Bewitched

They are the ones that begun the appreciation of the retro in the extreme. It’s because Bewitched is a band that was created as an homage to the complex masters of thrash and proto-black metal of the 80s and believe me, the Swedes are doing it like no one else. Rapid tempos, a bit of the Devil crushing everything, shuddering solos, the allure of heavy metal… 110% metal!

History:

Bewitched’s first steps can be traced back to the Swedish town of Umeå. That is where Reaper, Blackheim and Vargher (the only one who remains in the band to this day) had the idea for a project that wouldn’t be an extreme in the completely modern black metal version, but rather in the totally old school one. Thrash, performative black metal and lots of classical heavy metal in order to achieve the proper levels of pathos. Less than a year after releasing their first demo in 1995 and sweeping Wrathyr up to play bass, the band started recording their debut album “Diabolical Desecration”. Springing up at just the right moment and strangely old school for the time, this scrap of black/thrash was received enthusiastically. Soon after came the EP “Encyclopedia of Evil” and the second LP, “Pentagram Prayer” – also well received, although after the premiere Blackheim left the band for good. The Swedes continued to vehemently record and concert up till 2002 and the album “Rise of the Antichrist”, and Bewitched was working at full capacity. This changed in the middle of the 2000s. In 2006 the group released they latest LP – “Spiritual Warfare”. Since then, they have remained quite inactive, which is why catching them live is truly a rare opportunity.

Discography:

Studio albums:

Diabolical Desecration, 1996
Pentagram Prayer, 1997
At the Gates of Hell, 1999
Rise of the Antichrist, 2002
Spiritual Warfare, 2006

EPs:

Encyclopedia of Evil, 1996
Atrocities in A-Minor, 2004

Demos:

Hellspell, 1995

Splits:

Glorification / Encyclopedia of Evil, 1996 (z Marduk)
The World Domination Live, 1998 (z Dark Tranquility, Enslaved, Demoniac, Dellamorte, Swordmaster)

Live albums:

Hell Comes to Essen, 1998

Compilations:

Diabolical Desecration + Encyclopedia of Evil, 2002
Encyclopedia of Evil & Hell Comes to Essen, 2020