Warlock were a German heavy metal band, founded in 1982 with members of the underground bands Snakebite and Beast. The band gained popularity and some commercial success in Europe in the mid-1980s, due also to the personality and stage presence of lead vocalist Doro Pesch. Warlock supported on tour successful heavy metal bands, such as W.A.S.P., Judas Priest, Dio and Megadeth.
By the end of the decade, Doro Pesch was the sole original member who remained in the band and she was forced to change the name to Doro for legal reasons. Doro, the band, continues to play several songs taken from the Warlock repertoire in their live shows.
The band has reunited for festival appearances and special occasions since 2003, under the name Warlock 1986.
The first nucleus of the band was formed under the name Snakebite in Düsseldorf, West Germany in 1980, and was composed of Doro Pesch on vocals, Michael Bastian on guitar, Frank Rittel on bass and Thomas Franke on drums, the latter coming from the band Stallion. Franke was soon replaced by Michael Eurich and, just before disbanding, Snakebite acquired the left-handed Peter Szigeti as second guitarist from Beast. Snakebite and Beast were two of the many bands playing in the local clubs and bars and recording cheap demos to promote their music. Pesch, Szigeti and Eurich did try-outs with other groups, but in October 1982 went on to form a new band with Thomas Studier on bass and guitarist Rudy Graf, who came up with the name Warlock and a bucket full of songs. The new band found a manager in Peter Zimmermann, who arranged gigs in support of German hard rockers Trance, contributing to build a solid reputation for Warlock in the local underground metal scene.
After recording a four-track demo and sending it to several record labels and music magazines, the band obtained a contract with the Belgian independent label Mausoleum Records. Frank Rittel joined Warlock on bass before they started recording their debut album Burning the Witches in 1984, with producer Axel Thubeauville, a talent scout of German heavy metal groups. Burning the Witches was recorded in only six days and remixed by Rainer Assmann and Henry Staroste before publication.
Burning the Witches is the debut studio album by German heavy metal band, Warlock, released in 1984 through the Belgian independent label Mausoleum Records. The album was re-released in late 1984 by Vertigo Records, which went on to release all future Warlock albums.
Track listing
Side one
- "Signs of Satan" Rudy Graf 3:13
- "After the Bomb" Peter Szigeti, Graf 3:50
- "Dark Fade" Szigeti, Doro Pesch 4:07
- "Homicide Rocker" Graf 3:12
- "Without You" Szigeti, Pesch 5:25
Side two
- "Metal Racer" Graf 3:42
- "Burning the Witches" Graf 4:17
- "Hateful Guy" Graf, Pesch 3:41
- "Holding Me" Szigeti, Pesch 4:07
Depending on the release, track 1 is also known as "Sign of Satan".
Recording information:
- Recorded at Studio Klangwerkstatt, Düsseldorf, November 1983.
