Witchfinder General was an English heavy metal band from Stourbridge. They were part of the new wave of British heavy metal scene and have been cited as a major influence on the doom metal genre. They were named after the 1968 British horror film Witchfinder General.
Witchfinder General formed in 1979 by Zeeb Parkes and Phil Cope in Stourbridge, England, as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement during the early 1980s. They were strongly influenced by Black Sabbath, and have been described as one of the pioneers of the doom metal style. The band's importance was acknowledged mostly after they disbanded. Witchfinder General disbanded sometime in 1984 amidst reported controversy of their sexually explicit album covers in the UK.
Death Penalty is the debut studio album by British heavy metal band Witchfinder General. It was released in 1982 on Heavy Metal Records. The album received some criticism for the cover photograph, which featured topless model Joanne Latham. The photograph had been taken in the yard of St Mary the Blessed Virgin Church in Enville, Staffordshire, without the permission of the local Reverend. The album was originally released on LP and picture disc and was later reissued on CD. Pictured on the cover is Phil Cope, Zeeb Parkes, Graham Ditchfield and a member of their road crew. While Peter Hinton is credited with producing this recording, the writers Phil Cope and Zeeb Parkes always felt the credit should have gone to the engineer Robin George.
Track listing
All tracks by Zeeb Parkes and Phil Cope.
- "Invisible Hate" – 6:05
- "Free Country" – 3:10
- "Death Penalty" – 5:35
- "No Stayer" – 4:25
- "Witchfinder General" – 3:51
- "Burning a Sinner" – 3:28
- "R.I.P." – 4:04
Time: 30:38
Originally released in 1982 by Heavy Metal Records.
Includes obi-strip.
Recording information:
Recorded at Metrosound Studios, Wednesbury.
Mastered at C.B.S. Studios. London, UK.
