Biography:
Although Hellwitch`s cryptically named debut album, Syzygial Miscreancy, was released in 1990, their story begins way back in 1984, when vocalist/guitarist Patrick Ranieri and friend Harry Tyler (drums) recorded the one-song Nosferatu demo in the living room of the former`s apartment in Gainesville, FL. Many more demos followed and were circulated in underground tape-trading circles in the intervening years, each of them displaying the gradual development of Hellwitch`s increasingly technical thrash/death metal as performed by ever-changing lineups. At the time of the aforementioned LP`s release, Hellwitch was based in Fort Lauderdale and featured Ranieri, drummer Joe Schnessel, and bassist Tommy Mouser; but second guitarist J. Pierce and new bassist Jesse Trevino had joined in time for 1991`s Terraasymmetry EP, which, like its predecessor, was produced by death metal specialist Scott Burns. Neither shifted enough units to perpetuate Hellwitch`s career, however, and, after a few more demos, Ranieri called it quits, only resurrecting the group for occasional one-off gigs until 2005 when a new EP entitled The Epitome of Disgrace unexpectedly saw the light of day.
