Kevin “Skids” Riddles (formerly of Angel Witch) has passed away

Following a battle with cancer, Kevin Riddles, a founding member of Angel Witch, Tytan and Baphomet, passed away on Friday, July 4. He was sixty-eight. In a social media post today, Angel Witch‘s lone surviving founding member, Kevin Heybourne, revealed Riddles’s passing. On behalf of the Chaoszine team, I’d like to extend to Riddles’ family, friends and bandmates our deepest sympathies.

Before departing in 1982 to establish Tytan, Riddles was a founding member of Angel Witch, contributing to the creation and production of the band’s debut iconic album, “Angel Witch,” among other works. He attended performances by the Music Machine, Marquee, and Band Wagon and was there when the movement that is now known as New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) first emerged. In order to stay faithful to the original old-school sound, Baphomet was founded in May 2021 with the goal of performing the first classic Angel Witch album and songs from Riddle’s era (1977–1982).

Blast From The Past, Headbangers Open Air, Metal Maniacs, British Steel, and Keep It True Rising 2 were among the first concerts and events that Baphomet kicked off. In 1982, Riddles, drummer Dave Dufort, singer Norman “Kal” Swan, and guitarists Stuart Adams and Steve Gibbs created Tytan. Known for their epic melodic vocals and hard driving riffs, this British heavy metal band is regarded as a component of the New Wave of British heavy metal.