Angel Witch - '2000:Live At LA 2' (Zoom Club) 3 1/2 stars
Mike Reed | USA | 04/12/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Twelve track CD release by none other than the notorious UK metal merchants, Angel Witch. A good effort,but it's too similar to their 1990 'Live' title put out on Metal Blade. Bet most of you remember that disc. Recorded in May, 2000 at London's Astoria Theatre. Must admit it was fun to fully experience once again cuts like "Atlantis", "Confused", the gothic-like "Gorgon", "White Witch", the eerie "Sorceress", "Angel Of Death" and the band's namesake "Angel Witch". The guitar solo is also pretty well done. Guess AW main man / mastermind Kevin Heybourne simply refuses to give up on the business. I only wish I could see Angel Witch play sometime. Always thought they were like, MAYBE a second rate Motorhead. Semi-recommended."
Great, but where's the new album?
Erik R. Bresnihan | Port Jefferson Station, NY USA | 10/10/2001
(3 out of 5 stars)
"The Angel Witch mini-history - we had the incredible debut (plus assorted singles) from years gone by (OK, 1980), followed by 2 so-so albums in the mid 1980's with a different singer ("Screamin and Bleedin" + "Frontal Assault"). In 1989, Kevin Heybourne & co. tour the west coast & release "Live", featuring all the old tunes. Great recording, but all loud & fast, short on dynamics. Throughout the 1990's various demos are recorded, finally released as "Resurrection"...at last, were Angel Witch ready for a "true" follow-up to the debut?
Well..not yet. After plans to re-form the band with Jon Torres & Tom Hunting in San Francisco fell through, Kevin H releases (another) bunch of old demos & live tracks as "Sinister History", then gets (another) new band together (in England this time) and releases - what? Another live album ("Live at the LA2") with all the old stuff (+ 2 songs from "Resurrection")! I mean, I love old Angel Witch, but how many times are we gonna hear this stuff?
As for the album itself, well the recording is EXTREMELY dicey, with little/no guitar on the opening salvo "Atlantis". Things improve somewhat over the course of the CD, but overall, it sounds like the guy behind the sound board had a fight with the band. Anyway, we get (sigh) "Angel Witch","Sorcerers", "Gorgon", etc. All these were on the first live album, I mean, how about "Loser", "Dr Phibes" or "Hades Paradise"? Or even "Free Man"? (a personal fave)
And then there's the 2nd CD, which is supposed to feature live vids of the band. Well, I didn't find any exe, avi or mpeg files (i.e. - executables) there. Disappointing - if anyone figures what the deal is with that, please let me know!
I suppose I nit-pick - in this day and age, any Angel Witch is better than no Angel Witch. And it's always great to hear activity from the camp, especially considering such NWOBHM stalwarts as Saxon and Raven continue to put out great stuff. No reason Angel Witch shouldn't, either. Last update from the website was a change of drummers, and the new album would be done at the end of the year. So - nothing in all probability until 2002."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1