Danish Doom Metal band Dread Witch have unveiled official video for new single “Altar” featuring Sofia Schmidt of Ethereal Kingdoms as the Dread Witch.
“Altar” is the second single taken from Dread Witch’s upcoming sophomore album, “Cult,” set for release on October 31, 2026 via DHU Records, Bottomless Pit and Gateway Music.
Watch the official video for “Altar” feat. Sofia Schmidt via the YouTube player below:
Video directed and edited by Leifur Nielsen.
When Dread Witch released their debut album “Tower Of The Severed Serpent” in 2023, it shook the pillars of the earth with, as Deathrattle Podcast put it, “riffs of gravitational force and neutronium density.”
Now, Dread Witch return with their second album “Cult” — a Darker, Heavier and more Cinematic evolution of the band’s sound.
“Cult” unfolds like a horror movie translated into sound.
From the unsettling opening instrumental “Born Again,” where the cries of a bawling infant collide with dissonant guitars, to the monumental eight-minute closing journey “Omen Of Oblivion,” Dread Witch create a bleak and immersive universe inhabited by serpents, witches, human sacrifices and unspeakable horrors.
The title-track “Cult” uses bone shatteringly Heavy riffs and darkly psychedelic textures to drive the listener deeper into the horror darkness of a terrible nightmare.
Track three, “The Summoning,” boasts occult chanting, evil lyrics and a creepy middle section that provides a brief respite from the merciless metallic onslaught before exploding in a crushingly groovy finale.
“Cyclops,” the shortest song on the album, picks up the pace with an in-your-face barrage of riffs built for serious headbanging.
On “Altar,” Sofia Schmidt of Ethereal Kingdoms makes a guest appearance as the Dread Witch herself in a performance that is both technically impressive and deeply unsettling.
“Marrow,” track six, combines up-tempo death metal phrasings and staccato riffs with a didgeridoo to create an infernal freight train of death.
Penultimate track, the instrumental “Vesexuff,” acts as an ominous prelude to the epic album closer “Omen Of Oblivion” — an eight minute journey through Dark landscapes of monumental riffs, lyrics and vocals.
Produced, mixed and mastered by legendary Danish producer Tue Madsen (Meshuggah, Belphegor etc.), “Cult” features 36 minutes dynamic and pleasingly chaotic Doom Metal spread across eight pummeling tracks with a mean playing time of 4.5 minutes.
On the album, Dread Witch utilizes an immense wall of sound born of low tuned guitars (three, to be exact), distorted bass, crushing drums, ritualistic vocals and ambient textures to create an immersive sonic experience set in an occult universe of serpents, witches and human sacrifices.
“Cult” is a descent into the darkness of a foreboding, mad abyss that is meant to be enjoyed in its entirety from beginning to end.
“Cult” begs and rewards repeated listenings and caters to everyone with a penchant for multilayered doom metal with ambient textures and strong vocals.
The new album “Cult” will be out October 31st on LP via DHU Records, CD via Bottomless Pit and digital via Gateway Music.
Pre-Order/Pre-Save “Cult” here: https://dreadwitch.lnk.to/Cult
Tracklist:
01. Born Again
02. Cult
03. The Summoning
04. Cyclops
05. Altar
06. Marrow
07. Vesexuff
08. Omen Of Oblivion
— About Dread Witch —
Dread Witch was formed in Aarhus, Denmark in 2023 for the sole purpose of creating insanely Heavy and Dark Doom Metal under the influence of Horror literature, cult movies and bands like Pink Floyd and Triptykon. Today, the band consists of ex-members and members of Scamp, Horned Almighty, Stone Cadaver, The World State, Funeral Chasm and Woebegone Obscured.
Built from colossal low-tuned riffs, crushing drums, ritualistic vocals, psychedelic textures and an absolutely massive wall of sound, Dread Witch creates an immersive sonic experience in an Occult universe of serpents, witches and human sacrifices.
Dread Witch has garnered recognition both domestically and abroad for the debut album “Tower Of The Severed Serpent” (2023) and their hypnotic live performances. In 2026, Dread Witch released their second album “Cult” — a 36-minute descent into a forbidding nightmare where light itself is sought extinguished by dark incantations of cultic evil and apocalyptic worship.
Think Conan, Triptykon and Devin Townsend, but dragged through a Boschian hellscape.
Dread Witch does not use AI to create its music or lyrics.
Lineup:
Mikael Rise / Lead Vocals & Guitar
Dennis Larsen / Drums
Andreas Cadaver / Guitar
Leifur Nielsen / Bass & Vocals
Jesper Kragh / Lead Guitar