Witch of the Wildwoods

By Alex Mylles

This CD is by the American pagan folk group 'Moonstruck' and contains some excellent pagan songs and chants. Witch of the Wildwoods is actually their second album, but is much better than their first, Moonstruck. There are songs which commemorate witch burnings, such as 'The Burning' which has a rather graphic account of a burning in which everyone in the audience looks on impassive, with only one person saying quietly 'they know not what they do' when he asks bystanders why the witch is being burnt. 'Witch of the Wildwoods' is the story of a man going into the woods when everyone has warned him against such an action and being helped by the animals of the wood when he falls and injures himself. 'Just a Rib,' as the name suggests is about the differences between masculinity and femininity.

On this album is 'We all come from the Goddess' which manages to successfully blend that well known chant with 'Isis, Astarte, Diana ...' and is a very meditative track. Also on the album is 'Element Chant' ("Earth my body, water by blood, air my breath and fire my spirit") with background drums which asks to be played rather loud! 'Firepit Drumming' is four and a half minutes of fantastic drumming that makes you want to get up and dance around; this could probably be used in a ritual if drumming was required.

Guitars, keyboards and vocals are the main instruments used on the album, and the two singers, Steve and Eury have beautiful voices that succeed in conveying the powerful meanings of the songs.

Witch of the Wildwoods is only available from America, I got my copy from cdbaby.com and it cost $10 with $7 postage (or $4 if you don't want the case) which is $9.30 or £7.60.