Witchfynde - Stagefright [LP]

Re-issue 2024, ltd 300, 425gsm heavy cardboard cover, insert, poster, Remastered and restored by Patrick W. Engel at TEMPLE OF DISHARMONY in March 2024. When Nottinghamshire's Witchfynde, originally conceived as long ago as 1975, issued their debut album »Give 'Em Hell« on Rondelet Records in 1980, they quickly became one of the most popular bands of the exploding NWOBHM movement. After a few headlining shows, Steve Bridges (vocals), Montalo (guitars), Andro Coulton (bass) and Gra Scoresby (drums) hooked up with unlikely tour associates Def Leppard for a successful series of dates in the UK. However, all was not well in the Witchfynde camp when it became time to work on the follow-up to »Give 'Em Hell« towards the end of 1980. Original bass player Andro Coulton explains: "»Stagefright« wasn't a great time for me. I recorded the bass on three of the songs, 'Wake Up Screaming', 'In The Stars' and 'Wouldn't Be Seen Dead In Heaven', but I left the band before any more songs were recorded. It got worse afterwards as I found out that I was not ever acknowledged as playing on the album sleeve notes. Also they released a single 'In The Stars' and 'Wake Up Screaming' with Pete Surgey's (new bass player) face on it!" It's fair to say that »Stagefright« was indeed a departure from the heavy occult rock leanings of »Give 'Em Hell« following a rather more lightweight direction with accessible compositions such as "Trick Or Treat", "Moon Magic", "Big Deal" or the outright ballad "Madeleine". However, being described as "semi-pop" by critics such as NWOBHM expert Malc Macmillan did not really do the album justice. Canadian author Martin Popoff, however, sees the album in a different light (in his book »The Collector's Guide To Heavy Metal«): "Strange, endearing, bumbling, but when all is said and done, »Stagefright« becomes the best Witchfynde album of all, due to a vibe that is humble and true, due to music that makes no attempt to hide the personalities behind props. It is an enigmatic English oddity, a mistake that works." »Stagefright« has clearly grown in stature of the years, being totally different to »Give 'Em Hell«, the second Witchfynde album (and the last to feature original vocalist Steve Bridges) has attracted generations of new fans. As a result, this long overdue top-class re-issue will put a few smiles on the faces of the denim and leather clad army of headbanging NWOBHM aficionados. MATTHIAS MADER