Monsters of Rock:Donington 1980

                                            Judas Priest & Saxon

                                                     

 

                                         

                                          Angel Witch

Close your eyes and name the most important album of the NWOBHM movement:Venom's welcome to hell?;The number of the beast?;Diamond Head's first album? No! Angel Witch self-titled is the best musical manifestation  of the early 80s, it's like a bible for  future metal bands, melodic and heavy quite progressive at times, confusing and mysterious.

Angel Witch started in 1976 under the name of Lucifer in London. The band was initially composed of guitarist and vocallist Kevin Heybourne, guitarist Rob Downing, bassist Barry Clements and drummer Steve Jones. They changed the name in 1977 and realased their first demo cassette in December 1978.

Baphomet song from their 1978 demo, maybe the first extreme metal song.

 The band used to play along with Iron Maiden and Samson in Neal Kay's rock discotheque where they became famous among headbangers.

The trio signed with Bronze Records in 1980 and realased their first album in December of that year.

Here are some highlights of the debut:

and lyrics as it follows:

As I walk alone I can feel you there
People said to me
That you've got long black hair

You are the sorceress
I've seen your castle
Oh take me there
And hold your wand up high
A star of spectrum
A rainbow sky

Dancing around your graves
I'm glad you're gone
Can your, can your souls be saved
Go back to where you belong

You walk through the mountain side
Mysterious powers go passing by
A storm is coming near
A soft warm breeze blows through the trees

You're dead!

The main theme of the album are witches and the ocult,something like a second generation Sabbath,maybe the first doom metal band before the wave itself.

Some pics with the band:

Their only video for a song and also the only recorded gig of that era: