I have numerous favorite bands, each of which I only like a specific phase. For example, with TSOL, I only like the more gothic-influenced period from 1984-1987 with Joe Wood, the Paul Di'Ano era with Iron Maiden, Accept with Udo Dierckschneider, Rainbow with Dio, etc. With Witchcraft, Magnus Pelander has been the only constant for 25 years, and every album is different. The only phase I truly enjoy is the Legend and Nucleus era between 2012 and 2016, which boasted a perfect balance between flawless production, sophisticated lyrics, brilliant musicianship, and Pelander's mature voice. Before and after that, all the doom, retro, whiny, and self-pitying fans rave about the emotional depth of the lyrics. That may well be true. But when you realize that Pelander is so close to autism and borderline personality disorder, his entire oeuvre is essentially a therapy session in which we, the consumers, followers, and admirers, participate. The concert at Hellfest 2013 was one of the best concerts of my life because, as a spectator, you could feel the tension between the band members in your hands. This kind of energy resulted in fantastic albums and concerts, but it also drains you personally for decades. Even after almost 15 years, I'm still discovering new things on "Legend," although this album is actually the most accessible, something I haven't experienced at all with their more recent releases.
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