Biography
Despite Sweden's widespread recognition for its abundance of high-caliber death metal acts throughout the 1990s, the nation produced scant standout entries during the preceding decade's thrash metal surge, making Hexenhaus a notable exception. The Stockholm-based outfit launched in 1987 under guitarist Mike Wead, born Mikael Wikström, and issued its technically demanding and impressively polished debut A Tribute to Insanity in 1988. That record featured vocalist Nicklas Johansson, guitarist Rick Meister, also known as Andreas Palm, bassist Jan Blomqvist, and drummer Ralph Raideen. All except the drummer had earlier collaborated with Wead in the speed metal group Maninnya Blade, yet only he remained for the follow-up The Edge of Eternity, released in 1990. The refreshed roster included guitarist Marco A. Nicosia, bassist Marty Marteen, drummer Billy St. John, and vocalist Tommie Agrippa. Wead altered the lineup once more ahead of 1991's Awakening, bringing in vocalist Thomas Lundin and former Mezzrow bassist Conny Wallin. Repeated personnel shifts gradually eroded the band's creative consistency, leading to a split shortly afterward; a lone 1997 reunion yielded the album Dejavoodoo. During the intervening years Wead established Memento Mori alongside ex-Candlemass frontman Messiah Marcolin, contributed to Candlemass bassist Leif Edling's Abstrakt Algebra endeavor, and subsequently recorded and toured with Mercyful Fate as well as King Diamond's band, establishing himself as a reliable axe-hero for hire. Most musicians who passed through Hexenhaus stayed active within Sweden's tightly interconnected metal community, particularly guitarist Marco A. Nicosia, who later joined melodic techno-metallers Fifth Reason.
Albums
