Burning Witch Members, Gear & Sound

Burning Witch is an influential extreme metal band known for their exceptionally slow and heavy sound, which delves into the darkest realms of doom metal, sludge metal, and drone metal. Originating in the mid-1990s, the group was formed by guitarists Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson after the dissolution of their previous project, Thorshammer. The lineup was soon completed by vocalist Edgy 59, bassist G. Stuart Dahlquist, and drummer Jamie Sykes. Although Anderson departed early on, the band continued to forge a path with their hauntingly heavy compositions, leaving a lasting impact on the metal underground.

Burning Witch's sound is characterized by its ominous and crushingly slow sonic landscapes, marked by downtuned guitars and visceral riffing. The band's music often feels like a descent into a cavernous abyss, with guitars that conjure a dense, murky atmosphere, achieved partly through the use of the Sunn Model T Amplifier Head favored by O'Malley. The Pro Co RAT and Electro-Harmonix Sovtek "Green Russian" Big Muff Pi pedals infuse their sound with layers of distortion and fuzz, adding to the overwhelming weight and raw intensity. The drums and bass provide a relentless, plodding foundation, complementing the foreboding vocal delivery that echoes through their compositions. To emulate their sound, players should focus on creating a wall of sound with detuned guitars and an arsenal of distortion and fuzz effects to capture the band's dark, immersive aura.