Who was Kevin Riddles? Career explored as legendary heavy metal bassist passes away at 68 

Kevin Riddles, 68, recently passed away on July 4, 2025. He was known as the former member and heavy metal bassist of the band Angel Witch, who also confirmed the news of his demise on social media.

Notably, a statement was shared by the group’s lead guitarist and vocalist, Kevin Heybourne, on Facebook. The tribute included a photo of Riddles, in which he was seen holding a guitar. According to The Sun, Riddles was reportedly battling cancer before his death.

Heybourne’s statement praised Riddles’ contributions over the years, as it stated:

“Kevin was a great guy and we remained mates until the end, he will be greatly missed. Our condolences to his wife Julie. Rest in peace Kev.”

Around three years ago, Riddles also formed another group called Baphomet. The band also expressed grief in a Facebook post, which has been deleted now, revealing that the artist was hospitalized at the time of death. Baphomet continued paying tribute to Kevin Riddles by writing:

“We are utterly devastated. An absolute legend in the truest sense of the word, a larger-than-life character, an incredible and dedicated musician and a very fine and wonderful human being. Rest easy, big fella.”

Musician and Crystal Viper member Marta Gabriel also paid tribute to Riddles on Facebook by posting a black-and-white photo, in which she and Kevin can be seen together. The duo was performing at an unknown location, and Gabriel recalled the moment she spent with Riddles, as she wrote:

“Always kind and smiling, always a true gentleman. It was always a pleasure to share the stage with Tytan and Kevin.”

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Kevin Riddles played with different bands: Career and other details explained

While Kevin Riddles became a popular face for his association with Angel Witch for many years, he was also a member of other groups at the same time. According to Louder Sound, the band’s establishment dates back to 1978 when Riddles and Heybourne met for the first time.

Apart from Kevin Heybourne and Kevin Riddles, the initial lineup also included Barry Clements, Steve Coleman, Dave “Day Vog” Hogg, and Rob Downing. Heybourne has continued playing with the group to this day, and he has been joined by Will Palmer, Jimmy Martin, and Fredrik Jansson in the current lineup.

In an interview with Metal Talk in 2021, Kevin Riddles said that he was employed at a music shop where he first met Heybourne. Kevin mentioned that he was not pursuing anything in his musical career at the time. He addressed the experience of becoming an essential part of Angel Witch by saying:

“I was dragged from the obscurity of a music shop in Lewisham to the busy heights of Angel Witch almost overnight. With Kev Wayborne, Rob Downing, myself and Dave Hogg on drums, the deal was we could rehearse as often as we wanted to during the week, as long as we did a free gig for him once a month.”

Around two years after their formation, the band released its debut album, also titled Angel Witch. This was followed by four more albums, including Screamin’ ‘n’ Bleedin’, Frontal Assault, As Above, So Below, and Angel of Light.

The group also had some compilation and live albums to their credit, such as Metal for Muthas, Doctor Phibes, and 2000: Live at the LA2, among others. Angel Witch was also popular for their EPs and singles, including Sweet Danger, Loser, Goodbye, and Don’t Turn Your Back.

Kevin Riddles later co-founded another metal band, called Tytan, during the 1980s. The Sun stated that he played a crucial role in developing a new form of metal sound that groups like Metallica later adopted. Apart from Angel Witch, Heybourne began working with Riddles in another band called Baphomet, formed by the latter.

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Kevin is survived by his wife, Julie.