Hexenbrett

Walking a considered line between technically proficient hard rock and sludgy death metal, Hexenbrett let the music do the talking (in German) on a growing body of work that includes the albums Zweite Beschwörung: Ein Kind zu töten (2020) and its 2024 sequel, Dritte Beschwörung: Dem Teufel eine Tochter. The duo -- instrumentalist Josto Feratu and vocalist/lyricist Scarlettina Bolétte -- have kept a tight lid on their origins; despite singing mostly in German (the band name translates to "witch's board," another name for Ouija), it is unknown if they hail from Germany, Austria, or elsewhere in Europe. What is known from their music is a keen balance of melodic metal and unchecked aggression, with Scarlettina singing not in dissonant screams but defiant shouts and music to match: rhythmic, in-your-face songcraft.