The band was founded under the name of Lucifer and initially comprised guitarist and vocalist Kevin Heybourne, guitarist Rob Downing, bassist Kevin Riddles and drummer Steve Jones. Lucifer split and Steve Jones joined up with Bruce Dickinson to form Speed. The remnants of Lucifer became Angel Witch in the following year,when Dave Hogg joined on drums. Eventually Rob Downing left the band.
Angel Witch's first song to achieve mainstream popularity was "Baphomet", which was included on a compilation entitled Metal for Muthas. This song drew a fair amount of attention to the band and they eventually signed a recording deal with EMI. However, the deal was soon cancelled, due to the bad performance of their first single released under the EMI label which was entitled Sweet Danger and lasted a single week in the British charts.
In 1980 Bronze Records picked up the band and they soon proceeded to record and release their debut album, self-titled Angel Witch. This album is considered one of the most notable from the NWOBHM, but subsequent to the album's release, the band's structure began to fall apart. Kevin Riddles and Dave Hogg left the band to join Tytan, and despite Heybourne's attempts to continue Angel Witch with other musicians, the end of the band was declared and he joined Deep Machine.
Angel Witch was brought back to activity in 1982, when Heybourne and two musicians from Deep Machine - namely vocalist Roger Marsden and drummer Ricky Bruce - left to assemble a new Angel Witch line-up together with bassist Jerry Cunningham. This line-up lasted a very short time, as Marsden's voice didn't fit the style of the band very well. He was fired from the band and Heybourne assumed the vocals once more.
By 1983 the band had ceased its activity and Heybourne moved to Blind Fury. In 1984 Angel Witch was once more brought to life, this time with the help of bassist Peter Gordelier, singer Dave Tattum and with Dave Hogg returning to the drums. This line-up recorded the album Screamin' N' Bleedin'. Dave Hogg left the band one more time, but not without many snide remarks from the band's fans. He was replaced by Spencer Hollman. With the new drummer they recorded Frontal Assault, which deviated heavily from Angel Witch's previous albums in having many melodic elements.
Dave Tattum left the band in the same year and for a few years Angel Witch played as a trio in sporadic live performances. In 1989, they recorded a new live album, entitled simply Live - not to be mistaken with the band Live.
Heybourne decided that it would be in the band's best interest to move to the USA, but the other members had no way of accomplishing that, having stable lives on their home country. Thus, an American incarnation of Angel Witch was born. It was composed of Heybourne, bassist Jon Torres (from Laaz Rockit), drummer Tom Hunting and guitarist Doug Piercy. This line-up functioned quite well and soon the band had booked a fair amount of shows throughout the USA. However, it was found that Heybourne had some pending issues regarding immigration, and he was arrested one day before the first concert of the band. Without Heybourne, Angel Witch was soon dissolved.
After the release of the Resurrection compilation in 2000 the band intended to play together once more but after a series of internal conflicts Heybourne assembled yet another line-up with new members. As of 2001 the band is still active even though they do not perform concerts frequently.
Discography
* Angel Witch (1980)
* Loser (EP, 1981)
* '82 Revisited (Live, 1982)
* Screamin' and Bleedin' (1985)
* Frontal Assault (1986)
* Live (Live, 1990)
* Resurrection (2000)
* 2000: Live At The LA2 (Live, 2000)
Nowhere To Run
Angel Witch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can't see what I must hide
When you look I turn my head and run
I'm in fear for my life
I can see you everywhere I go
Why can't you just go away?
In the darkness of my room
I feel your glaring eyes staring at me
I just want to be left alone
If I close my eyes
Will you soon be gone
I feel I'm going insane
Nowhere to run
Now there's no escaping
Nowhere to run
I am a prisoner
Nowhere to run
It's like insanity
Nowhere to run
I can see you in the shadowed night
Nowhere to run
I can see you everywhere I go
Why can't you just go away?
Nowhere to run
Now there's no escaping
Nowhere to run
I am a prisoner
Nowhere to run
It's like insanity
Nowhere to run
I can see you in the shadowed night
Nowhere to run
As the sun begins to rise in the sky
And the night is nearly through
Now my nightmare turns into reality
I turn around and it's you
My head it aches
What the hell is going on
I feel I'm going insane
Nowhere to run
Now there's no escaping
Nowhere to run
I am a prisoner
Nowhere to run
It's like insanity
Nowhere to run
I can see you in the shadowed night
Nowhere to run
The lyrics to Nowhere to Run by Angel Witch contemplate an overwhelming fear caused by a person who can't escape another's obsessive attention. This subject matter is conveyed through the heavy tunes and gloomy lyrics. The lyrics speak of feeling trapped and imprisoned, unable to escape the victimizer's reach - "Nowhere to run," "I am a prisoner." The singer's fear is also clearly expressed, as this person cannot withstand the victimizer’s constant threatening presence. Every move made by the victimizer is well noted by the singer in the lyrics, even when it appears the victimizer has already left the premises. Finally, the singer is pushed to the edge of insanity as the constant feeling of fear and paranoia becomes too much to bear.
The lyrics are vague about who the victimizer is or what their motivations are, allowing anyone listening to relate personally to the fear and paranoia experienced. The singer's fear may have come from a relationship gone wrong, a stalker or just someone with a particularly unsettling presence. In any case, it's clear that the situation has become unbearable leading to feelings of isolation and entrapment being depicted.
Line by Line Meaning
You can't always see the inside of me
There are parts of me that I do not reveal to others.
You can't see what I must hide
There are things that I keep hidden from view.
When you look I turn my head and run
I am afraid of being seen or caught.
I'm in fear for my life
I am afraid that something bad will happen to me.
I can see you everywhere I go
You are always present in my thoughts.
Why can't you just go away?
I wish I could get rid of these thoughts or feelings.
In the darkness of my room
When I am alone and it is dark.
I feel your glaring eyes staring at me
I feel as though I am being watched or judged.
I just want to be left alone
I want to be free from these thoughts or feelings.
If I close my eyes
If I try to ignore or block out these thoughts or feelings.
Will you soon be gone
Will these thoughts or feelings go away if I ignore them?
Nowhere to run
I cannot escape these thoughts or feelings.
Now there's no escaping
There is no way to get away from these thoughts or feelings.
I am a prisoner
I feel trapped and unable to escape.
It's like insanity
It feels crazy or irrational.
I can see you in the shadowed night
These thoughts or feelings seem to be with me constantly, even when it is dark out.
And the night is nearly through
When it is almost morning.
Now my nightmare turns into reality
The thing that I am afraid of actually happens or becomes real.
I turn around and it's you
What I am afraid of or trying to avoid is right there in front of me.
My head it aches
I feel stressed or overwhelmed.
What the hell is going on
I am confused and do not understand why this is happening.
Contributed by Kaelyn K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nate C
This songs riffs feel like creeping death and tornado of souls...
Allan Hetfield
lol true
kamazaki
This is Angel Witch Part 2!
Go go power rangers!!!
asu