WITCHFINDER GENERAL are a doom metal band from Stourbridge, England. They were part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene and have been cited as a major influence on the doom metal genre. Death Penalty is the debut album by NWOBHM band WITCHFINDER GENERAL. It was released in 1982 on Heavy Metal Records. The album received some criticism for the cover photograph, which featured topless model Joanne Latham. The photograph had been taken in the yard of St Mary the Blessed Virgin Church in Enville, Staffordshire, without the permission of the local Reverend. The album was originally released on LP and picture disc and was later reissued on CD. Pictured on the cover is Phil Cope, Zeeb Parkes, Graham Ditchfield and a member of the then Road Crew. While Peter Hinton is credited with producing this recording the writers Phil Cope and Zeeb Parkes always felt the credit should have gone to the engineer Robin George.