Stormwitch is a German heavy metal band from Heidenheim, formed in 1981. They have been called "The Masters of Black Romantic" by their fans. The band's song lyrics often focused on fantasy, occult or historical themes, along with their contemporaries and countrymen Helloween. Over time, they have changed their sound from a Judas Priest-esque style of heavy metal to a more keyboard-based form of power metal.
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History
Stormwitch was founded in the early 1980s by childhood friends Harald Spengler (Lee Tarot), Stefan Kauffmann (Steve Merchant), and Andy Mück, writing their first songs while they searched for the final pieces of the band to play live shows, including clubs and youth centers. The first lineup was completed by Peter Langer (Pete Lancer) and Jürgen Wannenwetsch.
Their first album, Walpurgis Night, in 1984, was recorded using as little post-production as possible to remain true to the sound they were trying to achieve. They did not use multi-track recording, instead recording the album straight through. Approximately a year later, they recorded the album Tales of Terror, of which the master tapes were supposed to be destroyed, only recently being re-recorded using original LP albums.