Coven
Witchcraft Destroys Minds And Reaps Soul

Eh? Who are Coven? I don't think I know, but the English Wikipedia page (really slim on the subject) informs us that they are a American trio "famous" for having recorded the album 'Witchcraft Destroys Minds and Reaps Souls' and little else; the group consists of singer Jinx Dawson (a stunning blonde with a remarkable voice who appears in the booklet photos in full nudity, among other things), bassist Oz Osborne (some Sabbathian memory resemblance…) and drummer Steve Ross, so says Wikipedia, but I believe there's quite a bit of confusion about the actual lineup of the group since the album is almost dominated by an electric guitar played by a semi-genius (maybe I'm exaggerating) whose name remains unknown.

But let's get to the album, coming from the distant 1969 (released in 1970 for the nitpickers): it is an unmissable album, inexplicably slipped into oblivion and re-emerged only in 2003 with the usual story of CD remastering. The music contained is of a high satanic level, a bit like the esoteric symbols that embellish the cover and the bootleg, but the bizarre thing is that the bassist named Oz Osborne and the first track (titled Black Sabbath) create clear telepathic aspects in common with the English Black Sabbath. In reality, with the Coven, the matter of Satanism is taken naively in a more serious and complete way, making the album a real tool for conversion to the worship of Lucifer, you understand?

It starts with 'Black Sabbath', the masterpiece of the album, refined rhythm and explosion in a fat rock 'n' roll towards the middle: Dawson went to school with Slick, while the rest of the group went with Marty Balin and co. After this gothic rock 'n' roll, the album continues with 'White Witch Of Rose Hall' where on a piano riff the singer gives release to her lungs. 'Coven In Charing Cross' is perhaps more pop because of the acoustic guitar, but a collective recitation within the song gives it a dense and sinister aura anyway. 'For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge' explodes with the chorus, and slowly tames, until it becomes a blues with strong Jeffersonian influences, precisely because of the combination of female and male voice that characterizes it.

Great song 'Pact With Lucifer', with vocal performances of some depth but also with a beautiful refrain, almost epic: the lyrics naturally, it's needless to stress, speak of the occult or anyway, of the esoteric, sometimes they just describe situations, scenes, without having a main theme: in my opinion, that's exactly what creates that dense and sinister atmosphere, very similar to the scenographies of Mario Bava, author among other things of the film Black Sabbath (I tre volti della paura, masterpiece, watch it…).

Pompous chords, fast guitar solos, whispers, and an improbable melody are the ingredients of 'Choke, Thirst, Die', while with 'Wicked Woman' we are faced with a fast rock with a rhythm like 'Somebody To Love', but far darker and more solemn (without taking anything away from the Jefferson’s masterpiece). The intro of 'Dignitaries Of Hell' reminds me a bit of Rat Salad by Sabbath, but with seconds the song transforms into a solid rock-blues with good electric guitar parts; not to forget that here and there an organ also pops up, making its gothic blaring further coloring the already psychedelic songs: who plays it, booooh. 'Portrait' is a slower and calmer song than usual and this allows us to hear Dawson’s voice even more clearly (eh, the recording is not the best).

The last track 'Satanic Mass' (13:21) is not the masterpiece of the album but just a half crap, a recording of a pseudo-black mass (I believe), complete with choral invocations and a host of various litanies: I listened to it to the end once but I had to sew up my balls that in the meantime had fled probably in search of another scrotal sack that wasn't mine.

What else can I tell you: nothing, get yourself the album and listen to it, order it from your trusted dealer, download it with the mule, invoke it with a seance… You won't regret it.

Who knows who plays the guitar on the album, the suggestive cover shows us the usual three, but only now do I notice the skull at the center below, near Dawson: it has the expression of the guitarist…