulder sets out to confront real-world topics through the lens of fantastical fancy. Does their approach set the World on fire?
Appreciation for Witch Wife in an Alien World hinges entirely on whether listeners embrace Sarah Ann’s distinctive vocal stylings. Where Violent Creed’s mix allowed her performances to blend with the instrumentation, Witch Wife puts her brash swagger front-and-center, which is guaranteed to turn heads. Her deliveries ooze with conviction, but sometimes erupt into heavy-handed pomp that distracts rather than fostering the sword-swinging bravado that (I assume) Smoulder seeks. “Shadow of the Vulture” supplies an early example of these theatrics, which bluster with ardent gusto. From a technical standpoint, Sarah Ann leans heavily into her vibrato, often pulsing quickly between frequencies that seem a far cry from her performance on Times. There are also moments scattered throughout Witch Wife where the notes and pitches we hear don’t mesh with what the songs demand, surprising me given this was a strength on previous albums.
The songs that bookend Witch Wife in an Alien World prove the album’s strongest cuts. Opener “Water World” bounces with vim and vigor, exploring nifty riffing, artful bass grooves, and deft kitwork in an intricate web of instrumentation that illustrates Smoulder’s maturation of layered songwriting. “Shadow of the Vulture” does the same while adding a rowdy gang chorus that evidences a band doing whatever they want and thoroughly enjoying it. Speaking of gang choruses, closer “Smouldering Remains” fumes with a simple refrain that sticks like gum in hair, leaving me humming it for hours afterwards. Longtime guitarists Shon Vincent and Collin Wolf impart epic leads that gleam like iron and steel while bassist Adam Blake rumbles with a low-end heft that keeps Smoulder anchored in rhythm. Meanwhile, drummer Kevin Hester propels the album along with a restless performance that lends a simmering velocity throughout Witch Wife. Even Smoulder’s live guitarist Henkka (Havukruunu) pops in to unleash a solo on half-English, half-Finnish track “Noitien Loitsu.”
Though Witch Wife’s bookends enliven Smoulder’s latest, the middle of the album sags under the weight of more uniform pacing. To be fair, mid-paced songs with gang vocals define my favorite moments on Witch Wife in an Alien World, so it’s not as if these moments intrinsically decelerate the album. It’s just that the lack of fiery leads and more diverse tempos that made Violent Creed of Vengeance so much fun are in short supply. “Crush the Neophytes” slinks through fun and creative moments, but they don’t provide enough fodder to sustain its seven-minute runtime. Similarly, “Empathy’s Wrath” and “Their Name Lives On” occupy similar sonic spaces, and stringing these tracks together stifles momentum through Witch Wife’s middle. Revising the track order or adding a snappy change-of-pace during this run may have alleviated the mid-record doldrum.
Witch Wife in an Alien World finds Smoulder offering a conglomeration of slick licks and doom-addled atmospheres that imbue the arrangements with one-of-a-kind amusements. The songs don’t always click with me, but when they hit, they do so with righteous thunder. Throughout, Smoulder sounds trve to themselves and Witch Wife never feels like it compromises on what the band set out to make, and I respect the hell out of that. All told, Smoulder evinces a band following their dream of crafting metal they love, and anyone that wants to follow is welcome. So go ye faithful, venture forth into Witch Wife’s Smouldering domain and see what awaits.
Rating: Mixed
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Cruz Del Sur Music
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: October 9th, 2026