Occult rock, as a sub-sub-genre of doom metal (infused with lashings of witchy goodness spawned by Black Sabbath, Coven, Black Widow and others in the 60s and 70s), came to the fore with the advent of The Devil’s Blood, Blood Ceremony, Jex Thoth, and a few similar artists at the beginning of the 2010s. It was a breath of fresh air in the world of doom, with ethereal (more often than not) female vocals, woodwind instruments, smoky visions of Beelzebub, and heavy grooves that made the booty move. The hype around it has died down over the past couple of years, but there are still those brave few out there that are pushing the sound and the music and forging ahead.

Rosy Finch are a Spanish band that released their debut album, 2015’s “Witchboro”, to great acclaim and looked to be a forerunner for the next generation of demon-desirers. Sadly, 2019 saw the departure of the bassist and drummer during the recording of their second full-length, a world-shattering experience for remaining member Mireia Porto. Luckily, the drums were already in the can, and Porto completed the remaining bass parts and the majority of the vocals. With this in mind, “Scarlet” is not only a hugely enjoyable record but one that was deserves major high-fives for creation in the eye of a tornado.

“Scarlet” is not a concept record per se, but more of a thematic experience that revolves around the colour red, with the majority of the songs and song titles bathed in the crimson hue. The album as a whole is far heavier than its predecessor, riffs and grooves barrelling widely through the pristine vocals and beauty in the darkness, and the increased metal-isms create a larger canvas on which Porto (and her ex-colleagues) creates wild and free. The sheer heaviness doesn’t, however, detract from the creepy ambience and ethereal flights of fancy that make this kind of music truly sing, and songs like “Gin Fizz”, “Lava”, and “Vermilion” are joyous in their melancholy graves. Her voice ranges from angel to demon depending on what the song requires, and the dynamics of both her voice and the music are a rollercoaster of juicy sound.

“Witchboro” was wave upon wave of occult-riddled sorcery that took what came before and added something tasty, something forceful, something new to the broth. “Scarlet” takes this a step further by ramping up the distortion factor and riding a wave all of its own that is both entertaining and visceral. Apparently Porto has already put together a new line-up that will tour and become the new Rosy Finch, but if this album is anything to go by, Mireia Porto IS Rosy Finch, and she does a damn fine job of it. For fans of all things witchy and bathed in blood, “Scarlet” is a 2020 gem.

Available via Lay Bare Recordings, Discos Macarras, Larubia Producciones, Spinda Records, Bandcamp and all other digital platforms.

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