Burning the Witches [IMPORT]

Warlock

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 16, 1988)
• Original Release Date: 1984
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Polygram Int'l
• ASIN: B000001FL6
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #80,883 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars - Overall this is a fiery scorching metal debut, June 22, 2004

By	M. B. Link "wildfirelink" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Burning The Witches(1984). Warlock's first studio album.

Back in the early 80s, heavy metal had already begun to take shape from its 70s blues-based beginnings and culminate into something heavier and far more edgey. Even though heavy metal music originated in Great Britain, other countries such as the USA, Germany, Finland, and even Japan were taking their stab at the genre by the early 80s. Warlock was one of these bands to step out of Germany. Formed by guitarists Peter Szigeti and Rudy Graf, bassist Frank Rittel, and drummer Michael Eurich in 1982, this band sought after something to set themselves apart from the rest of the bands of that time period, and that something was female vocalist Doro Pesch. And in 1984, the band got to show for themselves with their first studio LP.

So what makes Warlock so special? Well for starters, Doro's beautifully powerful voice melds so well with the heavy metal music the rest of the band was playing. There's no one quite like her, and once you become accustomed to her unique style, you'll too be convinced that she is in fact, a metal goddess. There had been instances in the 80s of female pop metal bands or hard rock pop-based bands (a la Vixen, Pat Benatar, and Joan Jett), but Warlock's brand of music is straight-up PURE HEAVY METAL from front to back. For the four albums that this band released, they managed to maintain their complete heavy edge while they lasted (albiet with incorporated melodic stylings on the latter two albums). The music on BTW is comparable to the likes of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Ozzy, though with a female singer fronting the band. There is no popular hair metal to be found on this disc. One reviewer blindingly stated that this album is full of keyboards. I don't normally like to comment on other people's specific reviews, but I'll make an exception here. What album exactly did you listen to? Certainly not BTW because I've heard the album many times now, and THERE ARE NO KEYBOARDS TO BE FOUND ANYWHERE ON THIS DISC. With that out of the way, onto the album itself:

Starting off is the fast, blazing 'Sign Of Satan', which sports an opening guitar riff that almost matches Judas Priest's 'Freewheel Burning'. Next there is the mid-paced 'After The Bomb' which reminds me instrumentally of Blizzard-era Ozzy Osbournne. 'Dark Fade' starts out heavy just like the previous track but breaks into a brief faster passage where outstanding guitar work can be found. The heavy tracks don't let up until 'Without You' which is the album's only ballad. It's actually quite excellent, and not a wimpy ballad by any means. The pace picks right back up again with the lightning-quick 'Metal Racer'. The stellar title track is the high point of the disc, being that it's one of the catchiest, yet crunchiest heavy metal songs I've heard in a long time. 'Hateful Guy' has a similar fast pace to the previous track, but the band employs some cool harmonies within the chorus. Plus, Doro really lets out an ear-shattering scream on this track! The album closes with the excellent slow-paced metal rocker 'Holding Me'.

In general, I'm highly impressed with this debut album, as it's so filled with raw energy that the disc almost catches on fire. BTW displays the kind of "eager to make it big" passion that I like and find in certain albums of some bands. Look at some of the suggestions below for other band's albums with this same quality. It's not flawless, but there isn't a single song on here that I don't like, so I'm giving it 4.5 stars. I've read this elsewhere, but for the most part, the enjoyability of Warlock comes from what you think of Doro's vocals. I firmly believe that her German-accented shout is quite awesome, and fits well with the rest of the band. She certainly belongs in the heavy metal genre. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Other similar albums by other bands:
-'Hellbound' by Warlock
-'Breaking The Chains' by Dokken
-'Blizzard Of Ozz' by Ozzy Osbourne

-'Defenders Of The Faith' by Judas Priest
-'Bon Jovi' by Bon Jovi

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Warlock's First, February 16, 2000

By	exodusone (San Bernardino, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This is Warlock's 1984 album "Burining The Witches". This album headbangs to the max. This was kind of a Hairband meets Thrash type of album. I mean the songs are catchy, but with an attitude. Doro is this cool looking blond German chick who happens to be the lead singer of Warlock, has one hell of voice. To tell you the truth, you really can't compare this album to anything else. This is a classic 80's metal album. I know some people who would say that this album is out-dated, well those people aren't true to anything and I don't care what they say about the 80's. This album headbangs. Classic songs off this album are "Sign Of Satan" and "After The Bomb".

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars the world's introduction to Doro, December 12, 2001

By	Peter (San Francisco, California United States) - See all my reviews

And so begins Doro's career. Like the first albums of bands with each member clearly in their late teens or early 20's ecstatic over recording their music for the first time (Metallica's Kill 'em All and Megadeth's Killing is my Business)
Warlock's beginning opus is appropriately fast, furious, and raw. While the riffs are aggressive with unrelenting speed, altogether the album's most distinctive asset is Doro's young voice at the peak of its screaming prowess. Like Klaus Meine of the Scorpions, who never managed to completely regain the resonant vocal tone again after his debut in Lonesome Crow owing to the obvious exigencies of unremitting touring, Doro's voice would become increasingly throatier and raspier over the years. Altogether, in recalling the review of an old relic heavy metal book back from '85, I am disposed to designate this album as solid, competent, but unspectacular headbanging music; the savage riffs are offset by their overall homogeneity and the one stab at a power ballad is derivative and unremarkable. Nevertheless, for those who believe that Doro has mellowed in her older years both musically and lyrically, this album is a refreshing reminder that in her youthful ardor she delighted in singing about the occult and in the 80's was clearly endeavoring to be one the hardest rocking women of heavy metal.