Interview with Florida based Death metal act HELLWITCH's Frontman Patrick Ranieri

Sometimes its really feels good talking to some legendary bands . Well before we proceed any further we will like to ask have you heard  NOSFERATU . If yes i am assured that you guys got whom i am talking about. Yes. non other than Patrick Ranieri frontman / vocals for Hellwitch.
Here is the bands link 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hellwitch/183892585570
or their website
http://www.hellwitch.com/

Patrick we will like to ask 1984 until now, how has the journey been so far?

Wonderful!

I guess in a matter of few months you guys will be stepping on the 30^th Year 1984 to until today’s date it’s a way lot of time. Many people even consider you guys as one of the pioneering act of Death Metal movement. And being active for around 30 years is not a joke what do you have to say regarding this?

Yes, not many 30 year old bands are still active! I’m proud that I’m now 50 and still bang my head and go nuts on stage and still compose brutal musick!

Pat we will like to know how you guys did started HELLWITCH and also I want to add another question here as well. What does HELLWITCH means?

My college roommate and I started it as a joke band in Oct. ’84. Hellwitch was the FUNNIEST combination of generic band names we could think of for our joke band in ’84! There was White Witch, Angel Witch, Storm Witch, Hellhammer, Helstar, Hell. So, I thought that the WORST, most generic name would be HELLWITCH! Best joke name EVER!

Speaking of Old HELLWITCH , the initial HELLWITCH materials had a strong occult learning, but soon after you turned to more science –frictional themes. Does this have any interrelation with your studies at the University Of Florida on telecommunications, or a desire to stand apart from the scene, what really motivated you to switch the theme?

I realized by ’86 that I wanted HELLWITCH to be totally original LYRICALLY as well as musically. This prompted me to search out topics that had NEVER been written about in Death Metal before! College didn’t really have any affect besides reading about virus experiments on coma patients in the local newspaper there. That article inspired Viral Exogence!  And yes, I DID desire to be set apart from ALL other bands.

Pat there has been a continuous disband of Hellwitch infact it has been a pattern can we know why?

That’s incorrect. We’ve only disbanded ONE time! That was from ’98-’04. You can find live videos of us from EVERY year besides that period.

Last November you guys opened for Cannibal Corpse how was the gig and if I am not wrong you guys have gig on 30^th march as well?

It was cool! Local crowd, usual stuff. Yes, we just returned from playing the first ever Puerto Rico Metal fest/Expo in San Juan. There we performed with Six Feet Blunder, Raven, Solstice, Warbringer, Thrash or Die and MORE!

Any gig updates apart from this Sundays gig?

We are touring the U.S. in June ’14 with Solstice. And we play in Miami in June with Whiplash.

I was going through one of your interview and you’ve said that the best thing about the original death metal scene was that each band naturally pursued its own distinct sound , and may many would say Hellwitch were one of the most distinguished in this regard . Jumping to a whole generation later, would you agree that death metal is now a solidified artform and tradition. Or is it somehow possible to always push the envelope?

It’s solidified as a genre, for sure. As far as pushing the envelope, I think it’s all pretty much been done at this point in metal history. Everything coming out  is just recycled shit, these days. Not much originality left, in my worthless opinion. Hahahha!

Pat can you compare and say us about the Death Metal Scene from 80’s 90’s 00 and the present time?

‘80’s= best, most original era

90’s=starting to get generic

00’s=generic or rehashing 80’s music.

Now=what a mess!

30 years of a band is not a joke especially for a death metal band. Can you say us about your initial days and how do you feel seeing those days and now?

It was more fun then as it was fresh and new. I look back fondly on those days. Now it’s a hit and miss deal. Some shows are full of thrashers. Some shows people just stand with their arms folded and yawn when we play.

So can you tell us the Album that you are tuning nowadays?

DEMILICH “20^th Adversary of Emptiness” It has 3 songs never heard before! It’s the best thing I’ve heard in MUSIC since the “Nespithe” album.

A few days back was talking with one of my friend and when i mentioned HELLWITCH the first name that came was your demo from 84 and one of my favorite track as well NOSFERATU. Out of your entire 12 demos Full length Split and Ep NOSFERATU is considered as one of the best tracks. Must say whenever the name of HELLWITCH comes in thought this track strikes 1^st..

Yes, that song is most known, I think. That and TORTURE CHAMBER!!! I like T. Chamber MUCH more, personally.

Alright we are almost at the end of our talk any message to the upcoming Death Metal bands. I am sure you have a way lot of experience to share. Can you share some here?

Yea, do something original for fuck’s sake.  Don’t bother polluting the scene with more useless shit that we've all heard before!

Any message to the fans?

Thanks to all the diehards who have enjoyed our sound over the past 3 decades! And thanks to the new schoolers who appreciate how different HELLWITCH is in this bunk-ass world of new (nu?) metal we’re festering in these days. Hahahahaha!

Now we must come to the end of our talk . Lastly a space for you to ask if we SNRMB crew have forgotten to ask. You can Ask us here?

Yes, why didn’t you ask about my 12,000 title concert video collection known as Darkest Soul Promotions and can be seen on the web at www.thrill.to/DSP? And why didn’t you ask how people can purchase HELLWITCH shirts, demos, CDs and more at HELLWITCH.com? I think those are the only 2 questions you failed to ask. Other than that, GOOD fuckin’ job, brothers of death! Hahahaha! Thank you for the cool support and keep on KILLKILLKILL-ing!!! Fuck the trends, diehard!