To be honest, I was super happy that mastermind Patrick Ranieri (guitar/vocals) agreed to an interview about their new album "Annihilational Intercention". Hellwitch is a fantastic band and their new album, like their predecessors, delivers technical death/thrash metal songs at the highest possible level. So, have a good time reading our conversation below!!!
Hi Pat! The new Hellwitch album "Annihilational Intercention" is absolutely crushing in my opinion! Since it was released on June 30, 2023, how have fans and media responded to it so far?
- Hello Kornel! Thanks for the +++ feedback! I think it's been pretty well received. We have a digital press book compiled by Listenable Records and out of 30-40 reviews, the lowest rating is 8/10.
The album was produced, engineered and recorded by Jeremy Staska, as was the previous album "Omnipotent Convocation" (2009). He managed to create a quite devastating, but still crystal clear sound production. How long did you work with him to get the final result this time?
- We spent about 6 months at Studio 13 with Jeremy. We worked on it 3-5 nights per week during that time. We are quite pleased with the production. It's definitely clear and brutal!
In addition to the new tracks, the album also includes some re-recorded old classics. Why did you specifically choose these songs? Is there a special story behind their choice?
- Well, we wanted to re-record the best songs from our past that never were properly captured in a studio. Esp. "Torture Chamber" which I always thought needed some sound FX, etc. And the song "Hellwitch" was abandoned in '85. I started reviving it in 2019 and we think it really turned out to be an epic track!
The vinyl version includes an extra track which is a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama". If I'm not mistaken, you played this tune many times live, even decades ago. So how did this song end up on vinyl?
- It's actually on the vinyl and cassette versions of the new release. It was our drummer, Brian's idea. We thought it would be cool to pay some respect to our past due to the fact that our early performance roots are in punk rock. Back in Gainesville, FL from '84-'88 we ONLY played with punk bands! We were the "metal scene" in town! "Sweet Home..." is essentially a punk cover song!
Khaos Diktator is credited as the person responsible for the album artwork. What should we know about him? How does this cover art connect to the album's lyrical content? Speaking of which, tell us more about the new Hellwitch lyrics?
- Khaos (Stefan) is a pretty unique and (obviously) talented guy. I have to say he collaborated with me on the cover art more than any other artist I've ever worked with. He has done numerous covers for such bands as Thron, Lock Up, and Nocturne to name a few. Very unique and diverse style. The artwork ties into the lyrics in many ways. "Delegated Disruption" is reflected in the apocalyptic backdrop of the cover. "Solipsistic Immortality" connects to the art as there is no one alive. No matter where you were, you're dead. And where "The Judge" and his minions stand there once was a "Megalopalyptic Confine". The new lyrics are once again more original (I hope!) interpretations of some classic metal topics: Pain, torture, world obliteration. Also, some concepts that are TRUE stories: "Epochal Cessation" (about all the females who have died after having been with me). "At Rest" (about the dead baby buried outside my bedroom window in the house I used to live in from '93-'08). "Megalopalyptic Confine" (about how life in South Florida has devolved since I moved here in the 1970's).
This is your first album with Listenable Records. How did you get in touch with them, how do they treat you, and did you sign a multi-album deal with them?
- A good friend of mine from France told me that Laurent (head of Listenable) was a BIG fan of our music and would be glad to sign us. They have treated us better than ANY other label we have ever been on! Great budget, great promotion, great support, great interactions! We are signed to do 2 albums with them.
To support the new release, you made two music videos, namely the lyric video "Solipsistic Immortality" and the full-band video "Delegated Disruption". Where did you shoot the latter and who directed/edited it?
- It was shot next door to the recording studio where "A.I." was done! Our producer, Jeremy, is great friends with the video producer next door so we naturally went there to do it! Jeremy was actually one of the cameramen for the "D.D." video! Julian Prieto and Jeremy co-directed the video and Julian did all of the editing. Jeremy did some color adjusting to give it the dead, cold look it has.
What does Hellwitch's current studio/live line-up look like? Please introduce everyone in detail to the readers.
- The studio line-up from "A.I." is the same now. Our live line up is me on lead+rhythm guitar/vocals, J.P. Brown on rhythm guitar, Brutal Brian on drums and we have 2 live bass players, Jason Flippo and Julian Guillen.
Speaking of live shows. How was your live performance at the Mass Destruction Metal Fest in Atlanta? Are you planning European concerts/tours for 2024?
- I think it was pretty solid! We had short set (40 min) and just blasted through 8 songs with no bullshit in between! Brian's timing was spot, etc. We all played our parts witch possessed. It was our first appearance with new live bass player, Jason. He played especially well. Yes, we are already booked for one festival in Europe next year with several others in the works.
You've had some reissues from your back catalog recently, which are fantastic, but I'm most curious about the Iron Bonehead Productions limited edition vinyl box set. What should fans know about this particular box set?
- Thanks for the compliment! Well, that's quite a question, haha! Well, basically, it's our 30th Anniversary, 10 LP (!!!) (black OR gold splatter vinyl!) box set (which came out 3 years late, haha!)! It comes with a 12" size booklet featuring new liner notes as well as many never before released photos and studio notes. It contains early rehearsals which I NEVER released and the original demo of the song "Hellwitch". The '86, '87, '89 and '94 demos are in there and also the first 2 full lengths along with the "Terraasymmetry" EP. Finally, there is the 2005 promo recording (the one that got us the deal with Xtreem Music), and live/soundboard recordings from 2011, 2012 and 2013. It comes in a sturdy black box with sick cover art. Compilation of Death magazine editor Gabriel Gattaca K. also gets credit for bringing this project to life! Total HELLWITCHing mayhem through and through!
To conclude the interview, please send your delegate greetings to all Hellwitch fans in Ukraine.
- Thank you for the great interview, Kornel! To all the metal freaks in the Ukraine, we wish you all the strength and power that METAL brings! HELLWITCH appreciates your staunch support and hopefully we'll be able to show that gratitude in person one day! Keep it brutal!
