Witchfinder-Witchfinder

Self-Release/Independent
2016


Released back on April 9th, "Witchfinder" is a self-titled EP from the German traditional heavy band of the same name. It serves as the proper follow-up to "The Steel Mill Tapes" (which was released on April 1st in 2011 and saw this same grizzled quartet rocking out as a five-piece unit) and it finds this righteously-edgy band making good on their longtime goal of keeping the spirit of old-fashioned heavy metal alive and well! Founded in January of 2008 and early on inspired by the likes of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Saxon, Germany's Witchfinder has seemingly had it's fair share of line-up changes along the way, but based upon what "Witchfinder" has to offer it's all been sorted out for the best! This EP represents tried and true/real heavy metal...warts and all. Drawing from those three early sources (Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Saxon), Witchfinder cranks up the voltage as far as it goes for the second time around. By packing in some serious (early) Metallica & Megadeth influences (which turns into a knockout punch to the head!) and going all in, heart and soul, "Witchfinder" becomes the perfect calling card for this uncompromising, up-and-coming act. Speaking of which, Witchfinder features four gentlemen who obviously live and breath the wicked genre they represent. Up front you have three solid-gold musicians in bassist/vocalist Hannes Heitmann, guitarist/vocalist Simon Arzt, and guitarist Tim Allmendinger. These three metalheads produce razor-sharp riffs and give everything a raw charm. In the back there is rock-steady drummer Michael "Hofi" Hofmann and he helps anchor Witchfinder's gutsy style. All told these four musicians merge into this unstoppable metal force that is bound to only get better with time. Right now this German group might not be that well known, but if this powerful release could just get into the right hands that could all change on a dime. Hopefully Witchfinder gets that shot because they A) obviously have all the necessarily tools for success and B) they passionately play the kind of real heavy metal that will never die!