(Previous NWoBHM Band of the Week) / (Next NWoBHM Band of the Week)



Although the above embedded version of Angel Witch's self-titled and best known track is a full half minute shorter than the LP version, you only need to hear it once to understand why it has become customary for passing visitors to the band's last.fm page to type, copy and paste the chorus multiple times in capitals in the shoutbox. Despite this, they were still the least favourite band of every professional critic in Britain at the time (the sole exception, seemingly being Malcolm Dome).

However, being one of the most hard working, constantly touring bands from London at the time, and having made it onto the rather London centric Metal for Muthas compilation (with their track Baphomet (youtube)) alongside the likes of Iron Maiden and Samson, and also made it onto the tour of the same name (where, according to some reports, they showed up both Maiden and headliners Samson), ultimately scoring a BBC 'Friday Rock Session' in March 1980, Angel Witch still managed to accumulate one of the largest fan followings of the early stages of the NWOBHM despite total press derision.

As the New Wave of British Heavy Metal was taking off, Angel Witch had just reduced themselves to a three-piece with long serving singer/guitarist and songwriter Kevin Heybourne and existing drummer Dave Hogg joined by big bassist Kevin Riddles (that's right two out of three band members were called Kevin). With this three piece line-up Angel Witch were signed to major label EMI and recorded and released their first single 1980's Sweet Danger (youtube), released as both a 7" and 12", both featuring Flight Nineteen as a b-side, but the 12" version also featured a third track, Hades Paradise (youtube). The single just barely charted in the UK's Top 75 singles chart and dropped out of the charts the very next week, which according to Classic Rock and Metal Hammer writer Dave Ling "delighted the band's critics by making them the nation's least successful chart act till that point," panicking EMI into quickly dropping the act.

Still in 1980, Angel Witch resurfaced on Bronze records (the label perhaps best remembered as the home to Motorhead and Girlschool), this time releasing both their self-titled single and album. The Angel Witch single featured Gorgon (youtube) as it's b-side.

Angel Witch Album track listing:

1. Angel Witch
2. Atlantis (youtube)
3. White Witch
4. Confused
5. Sorcerers (youtube)
6. Gorgon
7. Sweet Danger
8. Free Man (youtube)
9. Angel of Death (youtube)
10. Devil's Tower

Regardless of how many units it sold, the debut album went down as a cult classic of the NWOBHM.

Between the album's release and the end of 1980 drummer Dave Hogg was replaced by Dave Dufort (brother of Girlschool's Denise Dufort), and the new line-up went on to release a 1981 single Loser (youtube) with two b-sides Suffer (youtube) and Dr Phibes (youtube). The press still hated the band, but they looked set for ever increasing levels of success.

...Until September 1981 when the band split, citing differences in opinions and a breakdown in the working relationships of the band members.

From here, the name was revived multiple times by guitarist/singer and songwriter Heybourne, the band released two more albums of new material during the 80s, 1985's Screamin' 'n' Bleedin'* and 1986's Frontal Assault, both released by Killerwatt Records, and both now publicly disowned by Kevin Heybourne. To quote the liner notes for the 25th Anniversary edition of Angel Witch Heybourne says of the two mid-80s albums "Oh God, those albums were a total mistake." He alludes to having watched American bands at the time and tried to mimic their professionalism as well as being into "more melodic stuff," at the time and lamenting the "terrible productions and awful pressings". Nevertheless, drummer Dave Hogg had returned for the first of those two albums for which the group had been extended to a four-piece by the addition of lead vocalist Dave Tattum and bassist/backing vocalist Pete Gordelier. If you haven't been put off the mid 80s revival of the Angel Witch name, the undergods (youtube) from '86 album Frontal Assault should be enough to put you off listening to the rest. (If not you can reach the majority of the rest of the album from the same youtube user.)

The name Angel Witch continues to be revived and disband on an almost annual basis, but thankfully (for the sake of simplicity anyway) only one further studio album, 2000's Resurrection has been issued. From where I'm sitting, previews are streamable on last.fm (you may have better luck, I don't know), but I have heard the instrumental Silent But Deadly (youtube) and Slowly Sever on a myspace page.

So the verdict: It is worth getting the 25th Anniversary edition of the self-titled album. It has become a cult classic, and in its current reissued state (courtesy of Castle/Sanctuary as usual) includes all the b-sides and non album tracks from before the original 1981 break up that I mentioned above as well as the four tracks from the BBC session. As for the following releases, well I haven't really given them a fair chance, but when the primary songwriter disowns his own material so thoroughly, it isn't usually a good sign and I think I've heard enough to put me off delving into the mediocrity of those two 80s albums. Resurrection sounds better, but still falls short. The debut album is one to look out for if it ever turns up in your local bargain bins though.

* If you thought last week's nwobhm band had distasteful artwork, you had better not look up the real artwork for this one. last.fm's representation though appears to wear a 'clean' alternative artwork so you are safe to click through.