The sounds of Rhode Island’s phantasmic folk queen, Allysen Callery, and Germany’s doomy acid rockers, Mother Bear, blend eerily well on their new macabre collaboration, Witch’s Hand.

Released by by Gruselthon, a sub label of Cosirecords, Witch’s Hand features Callery playing some new gothic originals, Mother Bear covering one of Callery’s songs, and the two artists backing each other up. It’s a very solid partnership, and the very definition of a collaborative release.

Despite the two artists appearing to be sonically worlds apart, they come together well through their shared love of dark, ghastly atmospheres and horror. This of course explains the album’s pitch-perfect packaging and accompanying poster that both evoke classic Hammer films. This overlap of interests is enough of a common ground to make all of the tracks on this co-release flow together seamlessly.

Mother Bear’s songs quake with thunderous electric guitar and shadowy, cavernous vocals. There’s a slow, malevolent sense of foreboding that creeps throughout their recordings, largely due to their expert use of growling fuzz and deafening war drums. Meanwhile, with just her voice and sparse instrumentation alone, Callery evokes the same vibes on her tunes with ease.

For example, compare Mother Bear’s “Consuming Rite” with the album’s stark title track by Callery. They may be at opposite ends of the volume spectrum, but there’s a morbid and haunting mood and presence that is shared between the two songs that leave the listener feeling suitably unnerved.

If Black Sunday, Witchhammer or Blood on Satan’s Claw rank amongst some of your favorite horror movies, then Witch’s Hand certainly deserves to be in your music collection.

Click here to get your copy today.

-KH