“titanic riffs of classic rock and the gob of punk” – The Guardian “This is something that could scorch lawns and burn down buildings, this is Witch Fever” – Steve Lamacq, BBC Radio 6 Music “These Mancunion doom-grungers summon a savage fury against patriarchy on their gloriously loud sound.” – The Observer “vital and inclusive doom-punk for a world in chaos” – NME: 4* “it’s clear that Witch Fever’s journey is just beginning, and this is the platform from which they can blaze a blinding trail, smash that stubbornly patriarchal system, and keep living deliciously” – Kerrang!: 5/5
Witch Fever return with a vengeance. The genre-defying Manchester four-piece have announced their second full-length album, FEVEREATEN, due for release on 31 October 2025 via Music For Nations / Sony (Pre-order/save here). Alongside the announcement, the band have unleashed the lead single and video, “THE GARDEN” – a brooding, cinematic track that twists religious symbolism into a defiant anthem of liberation. Since forming in 2017, Witch Fever – Amy Walpole (vocals/lyrics), Alex Thompson (bass), Alisha Yarwood (guitar), and Annabelle Joyce (drums) – have leaped to the forefront of a flourishing UK alternative scene without really fitting into any of its pockets. Fusing punk ferocity with gothic unease, doom-laden atmospherics, and raw vulnerability, the band’s 2022 debut Congregation drew critical acclaim for its cathartic power and blistering intensity. Now, with FEVEREATEN, they push their sound further into uncharted territory. Produced by Chris W. Ryan (NewDad, Just Mustard, Enola Gay), FEVEREATEN is the result of a deliberate and expansive creative process. Heavier, darker, and stranger than its predecessor, the record draws from metal, ambient, hardcore, and slowcore, layering cello, noise textures, and haunting melodies atop their ever-pummeling foundation. “We wanted to sound bigger,” says Thompson. “To push our sound in ways we couldn’t in a room together.” Nowhere is this sonic growth clearer than in “THE GARDEN”. Opening with a distorted alt-rock riff, the song ebbs and crashes like a tidal wave, with Walpole subverting the Garden of Eden myth into a rallying cry against patriarchal control. The track is Witch Fever’s second single this year, following “DEAD TO ME!”, which blended their trademark raw, breakneck punk with a fuller, more experimental sound. Speaking about the album and “THE GARDEN”, the band said: “FEVEREATEN is raw, vulnerable, haunting and furious. Where our debut album Congregation dealt with my experience growing up in a Charismatic Christian church head on, FEVEREATEN takes a step back, finding horror in the subtleties of dealing with religious trauma, as well as mental health struggles, relationships and nearing 30 in a world that’s eating itself alive. Whilst the album is dark and unforgiving in places it is also heartfelt and joyful in others. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and asks you to find excitement and life in difficult times. It was an absolute delight to write and record together. In the studio we bounced off our producer Chris’ excitement and ended up with a piece of work that we’re so proud of and excited to share. Chris is so talented and their enthusiasm for music and production is infectious. We hope it haunts you as it has haunted us, in a good way of course.” Lyrically, FEVEREATEN continues to draw from Walpole’s past in the Charismatic Church, but now from a perspective of clarity and reclamation. The album’s title speaks to the gothic intensity and emotional extremes at its core – the feeling of being consumed by trauma, history, or identity. “It’s about being on the edge but never quite falling off,” says Walpole, who was diagnosed with autism during the writing process – a moment that reframed much of her life and creative output. The result is a body of work that doesn’t just rage against the past, but tries to make peace with it. Listen to “THE GARDEN” here, and watch the accompanying music video directed by Joseph Delaney below. Pre-order FEVEREATEN here. | 
