Customer Reviews

Burning the Witches

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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

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".

Warlock was one of the 80s most interesting Power metal acts,with the hard guitar sound of Accept melded with the sexy,raspy vocals of a female,the diminutive Doro Pesch.
Female fronted metal bands don't always work for alot of metal's largely male fanbase,and that's because the gruffness and tougness of vocals is missing....not so with Warlock.
Doro's vocals capture a power that creates a certain kind of danger that makes her voice unique in the metal world,seductive and tough,all at once.
Burning the Witches was the band's debut and it's a very fun listen.
It's heavy,in the vein of Judas Priest and Accept,with lyrics about the usual hard partying and evil stuff.
Stand outs are classics like "Hateful Guy","Dark Fade" and the Title track.
Not as good as later efforts,like "Triumph and Agony",but still classic metal well worth listening.
And if your an Accept band....this is there sister band,so to speak.
One of Germany's best metal acts.
Note:Very Cute Cover....I hope that cute little witch dosen't get burned!

This fist Warlock/Doro album from 1984 is rockin'. If you like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and heavy metal of that style, check out Warlock. Blazing guitars, speed-thrash drums, and scorching vocals. Flat-out awesome album, pretty hardcore for 1984.

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.

This is definitely a great (almost speed metal) album. I'll admit, even after almost 10 years, I can't understand most of the words in the first three songs - it really doesn't matter because the music and feel for the songs are so cool. The title track is great and the intro to Hateful Guy is jawdroppingingly awesome. Every song is a winner.

I am writing this because I have not seen this issue addressed in any interview with Doro Pesch. In the Wiccan community our first reaction to "Burning the Witches" may be the wrong one, in much the same way the Churches reacted to D&D and Heavy Metal in the 1980's. Remember this was before we could even talk about Neo-Paganism in Pop-Culture, its was all about Christianity and Satanism.

I am a pagan Warlock (male warrior witch), and her name, the name of the band, and their art work first appealed to me when I was a teenager before I even heard the music, because using that genre was a sign between the fan and the artist, and it was the opposite of a conventional Christian one. Most Heavy Metal bands were not really Satanic, but the Churches hated them for using the metaphors and images of mythology, and not being afraid to confront or (heaven forbid) commune with those dark powers.

When you listen (I mean take the words literally) to songs like "Burning the Witches", you actually can hear about fighting evil: "Evil dies by fire!" And to many the chorus sounds like a call resurrecting the Inquisition or Salem Witch Trails (the witches were hung there)! Often a metal song will present both sides of the battle between "Good and Evil"; and sometimes they will take a side. I think that most understand it as story-telling metaphor, just as in a play someone takes the role of a "Bad Guy".

I think the song "Burning Witches" is meant to be an ironic tribute to historic Christian Mythology (but not a literal call to arms), because her cover art usually has a giant "evil" Warlock on it trying to burn or capture her. Most Christian groups would consider Warlock to be Satanic just for their image. Also Doro is very creative so would not be against modern witches, especially pagans; she dresses like a witch and rides on demons and dragons.

I think Doro played both roles as damsel in distress, but also saw herself as a witch, according to the 1984 cover art. Even if the Warlock is "evil", that would make her the blonde witch tied to the candle about to be burned. I just wanted to clear that up for my brothers and sisters, because it is confusing to have a great artist like Doro have a song and chorus with words against witches! It is unsettling i know, i feel it too, but that shock value has kept me thinking about it, and those two factors are a big part of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal for me, beyond head-banging (which I love to do).

Warlock's "Burning The Witches" was the 2nd I got after "Triumph and Agony" which is still my favorite Warlock CD. Yeah this CD is a bit underproduced but I love the music on this. Hearing young Doro on this album is interesting - later her vocals would become more throaty and raspy which is the kind of vocals that i love. But this is very good stuff. get this!

One of the best bands from the 80s. They simply do not have an album without 5 stars!!! I just cannot get enough of Warlock. Longing for Warlock.....

I have been a Doro Pesch fan since I heard the album "True As Steel". I have to admit that it was a good album, and I also liked the album "Hellbound". Still, the two best Warlock albums that you should defintely own are this one "Burning the Witches" and their fourth studio album "Triumph And Agony". This album starts with a great song "Sign of Satan" which is very speedy. Also the next song "After the Bomb" is great. "Dark Fade" is as dark as any song in this album. After that, "Homicide Rocker" is the only song I actually love so much in this album. "Without You" is the only full-blood ballad in this album. Doro's voice sounds awesome. The sixth song "Metal Racer" is an uptempo one. The title track still can be heard in some of Doro's live concerts. "Hateful Guy" is the one that my ex-girlfriend Rauha used to sing when she angry to me. But that's alright, it's a fine song. "Holding Me" is a fine closing for this album. The album is very dark!
Stars: Burning the Witches, Sign of Satan, Without You