Angel Dust is a power metal band originating from Dortmund, Germany that started off as a typical garage band. Taking their name from a song title off the black metal band Venom's album Welcome to Hell, Angel Dust came to be in 1984. Their style was initially heavily influenced by the NWOBHM metal scene and the Bay Area thrash metal scene. They soon found their niche in the speed and thrash metal styles which were widely popular at the time. The 1980s would see two releases from the band: 1986's Into the Dark Past and 1988's To Dust You Will Decay. They proceeded to disband in 1990 because of internal conflicts.

Although all members had gone their separate ways, founding member Frank Banx had no desire to let the Angel Dust name die. Around 1998 Banx, and original drummer Dirk Assmuth, gathered a completely new lineup to start from scratch. This reincarnation would handle music very differently, shifting dramatically towards power metal, and would consequently gain a solid reputation in Europe.