Electric Wizard
Encyclopedia
Electric Wizard are a stoner metal band from Dorset, England that formed in 1993. The band have since recorded seven albums, at least three of which are now considered to be landmarks of their genre: their self-title debut, Electric Wizard
, Come My Fanatics...
, and Dopethrone
. Electric Wizard have a distinct yet traditional doom metal sound that incorporates stoner and sludge
traits, with lyrics typically involving the occult
, witchcraft
, H.P. Lovecraft, horror films and cannabis
. During 2003, founding members Tim Bagshaw and Mark Greening left to form the band Ramesses
, making guitarist/vocalist Jus Oborn
the only founding member who remains.
In 1992, the band was re-named Thy Grief Eternal, they only put out one demo in 1992 called ...On Blackened Wings. They later changed the name to Eternal after James Evans left the band.
In 1993, the band once again changed their name to simply Eternal and put out two demos - Rehershals (July) (1992) and finally - Lucifer's Children 1993. After Gavin Gillingham left the band Jus Oborn started Electric Wizard.
, England
during 1993, when guitarist Jus Oborn
left the band Eternal/Thy Grief Eternal and joined with bassist Tim Bagshaw and drummer Mark Greening. The name - Electric Wizard is taken from two Black Sabbath
songs 'Electric Funeral' & 'The Wizard'
In 1995 the band signed to Rise Above Records
and released their self-titled debut album, Electric Wizard
. The music was in the vein of traditional doom metal, and it received positive reviews. Later that year they released the song "Demon Lung
" as a split-single with Our Haunted Kingdom (later to become Orange Goblin
).
, which saw them add the sludge and stoner elements that have come to define Electric Wizard's sound. Later that year, Man's Ruin records introduced the band to American audiences with the Chrono.Naut
EP.
, Greening was arrested for assaulting a police officer, and Bagshaw served a sentence for robbery. Health problems also plagued the band – Oborn suffered a collapsed eardrum during a concert, and later severed a fingertip in a DIY accident. Greening also broke his collarbone in a motorcycle accident. During this time the band released the Supercoven
EP on Bad Acid Records.
, in 2000. This album expanded upon themes from Come My Fanatics... and pushed doom metal into unknown territories.
, was released in 2002. It was Electric Wizard's most experimental record, adopting an aggressive sound similar to sludge metal
. Following the release the band embarked on an ill-fated North America
n tour that produced tensions between band members. The final concert of the tour was announced as their last, but this would prove a premature announcement. Electric Wizard subsequently returned to the UK for a tour with Cathedral
, on which Greening was replaced by Justin Greaves (of Iron Monkey
). In April 2003 Greening and Bagshaw left the band to form Ramesses
.
), and bassist Rob Al-Issa. This new lineup recorded We Live
in 2004, which featured a similar sound to Let Us Prey, but with a much "tighter" style. The general response from critics and fans has been mixed. The band toured England and Australia in support of the album, also playing a show at the 2005 Roadburn Festival. Greaves left the band in 2006 and was replaced by Shaun Rutter.
. It was recorded entirely using vintage audio equipment from the 1970s. In 2008 bassist Rob Al-Issa left the band and was replaced by Tas Danazoglou. Witchcult Today has earned the band its most favourable reception since 2000.
. In support of the new album; the band played a small tour starting around Halloween with Moss
as a supporting band. Its expected that more dates will be added in 2011.
According to the October issue of Decibel magazine, Electric Wizard have begun working on their new album, expected in 2012.
Electric Wizard will be playing their first U.S. show in ten years at the 2012 edition of Maryland Deathfest
Former
Electric Wizard (album)
Electric Wizard is the debut album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It was released during 1995 through Rise Above Records. The music is in the style of traditional doom metal with some stoner metal traits. The album cover depicts a woman riding a winged seahorse across a psychedelic ocean...
, Come My Fanatics...
Come My Fanatics...
Come My Fanatics... is the second album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It was released in 1997, and is widely viewed as a landmark in the history of the doom metal genre...
, and Dopethrone
Dopethrone
Dopethrone is the third full-length album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It was released in 2000 through Rise Above Records and re-released by the same label in 2004 and 2007 with an extra song....
