HELLWITCH

When the subject of pioneering death metal comes up, the name HELLWITCH should always be in the conversation! With a history stretching all the way back to 1984, a time period before the term “death metal” even existed, they can stake a claim to being originators and should be mentioned in the same breath as MASTER, DEATH and MORBID ANGEL.

There have been some gaps during the almost 40 years since their formation, but HELLWITCH has always endured. And so has Pat Ranieri, the man who lit the flame that created the band. He is the one constant in their long history. Some extreme bands tend to slow down as they age, but on the new HELLWITCH album “Annihilational Intercention” (review HERE), they are more vicious and crazy than ever. The album is a true assault of old school insanity!

I got to talk to Pat about the history of HELLWITCH and much more recently and he proved to be a great subject to talk to. So let me stop yakkin’ and let y’all dive into it…

WORMWOOD CHRONICLES: Greetings and hails to HELLWITCH! 2023 is the 39th year of the band’s existence. That’s an extraordinary achievement for any band. Does it seem like you’ve been at it that long or has the time rushed by? It’s a completely different world now than it was back then.

PAT RANIERI: Thank you and mutilated greetings to you too! It seems long, but NOT almost 40 years! Yes, the world is a different planet! As far as music goes, computers and the internet have created some very cool and some very horrible elements. 

WC: Do the same ideas motivate you now as back then or has your approach to doing HELLWITCH changed over the years?

PR: I think as I've gotten older, I take it more...professionally. I look back on the 90's and see that I was a young metalhead just kind of taking it easy and not thinking about all I could do to push the band to the next level.  I'm now more diverse in my lyrical direction than I was in the 90's. Musically, I think I try harder to write quality songs than I did in the 90's. I'm more critical of what I come up with these days. 

WC: What were the bands and album that influenced you to take the metal path all those years ago?

PR: As far as forming HELLWITCH it was SLAYER circa '84-'86 (first 3 releases)! Also, INSANITY, DEVASTATION (IL), MORBID ANGEL circa '86-'91 (First 3 including Abominations...), DEATH circa '86-'89 (DEMOS! and first 2 albums), POSSESSED circa '84-'88 ('84 demo and first 2 albums and EP) SACRIFICE (demo and first 2 albums). 

As far as first getting into UG metal in '81 it was METALLICA's demo with Dave Mustaine., ANGELWITCH first LP, MERCYFUL FATE EP '82, VENOM first LP plus many others. 

WC: The lineup of the band has mutated constantly over the years. Do you think HELLWITCH has reached its optimum form or is the process constantly ongoing?

PR: I don't know. You never know who you will encounter in the future. I can say I really like the line up of JP, Brutal Brian and I! 

WC: Are the songs on “Annihilational Intercention” relatively recent or have some of them been percolating for a good while?

PR: Songs on "A.I." range from 1985-2022. I think it might be the broadest time frame of any UG metal album in history! 

WC: The style of metal you play is extremely crazed and technical. You play lead and sing...how challenging is it to do that? Or does it just come naturally to you?

PR: Thank you for the compliment! It's challenging! I often have to perfect singing/playing the songs after I've written them! Sometimes after I've written a song I ask myself why the fuck did I make the time signatures soooo mismatched between the music and vokills! haha! But, when I'm writing, I have strong thoughts about how things should be!! Songs will undergo 6-7 revisions before the final version. We want the best, so I don't consider the difficulty of playing/screaming when i'm writing. The end result is what matters!  

WC: HELLWITCH’s music reminds me of the earliest days of death metal. Do you pay any attention at all to what’s going on in the metal scene or do you compose music “in a bubble” with no outside influence?

PR: I do not listen to new bands really. I don't avoid them, but I've not heard anything original or intriguing in a few years. I mainly listen to stuff from the '80's-early 2000's. DEMILICH is one of the most original bands I've ever heard to this day!  I think music I really like seeps into the writing subliminally. But, I make a very strong effort to keep HELLWITCH as original and unique as possible! 

WC: What influences do you have that maybe are not obvious on first listening?

PR: Big influences you probably don't hear in our music are DEMILICH, TAD, HUMAN REMAINS,  and old punk like ADRENALIN O.D., THE ACCUSED and COC. 

WC:  Is your relationship with Listenable Records long term? Will future records be coming out through them? 

PR: We are signed to Listenable for another album after this. After that one, I'm not sure where we'll be. 

WC: I always thought “Syzygial Miscreancy” would have been a perfect record to come out on labels like Earache or Metal Blade. Was there ever interest in HELLWITCH from other labels back in the day or was Wild Rags the only real option?

PR: We were offered deals by New Renaissance (WEHRMACHT, POST MORTEM, etc.), and a couple other UG labels, but Wild Rags had worldwide distribution AND released the album on CD, cassette and vinyl. 

WC: Is there one song on the new album that’s a particular favorite for you?

PR: I really like "Solipsistic Immortality" and "Hellwitch". Those 2 are my faves. “Hellwitch” was originally written in '85 but not completed until 2022. I love the variety in it. Orchestral beginning ("Sorcerous Imminence")  followed by blasting,mayhemic riffs, slow riffs, and parts that only appear one time in the song. "Solipsistic" is just an all out assault in every way. It's relentless. 

WC: Do you have any ideas for what comes next after the new album or is it too soon to say?

PR: I'm working on a new song now and it's almost completed! I think we'll release something within the next 2-3 years for sure. 

WC:  The lyrics of HELLWITCH seem unique with a lot of very technical terms and big words. What’s the idea behind your lyrics? 

PR: Thanks for the kind words! Again, I try to keep what HELLWITCH is completely different from all others. In the realm of death, dying, suffering, injustice, punishment, and just all around negativity, there is A LOT that can be written about! I try to explore what other bands do not! Some of it is fiction based in reality, some is reality. Some lyrics are extrapolations of what could happen. 

WC: Any major touring plans for “Annihilational Intercention”?

PR: We are doing a US tour starting next week (June 2023) and then several festivals around the US and in Germany. We will most likely do more touring in '24 for our 40th anniversary. 

WC:. If you could ask any 3 people from history to dinner, who would they be?

PR: GG ALLIN, Don Rickles and Inishiro Honda.

WC:  In the long history of HELLWITCH, was there ever a “Spinal Tap” moment where things went haywire that you could share with us?

PR: LOL! Spinal Tap is GOD! (new movie coming in '24!) We once were playing a show in Gainesville, FL around '86-'87 and some drunk punk rock dude crawled onstage, crawled along the floor and proceeded to hug my feet! He held on tight and I couldn't take a step! I fell over and saved my guitar from hitting the floor! Our roadie grabbed the guy and dragged him off of me. The guy was wasted! It was.....something. 

WC:  Any last messages for the fans?

PR: Yes! We'll be touring and playing festivals the rest of '23! Try to come out and get brutal with us! Check out "A.I." when it comes out June 2 (digital) and June 30 (physical)! You won't be disappointed! It's juiced up and ready to drill into your brain! Go to HELLWITCH.COM for all the latest news, info. and merch! Also, I have OVER 12,000 concert videos for sale/trade! Google "Darkest Soul Promotions".  Keep supporting the UG scene! KILLKILLKILL for SATAN! Thanks for the cool interview! 

HELLWITCH