It all started in Belo Horizonte (state capital of Minas Gerais - Brazil), in 1986, when four friends Casito, Paulo, Leandro and Teddy decided to assemble WitchHammer. They all had in common the taste for heavy and aggressive music, a style at birth at the time. The country was going through political changes and these four young musicians wanted to have their say. WitchHammer used its language as the affirmation of an identity of inconformity with Minas Gerais State conservatism, in the post dictatorial period in Brazil.
For the whole first year the band dedicated to writing songs and practicing, playing only some gigs. But it was enough to attract headbangers’ attention, as well as the local label, Cogumelo Records, acknowledged as the breeder of great bands such as Sepultura, Sarcófago, Overdose, and Chakal, among others. In 1987 WitchHammer took part in the compilation Warfare Noise II, by Cogumelo Records, with the songs “Weekend In Auschwitz” and “Degradation Process”.
In the following year the band released its first full lenght album, entitled The First and the Last. The recording process was very short and precarious, but the results were satisfactory. Concerts in different places started popping and the band was able to trial the quality and strength of the compositions from both the album and the compilation. The quiet and religious households of Brazilian Popular Music started cracking, in Belo Horizonte and in Brazil.
For the whole first year the band dedicated to writing songs and practicing, playing only some gigs. But it was enough to attract headbangers’ attention, as well as the local label, Cogumelo Records, acknowledged as the breeder of great bands such as Sepultura, Sarcófago, Overdose, and Chakal, among others. In 1987 WitchHammer took part in the compilation Warfare Noise II, by Cogumelo Records, with the songs “Weekend In Auschwitz” and “Degradation Process”. In the following year the band released its first full lenght album, entitled The First and the Last. The recording process was very short and precarious, but the results were satisfactory. Concerts in different places started popping and the band was able to trial the quality and strength of the compositions from both the album and the compilation. The quiet and religious households of Brazilian Popular Music started cracking, in Belo Horizonte and in Brazil.
In 1990 the second full length work was released, Mirror, My Mirror. The album received excellent reviews from public and critics and became thrash metal collector’s item. Mirror, My Mirror presented some innovations, such as the special participation, in 3 songs, of opera singer Sylvia Klein, which resulted in a fusion of styles that was very rare at the time.
Blood On The Rocks, the third album, had been expected with anxiety and was released in 1992. The work was peculiar because it was the first one without Paulo Caetano, for he had moved to the States. Arnaldo Jr., bass player from WitchHammer’s embrionary team, was invited to take his place. Once again the band was really well accepted and one more tour of the Witch started.
Three years had passed until 1995, when the undesirable happened: the band decided to separate due to incompatibility between personal projects of each member. For 6 years, WitchHammer hibernated... but not its former members, who soon got busy with other music projects. Nevertheless, in 2001, as the passion for the Witch was too strong, the return was inevitable. Casito, Paulo, and Teddy tried, but Leandro claimed that he could not take the commitment the band would demand. Igor "Vermelho" took his place. He played several concerts and wrote some songs, but after awhile, decided to leave the band, having the same problem as Leandro.
Rogério Sena, was invited to take the job. As Rogério entered, WitchHammer finished writing and started the recording of Ode to Death, released in 2006. This album was conceived with maturity, allying technical and theoretical abilities in favour of energy and strength, the basis of WitchHamer’s music. Two of the band’s classic songs were re-recorded in Ode to Death, “Weekend in Auschwitz”, from compilation Warfare Noise II, and “Dartherium”, from the album The First and the Last. Added to that, a song called “Perseguição” was recorded, from extinct Sagrado Inferno, one of the pioneering bands of metal in Minas Gerais State, and Brazil. However, in august of 2008, drummer Teddy left the band after 22 years of dedication. Having no time to waste, WitchHammer did some auditions with drummers, and two months after, Alfredo Malagoli was selected to be part of the family.
New blood means new album, and parallel to the Road to Death Tour, new songs are being prepared for the next full length, to be released in 2011. We are looking forward to seeing you in the next chapter of our history.
See you on the road, or in your town! /,,/
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