L.A. Witch have always oozed an effortless, unshakable cool. From the shadowy, laconic rock ‘n’ roll of their self-titled debut to the scorching, desert-scorched audacity of Play With Fire, the trio of Sade Sanchez (guitar/vocals), Irita Pai (bass), and Ellie English (drums) have seemingly mastered the art of mystery and menace. Now, with DOGGOD, they plunge even deeper into the noir, pushing past their California roots and coming out the other side with an album of eerie devotion and existential inquiry from the heart of Paris.

Recorded at Motorbass Studio on Rue de Martyrs, DOGGOD stretches L.A. Witch’s spectrum of sound wider than ever before. Elements of post-punk’s chilling austerity do battle with their normal garage grind, while cosmic and spiritual themes creep into the lyrics. The palindrome title - both DOG and GOD - hints at the album’s central tension: the intertwining of subservience and divinity, of love that’s both unwavering and dangerous. “I feel like I’m some sort of servant or slave to love,” Sanchez muses. “There’s a willingness to die for love, to suffer for it, or search for it - just like a devoted dog. But there’s also a power in that devotion.” The album examines this duality, flipping the traditional pejoratives associated with dogs and embracing their undying, instinctual loyalty.

DOGGOD opens with “Icicle,” an immediate departure from the fuzz-drenched blues of their past. Here, Sanchez’s icy, chorus-drenched guitar lines evoke early Cure and Joy Division, setting the stage for an album that leans into the ethereal and eerie. “Kiss Me Deep” follows, dripping with gothic fatalism as it tells the story of a love so pure it transcends time and death. Then comes the lead single, “777,” a relentless, pulsing anthem about devotion that teeters on the edge of self-destruction. Throughout the album, L.A. Witch keep their signature darkness intact while exploring new textures and dynamics. “I Hunt You Pray” pairs a hypnotic bassline with English’s krautrock-inspired groove, building an atmosphere of suspense and tension. “Eyes Of Love” channels Lungfish’s meditative repetition, drawing a parallel between the unwavering gaze of a devoted dog and the self-sacrificial love of a martyr. “The Lines” bathes its post-punk pulse in an eerie shimmer, utilizing chorus effects to mimic the ghostly harmonies of a celestial choir. The title track, “DOGGOD,” recalls the raw energy of Play With Fire, but with a sinister twist. Sanchez’s voice floats above the mix, whispering ominously. It’s a chilling depiction of love’s darker side, where devotion turns into obsession and surrender veers into something dangerously irreversible.

With one foot in the past and one in the shadows of the unknown, L.A. Witch have created an album filled with ghosts that seem to haunt every corner of DOGGOD.