Throw Back Thursday: Witch (Sweden)

Witch was a heavy metal band from Umeå, Sweden, active from 1981 to 1985 and known for a sound rooted in Iron Maiden and Ozzy Osbourne. Not to be confused with the unrelated Witch from Boden, the Umeå group became a cult name in the Northern Swedish scene alongside Gotham City and Mogg. They recorded several demos, including Live in Obbola (1983), Demo #2 (1983), Still Alive (1984) and Soldier of the Future (1984), but never secured an official release after a planned deal with Tandan Records collapsed.

Their line-up featured Henrik “Geten” Kjellberg (vocals), Anders “Lus” Hedman (bass), Ulf Johansson (guitar) and Frank Stenbro (drums), with earlier members Patrik Bergholm, Tomas Jakobsson and Jan Johansson. Despite local notoriety and notable shows, including opening for Europe in 1984, the band split in early 1985. Their recordings were later compiled on Still Alive? (2021), preserving their reputation as a lost gem of early 80s Swedish steel.