AXE WITCH: Pray For Metal 12″. Self-released 1500 pressed. 1982 Top Swedish Heavy Metal. Check audio + video review

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Description

Axe Witch   Pray For Metal
Label: Not On Label (Axe Witch Self-released)  AXE-MS-001
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, EP, Green
Country: Sweden
Released: 1982
Genre: Heavy Metal
Tracklist
A1 Born In A Hell 04:16
A2 Heavy Revolution 03:33
B1 In The End Of The World 04:35
B2 Death Angel 03:38

Total Duration 16:02

For Fans of Judas Priest, Heavy Load, Black Sabbath (DIO – era), early Manilla Road, Cirith Ungol

Condition: please check photos and decide this vinyl’s condition by what you see with your own eyes.

Disc: vinyl looks in very good condition indeed (visual inspection)

cover: heavily used, obvious tear and wear all over the cover

Country: Sweden
Location: Linköping
Formed: 1981
Style: Heavy Metal
Status: Active

Mats Johansson – Drums
Magnus Jarl – Guitar
Mikael Johansson – Guitar
Anders Wallentoft – Vocals
Tommy Brage – Bass

video review:

In January 1982 they went into a local studio to cut their first demo featuring three songs- two originals “Axewitch” and “Nightmare” and a remake of the JUDAS PRIEST classic “Beyond the realms of death”. The tape received an encouraging response from both magazines and record companies though at the time none of the A&R men seemed to be willing to offer them the cherished recording contract.
Undeterred, AXEWITCH re-entered the studio in the summer of 82 to lay down sessions for their first 12″ EP called “Pray for metal”. As an entirely self-financed affair, it was soon released on the bands own label AXE RECORDS imprint in a limited an highly collectable 500 copies pressing.

Finally, in late 82 a Stockholm-based record company called Web records approached the band with the intent of re-releasing “Pray for metal” and while the ink on the newly signed deal with WEB subsidiary “Fingerprint records” was still drying another 1000 EPs were pressed. Shortly thereafter “Pray for metal” soared straight in at number seven of the heavy metal charts as one of the ten best selling import metal records in England.

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Very underrated – 95%
This Swedish heavy metal band seems to have fallen into obscurity in the midst of the ’80s metal scene. They are a pretty talented bunch, and they have some very cool album art. They seem to have somewhat of a medieval theme going for them. Axe Witch is definitely very good at what they do, so it surprises me how little known they are.

The music sounds like a mixture of ’80s style heavy metal and ’70s style heavy metal. Not too surprising considering that this was released in 1982, the ’80s were just kicking in. The production is pretty good and everything sounds fine. I think the guitarist and drummer are really in sync with each other and they make a great duo. The singer is very good, there’s not much high singing on this record either. The singing is mid range, so there isn’t really a lot of deep singing either. His vocals really fit the feel of the music though. The drumming is good and always fits in with the pace of the music, its slow when it should be and fast when it should be. The music here isn’t very heavy but for 1982 its good enough.

The songs are all good and they are performed very well. The ’70s metal influence is noticeable on the slightly bluesy “Born In A Hell”, and the more rockish “Heavy Revolution. They both remind me a little bit of late ’70s Judas Priest, sometimes even “Heaven And Hell” era Black Sabbath. “In The End Of The World” Kicks off with a siren and is a mid paced, ’80s sounding metal song with some cool soloing in the middle, it still maintains a slight ’70s element though. But there is one upbeat, melodic song on here. My favorite song here,”Death Angel”. There’s no ’70s metal to be found here, just fast paced ’80s metal with great guitar work and a mellow, catchy chorus. Not much different than many NWOBHM songs.

I would definitely advise any metalhead to pick this one up. Especially fans of NWOBHM bands, this fits right in with those type of bands. I don’t know how common of a find this EP is, but if you can find it then do yourself a favour and get it. If you want some good old fashioned heavy metal, look no further than Axe Witch.

Additional information

Weight 0.25 kg

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