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| Laura Guldemond of Burning Witches @ the Goldfield Trading Post (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
Burning Witches flew into Roseville last weekend for the last stop of their US Tour and rocked Goldfield Trading Post with their unique sound that blends classic 80’s metal (Iron Maiden, Judas Priest) with the more contemporary tones of European metal bands such as Ghost and Avatar. The all-female band brought an energy that was in large contrast with Sacramento area death metal opening bands Cemetery Legacy and Black.
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| Burning Witches @ the Goldfield Trading Post (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
Dutch Lead singer Laura Guldemond, who joined the Witches in 2019, served as the master of ceremonies and was a whirling, twirling lightning bolt for the entirety of their 1 hour 15-minute set. She took to the stage on the run with a high-flying kick and full-throated scream as they began the night with “Unleash the Beast” – the opening song off their latest Napalm Records release “The Dark Tower.” Songs flew in rapid succession with only the occasional break for the smiling Guldemond to speak with the audience.
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| Burning Witches @ the Goldfield Trading Post (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
As the band went into three songs off their 2020 album “Dance with the Devil,” founding rhythm guitarist Romana Kalkuhl and touring lead guitarist Courtney Cox (from the band Iron Maidens – not Friends) created a twin-engine guitar attack reminiscent of the glory days of both Maiden and Judas Priest. Bassist Jeanine Grob and drummer Lala Frishknecht kept things heavy and hard on a night that had none of the ballads that many would associate with female metal bands of the past. Both Kalkuhl and Cox impressed with their frequent soloing and Grob’s bass lines were front and center throughout much of the concert. Guldemond provides pinup looks (think Margot Robbie with spikes) with energy, charisma and the vocal chops to deliver songs that provide few vocal breaks.
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| Burning Witches @ the Goldfield Trading Post (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
“Wings of Steel” and “Sea of Lies” led to the title track of the 2020 album “Dance with the Devil.” Before “Sea of Lies” Guldemond asked how many in the audience were seeing them perform live for the first time and nearly every hand went up. “We Stand as One” off the 2021’s “The Witch of the North.” Throughout the entire show, heads were banging and hair flying - both on stage and in the audience as the Witches kept a stirring their cauldron of metal. The band dipped once more into 2020 with “Lucid Nightmare” and the song saw Guldemond coming down into the pit in front to sing along with the crowd. She returned to the stage and the current album with “Evil Witch” and the title track “The Dark Tower.”
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| Burning Witches @ the Goldfield Trading Post (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
The band briefly caught their breath on the side stage to the intro for 2018’s “Hexenhammer” before delivering a masterful version of one of only two pre-Guldemond songs. Guldemond led the audience in chanting along and then seemed to love Cox’s screeching solo came right before this year’s “World on Fire” and the main set finale of “Flight of the Valkyries” with the crowd swinging their arms and phone lights back and forth as the two guitars soared and Frishknecht drove machine gun style bass drums.
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| Burning Witches @ the Goldfield Trading Post (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
If there was any disappointment on the night, it was that the audience wasn’t treated to any of the terrific covers Burning Witches have cast their spell over in recent times. Ozzy Osbourne’s “Shot in the Dark,” W.A.S.P.’s “I Wanna’ Be Somebody” and Dio’s “Holy Diver” are all out in the digital streaming world to enjoy. Without touching the covers, The Witches returned to the stage for the final time in 2023 for a two-song encore of “The Witch of the North” and their theme song “Burning Witches” – delivered as a furious, roaring anthem with Guldemond going to the deepest growls and highest screams of her register.
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| Cemetary Legacy @ the Goldfield Trading Post (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
Opening the show were a pair of Sacramento-area death metal acts. Both opening band Cemetery Legacy and middle act Black brought the hard and heavy guitars and growls and showed how the Sacramento-area carries the speed metal / death metal family flag just as proudly as their more-known cousins in the Bay Area. Cemetery Legacy describes their music as Tech Death Metal with lead guitarist Steve Lujan providing much of the on-stage leadership on the night of his birthday. The five-piece band showcased their new single “Divine Desecration” and may have brought the largest audience with them on the Sunday night.
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| Black @ the Goldfield Trading Post (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
Long-time thrash metal band Black was led by lead singer Don McMillan III and featured driving bassist Kelley Brown – whose movements and string pounding were reminiscent of both Red Hot Chili Pepper’ bassist Flea and Metallica’s Robert Trujillo. As with all the night’s bands, Black featured two guitarists – Erick Von Krauss and Austin Elkington provided hair-flying speed fretting throughout while able drummer Gregorio Jimenez Jr. drove the band’s pace with songs such as “Untouched by Light.” Like their fellow openers, they received a very warm hometown welcome.
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