Angel Witch LP review The opening anthem "Angel Witch" is an NWOBHM classic. Extremely catchy, a dark take on unrequited love, although actually I prefer the earlier versions of this track with a harmony vocal on the chorus and a lead guitar solo mixed a bit higher. Anyway, this song is so powerful and catchy, it was even broadcast on the state owned East German television... "Atlantis" comes next with a frantic song that would make Namor proud. Destruction of the surface with the undersea city taking its place is in order, again with its driving straightforward eighth note-based rhythm shoving forward like the shifting rocks that crumble continents. The official release of the track "White Witch" is not only a huge improvement over the demo track but one of the greatest dark metal tracks of all time, as rival witches battle each other. Much more atmospheric and with a stronger lead solo melody, this is one of the most standout cuts on an already pretty much perfect album. "Confused" is beyond "Paranoid" - simple, driving, and intense, and although not one of the band's fastest numbers, it ranks among their heaviest. "Sorceress" is next on this album. The verses are soft and pensive, and heavily contrasted with the mocking chorus. The lead break is also extremely memorable and builds the jeering mood that sounds like a million people laughing at a former tyrant, culminating in a very spiteful "You're dead!" The second half opens up with "Gorgon" very quietly with echoed sparse chords reminiscent of the opening of the demo version of "White Witch," but then the song goes into full fury, with a metaphor about girls who like to take advantage of guys who have fallen in love with them and would do anything they wish, with the usual Heybourne bloody ending. "Sweet Danger" is a re-recording of the EMI single, and not quite as good if only because of the way it starts out (the single starts with the riff played on bass only, and also the fadeout ending was nice). The ending here does not fade out, but cadences rather weakly. This is the only part of the album that might be considered kind of average, but only if you had heard the EMI version. "Free Man" is another ballad, about a man that was accused of a crime though of course he actually didn't do it. This song is a bit on the dejected side, because, unlike many other songs on this topic, the protagonist actually doesn't care about the stuff that happened before any longer and just wants to get on with his life even though nobody who used to know him wants to know him or have anything to do with him anymore. It's sometimes a bit happy and hopeful though it's got sad hints as well. "Angel Of Death" is another classic with slow and steady ominous pulse drum beats starting it off, and pentatonic minor agonising riffs and lead guitars. Another classic piece and one of the most influential in the dark metal genre. "Devils Tower" finishes off the record as an ambient and again haunting two melodies, separated by a jarring and tense series of chords. This is one of the greatest heavy metal records of all time and those of you who don't have it really should try to find it.