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Germany, 1486: The Dominican inquisitors Kramer and Sprenger publish "MALLEUS
MALEFICARUM" "The Hammer of the Witches", the most important book on the
Headhunt and execution of witches and heretics in medieval Europe. The book features detailed
information on how to recognize, judge and execute the witches. MALLEUS
MALEFICARUM was approved by the Catholic Church in the year of 1487.
Norway, 1986: Five guys from the Sarpsborg area in southeast Norway get together to form
Withchammer, playing compromiseless thrashy HM with melodic overtones and drawing inspiration
to many of their lyric ...read more
Germany, 1486: The Dominican inquisitors Kramer and Sprenger publish "MALLEUS
MALEFICARUM" "The Hammer of the Witches", the most important book on the
Headhunt and execution of witches and heretics in medieval Europe. The book features detailed
information on how to recognize, judge and execute the witches. MALLEUS
MALEFICARUM was approved by the Catholic Church in the year of 1487.
Norway, 1986: Five guys from the Sarpsborg area in southeast Norway get together to form
Withchammer, playing compromiseless thrashy HM with melodic overtones and drawing inspiration
to many of their lyrical concepts from the MALLEUS MALEFICARUM, from which the name also
is derived. Only this time, the hammer is here to stay...
Originally a four piece in their first incarnation in August '86, they were joined by Finn C.
Gjerlaugsen just in time for their debut gig in November. Finn freed lead singer Per Ståle Pettersen
from the fourstringer, leaving him to concentrate on the vocals.
Guitarists Tor Erik "Totto" Håkonsen and Peder Kjøs and drummer Jan Erik "Gokki" Eide
Were completing the lineup. Being one of the first real metal bands in the area, Withchammer
Immediately gained a strong local following.
After a year of writing more original material and appearing live in the local area, Witchhammer
headed for Borg Studios and a demo recording just after X-mas '87. At first a
Four track project, this eventually led to the recording of a whole album's worth of material,
Finishing as late as in September '88. At this time the band had gone from strength to strength, with
the most notable achievement being a top ranking in the HM category of a national "Battle of the
Bands" contest. Extensive touring as support act to more well-known
Norwegian bands such as Artch and TinDrum has also taken place. Per was at this time a well
reputed vocalist, having appeared in several cabarets and musicals. He has been an important piece
in "big" musicals such as "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Les Miserables".
While pushing the tape of the album to record companies, guitarist Peder Kjøs suddenly left in April
'89, just one weeek before the band was to hit the road with Artch for an extensive Norwegian tour.
Luckily, Frank Wilhelmsen was lurking just around the corner and joined the band just in time. The
tour was a huge succes for the band. Gaining a strong following throughout the country and
ecspecially on the West Coast, Witchhammer had suddenly established themselves as one of the
finest live HM acts in Norway. The guys returned to the West Coast in August to headline the annual
Thrash Festival in Bergen.
This line-up didn't last long. Frank quit the band in October the same year, only to be replaced by
Morten Skute in November. Morten came in from Metal Thunder , ironically the band Frank left
for....
March 1990 saw the band finally releasing their "1487" album on their own label. No satisfactory
deals had been reached during the past year, and the only way of getting it out was by doing it
themselves. Now a sold-out item, the album got distribution in Europe through Semaphore, as well
as underground distribution in Scandinavia. A few copies even
Found their way across the Atlantic. Good reviews in mags such as Metal Forces and metal
Hammer may have accellerated the sales...
The release of the album took the band to the road once again, this time on their own. Playing in
most major Norwegian cities and of course headlining the Thrash Festival '90 in Bergen,
Withchammer got one of their Oslo gigs broadcasted nationally on a cable television channel.
The TV appearance gave the band a whole lot of attention, and the album "1487" soon became a hit
in HM shows an radiostations throughout the country.
Once again taking part in the National Battle of the Bands contest, Withchammer anded up as
6th being the only thrash metal act in the contest.
In January '91, the five headed for Stockholm to play with fellow thrashers Equinox on a
Swedish festival, causing majorinterest in the band there as well. Back in Norway, the band
Headlined another big West Coast thrash festival - this time in Haugesund - in May.
July takes the band to Studio2 (formerly Borg Studios" to record the followup to "1487" . Finishing
in August, the self-produced album contains 9 tracks of intense, technical thrash metal. Somewhat
rougher, yet more melodic than before, fans are going to be stunned by the direction the bank now
has taken. The band has matured cosiderably after their last studio effort, much due to moe live
experience. A label will be sought for the release of he album, as to secure a more stable distribution
and availablility. Again a four-piece as Morten left in late September, Witchhammer is hungrier and
more aggressive than before, ready to conwuer Europe with their own band of techical Norwegian
thrash metal!
TO BE CONTINUED......................... « hide |
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