Seattle's WITCH RIPPER have released "The Portal," a sprawling and ambitious new single from their upcoming album "Through The Hourglass," due April 10, that immediately establishes the Pacific Northwest outfit as one of 2026's most exciting heavy metal prospects. The track evokes "The Hunter"-era MASTODON with its masterful mixture of classic heavy metal guitars and cosmic progressive vibes, building from a brooding atmospheric introduction into a galloping riff assault that commands attention from first note to last.
Critics who have heard advance material from "Through The Hourglass" have noted elements of KING DIAMOND's otherworldly menace woven into the album's fabric — a fitting comparison given the record's apparent conceptual themes of time manipulation and interdimensional travel. The vocal approach shifts between clean melodic passages and grittier, more aggressive delivery, adding dynamic range that prevents the lengthy compositions from ever feeling static.
WITCH RIPPER have been building a reputation in the Pacific Northwest heavy music scene over the past several years, developing a sound that draws from the classic heavy metal tradition while incorporating progressive and psychedelic elements that reflect Seattle's eclectic musical heritage. The city that gave the world grunge has quietly nurtured a vibrant heavy metal underground, with bands like WITCH RIPPER, SANDRIDER, and LESBIAN carrying the torch for heavy riff-based music in a post-SOUNDGARDEN landscape.
"The Portal" features guitar work that moves fluidly between crushing power chord progressions and intricate lead passages, with a rhythm section that provides both thunderous foundation and nimble interplay. The production strikes an ideal balance between modern clarity and vintage warmth, allowing each instrument to occupy its own space in a dense but never cluttered mix.
"Through The Hourglass" promises to establish WITCH RIPPER as one of the year's breakout heavy metal acts, blending old-school riffing with expansive atmospheric passages and powerful vocal hooks that stick in the memory long after the speakers fall silent.