SORAIA PUT THEIR OWN SPELL ON THE SONICS’ “THE WITCH”

Philadelphia rock band’s take on the garage-rock classic out now via Wicked Cool Records; October tour continues tonight in New York City

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"As a lifelong Sonics fan, I can say it: they got it right. Soraia not only do the song justice, they make it meaner. The fuzzed-out guitars bite harder than the original, and the whole thing carries more menace and ferocity without ever tipping over into heavy metal. It still sounds like garage rock. It just sounds like garage rock with its teeth out."- Radio Garden State

PHILADELPHIA, PA — October 9, 2026 — Something wicked this way comes...

Soraia have released “The Witch,” their take on The Sonics’ garage-rock classic, today via Wicked Cool Records. The single grew out of the band’s live set: after years of playing The Sonics’ “Have Love Will Travel,” Soraia swapped in “The Witch” and found that its opening scream changed the temperature of the room every night.

Listen to “The Witch”

“We’ve loved The Sonics and covered their songs for years,” says frontwoman ZouZou Mansour. “‘Have Love Will Travel’ was a set list staple from 2011 through 2020. ‘The Witch’ originally replaced ‘Have Love’ in our live shows, but audiences responded to it so well that we decided to record our more horroresque version for release. Every time we play it, that initial scream kicks both the band’s and the audience’s adrenaline into high gear like nothing I’ve seen. We’re super happy with how the recording came out, too. It really fits us.”

Soraia’s version brings the song into the band’s own world of raw guitars, driving rhythms and Mansour’s commanding voice. It arrives in time for Halloween, but its place in their live shows made the decision to record it an easy one.

The Philadelphia band has spent 2026 releasing new music, including “Queens and Pharaohs,” “La Belgique” and July’s “Limelight,” which examines the desire for fame and validation. Led by Mansour, Soraia have built their following through records such as Dead Reckoning, Dig Your Roots and Bloom, and through the force of their live performances. “The Witch” brings a longtime influence into that continuing story.

Soraia’s October tour continues tonight at Bowery Palace in New York City, with upcoming stops in Boston, Providence, Portland and Alameda.