If you haven’t yet, go ahead and add Cybernetic Witch Cult to your list of completely over-the-top British bands currently riffing their way around the UK underground. From their what-the-hell-is-that-about moniker to the what-the-hell-is-that-about cover art for their forthcoming third album, Troglodithic Trip, to how ambitiously they seem to want to live up to that title, to the simple fact that they refer to the release date using the Star Wars identifier “May the Fourth,” it’s safe to say there’s no danger of the Cornwall trio falling down a trap of taking themselves too seriously. However, as “Cult of the Druid” demonstrates in its tone, groove and hook, neither are they just screwing around in their basement rehearsal space for the sheer sake of doing so.

Add to that the fact that they’ve got tour dates over the next couple months covering a good swath of the UK and one has to wonder even less about the veracity of Cybernetic Witch Cult‘s intentions. That is to say, if they didn’t mean it, they could just as easily not mean it from home. Yeah, these guys are clearly about having a decent time, and that’s nothing to be held against them, but in a scene as crowded as that in the post-Orange Goblin UK, you gotta be loud if you want to be noticed, and they stand themselves out via a sonic blend that speaks to classic thrash via galloping double-kick drumming and Hetfieldian snarl. A silly name is one thing — there are certainly a few around — but if you don’t back it up by kicking ass, it’s going to be all you’re left with.

Check out the premiere of Cybernetic Witch Cult‘s “Cult of the Druid” video below and see what I mean. The energy of their delivery, the on-the-beat force of the song, and the scorch in that final solo? It’s all right on. Yeah, they’re writing material about druids leaving the planet or some such, and the clip is a green-screen band performance dripping in self-awareness, but the vibe is as heavy as it is tongue-in-cheek. Hope you dig in, and hope you agree.

The band’s upcoming list of tour dates includes a stint in May with Doctor Cyclops. That run and the rest of their shows can be found under the video below, along with a quote from the band about the theme behind “Cult of the Druid.”

Please enjoy:

Cybernetic Witch Cult, “Cult of the Druid” official video

Cybernetic Witch Cult on “Cult of the Druid”:

The original plan for Troglodithic Trip was to re-record our favourite tracks from the first album but with a better production and spend some more time developing the songs so they could be on par with our last release. But we got carried away, wrote two new tracks and completely changed some of the old songs! It’s sort of ‘old meets new.’ ‘Cult of the Druid’ is a mini-epic about following a cult leader to Mars (imagine Elon Musk meets Charles Manson meets Merlin) as the Earth sits on the brink of nuclear war in a last ditch effort to colonise space. It’s the longest song we’ve done so far and it really gave us a chance to mix all our influences together in one song.

Cybernetic Witch Cult live:

Apr 01 Cobblestones Bridgwater, UK

Apr 07 Charlie’s Bar Redruth, UK

Apr 19 Whiskers Newquay, UK

Apr 22 Bowl Mansfield, UK

May 02 Livewire Youth Music Plymouth, UK

May 05 The Swan Ipswich, UK*

May 06 The Wheatsheaf Banbury, UK*

May 07 The Dev London, UK*

May 08 The Gryphon Bristol, UK*

May 09 The Junction Plymouth Plymouth, UK*

Jun 10 Boston Music Room London, UK

Jun 17 The Gryphon Bristol, UK

Jul 01 Oaklands Farm Cardiff, UK

Jul 08 The End Of The World Festival Plymouth, UK

* with Doctor Cyclops

Cybernetic Witch Cult is:

Alex Wyld – Vocals, guitars

Kale Deane – Bass, vocals

Lewis May – Drums

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Cybernetic Witch Cult on Bandcamp

Cybernetic Witch Cult website