WitchHammer
Autor: Joey Zero | Publicado: 2010-11-10T16:27:00-02:00


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. 

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! /,,/  




WITCH HAMMER is:




&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Casito - bass and vocal &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Paulo Caetano - guitar and vocal&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Rogério Sena- guitar &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;




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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Alfredo Malagoli - drums