Decibel is pleased to present a new song from Smoulder, the epic heavy metal doom act which is set to release its latest album, Witch Wife In An Alien World, later this year. Although the band’s music remains firmly rooted in classic heavy metal, they continue to explore new realms and integrate other sounds into their own — with Greek black metal playing a prominent role this time around. Indeed, the band remains difficult to categorize on “Water Wars,” which is always a good sign.
Here’s how lead singer, Sarah Ann, describes “Water Wars,”
“You know how Judas Priest kicked off their masterpiece Stained Class with “Exciter,” then jolted into a bunch of ‘70s rock bangers? That’s kind of how we felt with starting the album on “Water Wars” (which people will understand far more clearly after hearing track two from the record). Musically, “Water Wars” is our most Judas Priestian, riff-laden, speed metal banger yet — with a dark, and frankly increasingly prescient, lyrical theme. It opens Witch Wife in an Alien World with a jolt, and isn’t necessarily representative of the album … although no song truly is. It’s a weird record.”
As to that lyrical theme, she goes on to say that
“Water infrastructure is being intentionally targeted in the genocide in Palestine; the United States recently intentionally attacked a water desalination plant in Iran. We’ve seen conflicts over water arise in California, India, Ukraine, Bolivia, Egypt, Turkey, Florida and more. Nestle owns aquifers worldwide and convinced the World Water Council to remove water as a human right, instead designating it as a “human need,” for fuck’s sake. Then you add AI data centers projected to be consuming the equivalent annual water needs of 1.3 billion people? We’re fucked, and it’s getting worse. It felt appropriate to address this growing crisis.”
Witch Wife In An Alien World comes out on October 9, 2026 via Cruz Del Sur on CD, vinyl, and spectral purple vinyl.
