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HELLWITCH BAND PAGE
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USA flagHELLWITCH
CURRENT NAME Hellwitch
FORMER NAMES -
ORIGIN Gainesville, Florida, USA
STATUS Active
FORMED IN 1984
LABEL Xtreem Music
GENRE Death metal; Thrash metal
STYLE -
LYRICAL THEME -
BAND ADDED 2003-02-27, 00:00
LAST UPDATE 2010-03-13, 15:10
Band biography
Hellwitch photo
HELLWITCH arose from the depth is October of 1984. Founding members Patrick Ranieri and Harry Tyler recorded the first demo, a one track venture, in the living room of their apartment in Gainesville, Floridia. The track, "Nosferatu" consisted of Pat on all guitars, and Harry on drums (i.e. a seat cushion and a textbook) and vocals. Pat composed the music and the two of them penned the lyrics.

In February 1985 Dave Silverstein and Andy Adcock joined HELLWITCH ranks; Pat took on vocals, Andy became the bassist, and Dave replaced Harry on drums. The band's first show was on July of 1985, opening for a local punk band, ROACH MOTEL. To this date, HELLWITCH has played with various established bands such as ANTHRAX, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, D.R.I, KREATOR, DEICIDE, MORBID ANGEL, DEATH, DARK ANGEL, CORONER, G.B.H., NASTY SAVAGE, and ATHEIST.

HELLWITCH recorded their first studio demo entitled, "Transgressive Sentience" in January 1986. The demo features "Torture Chamber", "Satan's Wrath", "Nosferatu", and the instrumental epic, "Fate At Pain's End". A remixed version of "Torture Chamber" appears on a compilation LP on New Renaissance Records entitled "Thrash Metal Attack", released in July 1987. The band's second studio demo, "Mordirivial Disemanation", released in June 1987, contains four tracks, "Purveyor Of Fear", "Pyrophoric Seizure", "Degeneration", and a newer version of "Nosferatu".

In July of 1988, Pat relocated to Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. and began auditioning bassists and drummers. A new line-up consisting of Pat on guitars and vocals, Frank Watkins on bass, and Steve Rincon on drums, released a rehearsal/demo in March of 1989. It features the tracks "Mordirivial Disemanation", "Viral Exogence", and a cover of DEATH's immortal "ARCHANGEL".

Soonafter, that line-up folded and Pat recruited drummer Joe "Witch" Schnessel, and bassist Tommy Mouser. In June 1989, Flight 19 Records released a 7 inch single featuring two tracks from the "M.D." demo, that quickly sold out. In October 1989, HELLWITCH approached Wild Rags Records and negotiated for the release of the band's first full length LP, "Syzygial Miscreancy". The album, released in December of 1990, contains 7 songs including "Viral Exogence", "Mordirivial Disemanation", and "Sentient Transmography". The LP was recorded at Morrisound Studios with veteran producer Scott Burns and has currently sold over 10.000 copies world wide.

In late 1990, the band completed successful tours of New Jersey and Wisconsin, and then in February 1991, a 4 date tour of Texas.

Currently, HELLWITCH has acquired bassist Craig Shattuck. A new 3 song E.P. was recorded in August 1991 at Morrisound for Wild Rags. The "Terraasymmetry" E.P. contains the title track "Dawn of Apostasy", and a remake of the 1986 demo classic "Satan's Wrath". This work, released in 1992, shows the band's extreme level of song composition. "Terraasymmetry" has sold 3,000-4,000 copies worldwide. In March of 1992, Joe "Witch" Schnessel left the band. The band cut all ties with Wild Rags Records in September of 1992. The "Anthropophagi" demo was released in November of 1994, and has sold 500 copies so far.
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Current members Add - Fetch
Unknown
Former members Add - Fetch
Gabriel Lewandowski1995-1997DrumsSee also Equinox
J.P. Brown1994-1997Guitars
Joel Suarez1994-1995Drums
Craig Shattuck1991-1993, 1994-1997Bass, guitars
Jim Nickles1990-1991Guitars
Joe Schnessel1989-1992, 1993-1993Drums
Tommy Mouser1989-1991Bass
Jesse Trevino1989-1989, 1991-1992Bass
Steve Rincon1988-1989Drums
Frank Watkins1988-1989BassSee also Exitsect, Obituary
Andy Adcock1985-1988BassSee also Thrash Attack
Dave Silverstein1985-1988DrumsSee also Thrash Attack
Harry Tyler1984-1985Drums, vocals
Patrick Ranieri1984-1997Guitars, vocals
Session musicians Add - Fetch
Unknown / none
Buy Hellwitch albums
Official releases Add
1984NosferatuNo label
1986Transgressive SentienceNo label
1987Mordirivial DisemanationNo label
1989[demo]No label
1989[7" EP]Flight 19
1990Syzygial MiscreancyWild Rags
1992TerraasymmetryLethal
1994AnthropophagiNo label
Videos

"Torture Chamber" live at the Hellfire Manifest in 2006.

Tour dates / gigs
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