HELLWITCH "Syzygial Miscreancy" LP (Nuclear War Now! Productions 2024) 2nd NWN pressing of 200 copies. 100 copies on Coke Bottle Green Vinyl LP A nearly perfect reproduction of the Wild Rags Records LP 3mm jacket 12" insert (Description by P. Lautensleger) HELLWITCH formed in 1984 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Something was truly in the water in Florida at the time, as its nascent scene of bands began careers that would redefine and propel extreme metal to unprecedented heights as the decade progressed. Unlike many of their much-lauded peers in the world of Florida metal, HELLWITCH’s approach to thrash and death metal was decidedly technical in nature, placing their music in a liminal threshold that defied any rigid genre classification. Their debut full-length “Syzygial Miscreancy” demonstrates the group’s mastery of brutal thrash as well as more progressively-minded and labyrinthine excursions with few parallels outside of perhaps early ATHEIST. Their dense compositional approach is reflected in the lyrics, with arcane song titles like “Mordrivial Dissemination” confirming that HELLWITCH was on a different artistic plane than their Satanic and Lovecraftian colleagues. Their expert musicianship is not merely an exercise in virtuosity; indeed, tracks like “Nosferatu” are blunt and anthemic enough to stand aside the greats of their era while retaining a distinct quality that makes this record remarkable. Originally released by the legendary (and infamous) Wild Rags Records in 1990, NWN! Productions is proud to bring this overlooked classic back to a vinyl format.
