Wykked Wytch is a Florida, USA based female-fronted extreme metal band, that blends a unique mixture of death/thrash/gothic-black metal with melody, technicality, and hardcore aggression to create their own metal sound, that is centered around the demonic vocal assault of frontwoman, Ipek.
Founded in 1994, Ipek formed Wykked Wytch in Philadelphia, USA as a four-piece death/thrash metal band. The band's first release (on her own label Cauldron Records) saw the light of day in September 1996. The album Something Wykked This Way Comes received critical acclaim throughout the US & the world. Wykked Wytch would soon start making a name for themselves by touring up the east coast playing with such bands as: Testament, Deicide, Dying Fetus, Savatage, Overkill. In the summer of ‘97 the band performed a string of west coast dates with Malevolent Creation, Oppressor & Napalm Death. The band kept themselves busy with appearances at metalfests in Milwaukee & New Jersey, as well as contributing music to several low-budget horror films.
In the fall of 1999, not satisfied with the band's current musical direction and lack of progression, Ipek split with her previous members and revamped Wykked Wytch with a new line-up and expanded sound. The new line-up would start to write material for the band’s second album Angelic Vengeance continued to play across the USA. During this time, Wykked Wytch signed with Demolition Records, a UK based metal label. The label would first re-issue the band’s debut album, Something Wykked This Way Comes in the Summer of 2000 with an extra two tracks. Wykked Wytch would then enter the studio in the fall of 2000 to record their second album Angelic Vengeance at Dario Mollo’s Damage Studios in Ventimiglia, Italy.
The album was produced by Kit Woolven (Cradle of Filth, Anathema, Thin Lizzy) and mastered by Jim Morris (Cannibal Corpse, Death) at Morrisound Studios in Tampa, FL.
After the recording of Angelic Vengeance, Ipek needed a change of scenery and relocated the band to South Florida. With the relocation of the band to Florida in 2001, Ipek expanded the band to a six-piece live line-up, and started performing shows with Morbid Angel, Monstrosity, Six Feet Under, Lamb of God, God Forbid, Candiria, as well as making an appearance at Milwaukee Metalfest.
Angelic Vengeance, the band’s second album was finally released by Demolition Records in Europe in late 2001. Wykked Wytch then took their show on the road to support their album in Europe. The band landed the highly coveted support spot on the SOLD OUT “Hell Comes to Your Town” European tour from Dec. 2001 - Jan. 2002 with thrash legends: Kreator, Sodom and Destruction.
After returning from a successful European tour in 2002, Ipek formed a partnership with guitarist, Gio Geraca. They would both collaborate on writing material for the third album. In late 2002 Wykked Wytch recorded some demos with Richard Christy (Iced Earth/Death) performing session drums.
By early 2003, the writing for the third album was complete and the band went into the studio in June 2003 to begin recording the third full-length album Nefret. The album was recorded at Studio 13 in Deerfield Beach, FL and was produced by Jeremy Staska (Marilyn Manson, Poison the Well, Malevolent Creation) and the band. The album was completed in August. The album cover art for Nefret was handled by Chad Michael Ward (Soilwork, Darkane), who also designed the cover for Wykked Wytch’s previous album Angelic Vengeance. After the completion of the album Wykked Wytch shot a video for the track The Soul Awaits.
After several delays the album Nefret was finally released through Demolition/Dreamcatcher Records in the winter of 2004. Wykked Wytch spent the first half of 2005 on the road in Europe as part of the extensive touring campaign for the album Nefret. The three month trek would have the band first teaming up with Carpathian Forest, Tsjuder and E-force for six weeks. Then Wykked Wytch was scheduled to support Marduk for three weeks, but the tour was cancelled. The band was then stranded in Holland for three weeks. While in Holland, Wykked Wytch recruited a new live drummer Koos van der Velde from the Dutch speed metal band Forcefield. Wykked Wytch then continued their tour joining the No Mercy Fests with Six Feet Under, Nile, Dark Funeral, Disbelief, Dying Fetus and Cataract for three more weeks.
At the end of 2005, Wykked Wytch completed a three week tour with Deicide and inked a deal with UK based label SixSixSix Records (owned by Cradle of Filth's Dave Pybus).
In 2008 the band released their fourth album Memories of a Dying Whore
Discography
Something Wykked This Way Comes 1996
Angelic Vengeance 2001
Nefret 2004
Memories of a Dying Whore 2008
Current Line-Up:
Gio Geraca - Lead Guitar
Ipek - Vocals
Chris Morini - Drums
Salvatore LoPresti - Keys & Samples
Sean Young - Guitar
Kenny - Bass
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