Album Details Daring, Brave and uncompromisable one of the more vital and grandiose icons on the Extreme Metal market today. Witches cover so much ground that it becomes hard to even begin thinking where to begin describing it. The album hails directly after the recording sessions for "BlackArts" and was moulded into its present appearance during two full years of extreme hardship (studiosession began November 1999 and lasted to August 2001 after which mixing continued into October the same year). Although several simularities stands out between "Witches" and "BlackArts", what is most noticeable are the many differences. "Witches..." which was first released in December 2001 under the selffunded "Northlore Records" became the second official release and featured a much more diverse and muscular production. Songs and performance all showed a more mature and brave development and one can easily see why this album paved out new roads for Elvira Madigan. The album is noticably much more varied and bold. In fact - so much that I did in fact not think anyone would really approve of it. How foolish that may seem today (as it landed me my first licensing deals allowing me to "turn a page" and reach out far better than previously), it really was the case after having digging so deep in my own subconscious for such a long time. The quite unorthodox approach to the entire release by opening it with two instrumental introductions (and the third track plays some two or three minutes before vocals can be heard at all) is like a first taste of the rather unconvential and innovative release. With comercial eyes viewed that is probably regarded as suicide but few albums can boast such musical quality in instrumental tracks that with great importance contributes to teh albums structure and general "feel". The CD truly is an enormous musical experience (if taken from track one to the last in one go) and is as always with EM albums best viewed upon as on entity instead of a collection of tracks. "WItches - Salem (1692 vs 2001)" marked quite a few important developments compared to previous efforts. The variation, production have all been mentioned but the CD did also for the first time ever include English sung tracks. It was given more deapth with research in history regarding the first inquisitions and although it doesn't feature a storyline (contrary to what many seem to believe) it nonetheless always spinns around the same subjects and simular storyline - always with a sharp toung ready to sting the bloodstained past of organized christendom. Funny details to know may be that in it's path to become complete lay almost bone-deep fingercuts (disabling me from playing guitar for more than a month), shredded recordingtapes torn in two (forcing me to rerecord a halfway finished track) and last but not least, a mental disorder hailing from nervousity from the fact that this Cd had to match the expectations put on it after the highly acclaimed debut "BlackArts" (which more or less is responsible for the fact that the covers album succeeding this title was recorded). In the spring of 2003 "Witches - Salem (1692 vs 2001)" was rereleased though Black Lodge / Soundpollution and the one version to be found at CD stores around the globe is most likely to be this. The album was for that rerelease repackaged in Jewelbox with a brand new booklet but also completely remastered. The first edition of the CD - should You desire to invest in the "Witches..." album - is the only version available from this website. To get a copy of it one needs to check out the "Buy CD!" section