The last time we heard from the Swedish retro doom rockers Witchcraft was via their excellently appropriate Roky Erickson cover this past Halloween. Actually, as fitting as that would’ve been (witches, ghouls, Gremlins Have Pictures‘s “Sweet Honey Pie”), it’s not entirely true: I listen to the quartet’s third (and in my opinion, best) album The Alchemist quite a bit, so technically the last time “we” heard from them was yesterday. (Speaking of The Alchemist, you’ll find its “Hey Doctor” in MP3 form after the jump.)

The one other time QYDJ ventured into Sweden was for a discussion with postal worker/Dungen guitarist Reine Fiske. He didn’t like his day job very much. The same can be said for Witchcraft bassist Ola Henriksson, who spends down time between tours, way down in the ground as a miner. What’s interesting is how he claims it’s “top secret.” Are the Swedes working on a bomb we don’t know about? Or maybe he’s turning lead into gold.

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We’re big fans of smoking, psychedelic Swedish post-Pentagram doom crew Witchcraft’s new third album The Alchemist, especially the 15-minute title track. Epic! But really, the whole thing — both breezy and sufficiently heavy — pairs so well with, and can even up, its grainier 2005 predecessor Firewood. Definitely one of 2007′s best. We also love ourselves some Roky Erickson, so imagine our joy when this Japanese-only Alchemist bonus track fell on our laps: Our favorite vintage-rocking Swedes since Dungen doing Erickson’s hauntingly rockin’ Gremlins Have Pictures tune “Sweet Honey Pie”! The only better thing we could’ve asked for on Halloween would be a Witchcraft cover of “Night Of The Vampire.”

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