Skeletonwitch/Ghoul/Black Anvil/Youth Forgotten

Hailing from Athens, Ohio, and formed in 2003, Skeletonwitch has grown tighter and angrier than ever. Their latest album, Serpents Unleashed was released last October just in time for Halloween. And the name is fitting indeed: Each song lunges out with a stinging bite. The tracks generally cut to the chase — the band doesn’t like to mess around with long intros like a lot of other metal bands. Songs “I Am of Death (Hell Has Arrived)” and “Burned from Bone” feature throaty growling chants over furious guitar and frantic drumming drawn tightly into something resembling melody. “This Evil Embrace” is a strange, necroromantic love song of sorts, filled with fury and that same throaty growl whipping around like Medusa’s snakes. Expect to get angry and dirty tonight as they bring on the thrash. (Trenholme)