The Final Witness - Beneath The Altar
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THE FINAL WITNESS – BENEATH THE ALTAR LABEL: ROTTWEILER RECORDS RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 15th 2025
Solo projects are not the rare entity that they once were in the multitude of metal genres. Sometimes the fact that an entire album of songs has been written and performed by a single individual can simply pass us by as just another barely noted scrap of information. But then an album will come along that reminds us of just what a remarkable feat has been accomplished in its creation…the realisation that one person was responsible for every element of what we have just been enveloped by…when the songs are so individual, complex and emotionally charged…it can still take your breath away. Beneath The Altar, the debut full length album from The Final Witness is one of those special albums. Behind the banner of The Final Witness is multi-instrumentalist Josh Henderson, who signed with Rottweiler Records at the end of 2024 – in time to contribute to the label’s customary selection of Christmas singles with a ripping interpretation of the 17th Century carol, ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ – and now it is time for Beneath The Altar to be unleashed!
Beneath The Altar offers no gradual immersion into its turbulent waters, no gradual revealing of its unpredictable nature. Opening track ‘Principalities’ immediately shakes the ground beneath your feet, shifting between tempos, styles and ambiance, wrong footing you at every turn. It’s eclectic and effervescent right to its final note. As the pleasing complexity of ‘Coronation’ follows it is already obvious that Beneath The Altar is a demonstration of a unique creative vision at work. As the album progresses you are confronted with intense aggression, incredible guitar solos, passages of amazing, atmospheric, melodious reflection and a staggering array of riffs. In ‘Negative World’ an imposing opening explodes into fierce, gritty thrash before sparkling solos like stardust and ice shards tumble through the darkness. A magical pool of tranquillity appears at the heart of the song, but after mere moments it is violently shattered by furious blast beats. And all of this is executed with sublime control, each segment masterfully interwoven with the next. ‘The Blood’ provides the album’s towering conclusion and it is only really when you reach its final peaks that you can look back on the vast landscape of the album you have just traversed and appreciate the threads of mood and atmosphere that draw it together. The conclusion of ‘The Blood’ and consequently Beneath The Altar possesses such uplifting power and majesty. The vocals, solos, riffs and rhythms entwine in a manner that lifts the whole listening experience of the album to another level.
The production and engineering of Becoming The Archetype’s Jason Wisdom have afforded Josh Henderson’s incredible work all the space it needs to breathe and all the power required for it to hit home with maximum emotional impact. Rottweiler Records will unveil Beneath The Altar, this magnificent testament to the adventurous spirit of extreme metal, on August 15th and we can only hope that it will be just the first of many albums to come from Josh Henderson, The Final Witness.
Genre: Progressive Thrash/Death Metal
For fans of: Sadus | White Stones | Coroner | Moonloop Line-up:
Josh Henderson – all music and vocals
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