As part of an ongoing campaign of reissuing the band’s entire back catalog, OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS is proud to present the third album of Sweden’s BEWITCHED, At the Gates of Hell, on CD format again.
Formed in 1995 by erstwhile members of Katatonia, Naglfar, and Ancient Wisdom, Sweden’s BEWITCHED were a devilishly fun proposition for those members to blow off some steam. And from their debut album in 1996 onward for the next decade, the band stood at that forefront of the burgeoning blackthrash resurgence that would gain steam as the ‘90s went on.
Originally released in 1999, At the Gates of Hell saw BEWITCHED continuing as a power-trio, with the longstanding duo of vocalist/guitarist Vargher and bassist Wrathyr this time backed by drummer Stormlord, who’d remain a fixture for the next two full-lengths. As hinted at by the preceding Pentagram Prayer, the band’s evolution from more stringent blackthrash into full-on blackened heavy metal truly blossoms here. While the pace is still pretty up-tempo in places, on the whole, BEWITCHED get more anthemic than ever – not for nothing is it titled At the Gates of Hell!
