History & Biography Florida-based Hellwitch was a demented and technical speed metal band formed as early as 1984. The band debuted in the underground with a song called Nosferatu, following which the band kept itself in the limelight by releasing various underground offerings. The first official demo was Transgressive Sentience in January 1986. The demo propelled band to an appearance on New Renaissance Records' Thrash Metal Attack compilation. The band finally struck a deal with Los Angeles-based Wild Rags label which issued the band's debut in 1990. The LP was recorded at Morrisound Studios with producer Scott Burns.
A MLP followed on the same label before band and label parted ways. Band leader Ranieri would later complain bitterly about the label.
The band, with a shifting line-up, issued further demos in 1994 and 1998, but was never quite able to grab the spotlight. In actual fact, the band had obtained a recording contract in 1996 from Nazgul's Eyrie Productions. A shifting line-up had prevented the band from forging ahead though. Ranieri would also become a well-known underground metal video trader. On Halloween of 1998 a reformed line-up played a final show with Deicide and Acheron in Hallandale, Florida.
Hellwitch was the subject of a sampler in 2003 called Final Approach. Hellwitch played its first show in six years at the Culture Club in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Saturday, July 24th as openers for Malevolent Creation. The band officially reformed in 2004, recorded a CD in 2005 called Epitome Of Disgrace, which it was shopping to labels. The band members were Pat Ranieri, Craig Shattuck on bass, JP Brown on guitar and Joe Schnessel. The band’s sole album was again released by Open Grave Records in 2007. The group signed with Xtreem Music for 2007. 2009 brought the news of a new album, called Omnipotent Convocation, in August through Xtreem Music. Jeremy Staska, who had worked with Malevolent Creation before, produced. The album featured Antti Boman of Demilich as a guest singer on a song. The album was issued 19 years after its predecessor. A Night at the 5th was taped live in the USA in 2015. Hellwitch signed with Listenable Records in 2019. An album was expected that year. Brian Wilson was on drums.
Hellwitch would release a new album, entitled Annihilational Intercention, through Listenable Records in early 2023. The band was working with producer Jeremy Staska. The album would contain a song called Hellwitch, which stemmed from 1985 and had been reworked. Hellwitch had a video for Delegated Disruption from Annihilational Intercention, which was released through Listenable Records in June. Hellwitch was booked for Milwaukee Metal Festival 2024. The band announced it would appear at Keep It True Rising IV in Würzburg, Germany in October 2024. Exciter, Midnight, Wraith and Hellwitch announced a 2024 North American tour.
In its time, Hellwitch opened for bands like Morbid Angel, Dark Angel and probably Angel itself. Satan was in there somewhere too.
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