. Electric Wizard have a distinct yet traditional doom metal sound that incorporates stoner and sludge
Sludge metal
Sludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting...
traits, with lyrics typically involving the occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
, witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
, H.P. Lovecraft, horror films and cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
. During 2003, founding members Tim Bagshaw and Mark Greening left to form the band Ramesses
Ramesses (band)
Ramesses is a sludge/doom metal band from Dorset, England, featuring ex-members of Electric Wizard.-Biography:Ramesses was formed in February 2003 by Tim Bagshaw and Mark Greening with Adam Richardson formerly of Lord of Putrefaction, Spirmyard, and Hexed...
, making guitarist/vocalist Jus Oborn
Jus Oborn
Justin "Jus" Oborn is the lead vocalist, lead electric guitarist and lyricist of Electric Wizard, an influential doom metal/stoner metal band from Dorset, England...
the only founding member who remains.
Pre-Electric Wizard (1988-1993)
Before the the band was named Electric Wizard, the origins can be traced back to 1988 when Jus Oborn was in the band - Lord of Putrefaction. They put out three demo tapes from 1989 - 1991 and also did one split with Mortal Remains. They Changed the band name to Thy Grief Eternal after Adam Richardson left the band.In 1992, the band was re-named Thy Grief Eternal, they only put out one demo in 1992 called ...On Blackened Wings. They later changed the name to Eternal after James Evans left the band.
In 1993, the band once again changed their name to simply Eternal and put out two demos - Rehershals (July) (1992) and finally - Lucifer's Children 1993. After Gavin Gillingham left the band Jus Oborn started Electric Wizard.
Formation & Debut Album (1993-1996)
Electric Wizard began in Wimborne in DorsetDorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
during 1993, when guitarist Jus Oborn
Jus Oborn
Justin "Jus" Oborn is the lead vocalist, lead electric guitarist and lyricist of Electric Wizard, an influential doom metal/stoner metal band from Dorset, England...
left the band Eternal/Thy Grief Eternal and joined with bassist Tim Bagshaw and drummer Mark Greening. The name - Electric Wizard is taken from two Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
songs 'Electric Funeral' & 'The Wizard'
In 1995 the band signed to Rise Above Records
Rise Above Records
Rise Above Records is a London, England based independent record label owned by Lee Dorrian . It is named after a Napalm Death song from their EP Mentally Murdered. It was formed in the late 1980s and originally made to sell live releases by Napalm Death and S.O.B., but by 1991 had changed to cater...
and released their self-titled debut album, Electric Wizard
Electric Wizard (album)
Electric Wizard is the debut album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It was released during 1995 through Rise Above Records. The music is in the style of traditional doom metal with some stoner metal traits. The album cover depicts a woman riding a winged seahorse across a psychedelic ocean...
. The music was in the vein of traditional doom metal, and it received positive reviews. Later that year they released the song "Demon Lung
Electric Wizard/Our Haunted Kingdom
Electric Wizard/Our Haunted Kingdom is a split-single released by the English stoner metal bands Electric Wizard and Our Haunted Kingdom, who changed its name to Orange Goblin after this release...
" as a split-single with Our Haunted Kingdom (later to become Orange Goblin
Orange Goblin
Orange Goblin are a stoner metal band from the United Kingdom that formed in 1995. The band's lineup currently consists of singer Ben Ward, guitarist Joe Hoare, bassist Martyn Millard, and drummer Chris Turner.-History:...
).
Come my Fanatics... & Chrono.Naut (1997-1999)
In 1997 the band recorded and released, Come My Fanatics...Come My Fanatics...
Come My Fanatics... is the second album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It was released in 1997, and is widely viewed as a landmark in the history of the doom metal genre...
, which saw them add the sludge and stoner elements that have come to define Electric Wizard's sound. Later that year, Man's Ruin records introduced the band to American audiences with the Chrono.Naut
Chrono.Naut
Chrono.Naut is an EP by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It was originally released on LP in March 1997 through Man's Ruin Records. It was then re-released on CD later that year as a split with Orange Goblin...
EP.
Setbacks & Supercoven (1999)
In the three years following the release of Come My Fanatics..., the members of Electric Wizard encountered a series of setbacks. There were legal issues – Oborn was arrested for possession of cannabisCannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
, Greening was arrested for assaulting a police officer, and Bagshaw served a sentence for robbery. Health problems also plagued the band – Oborn suffered a collapsed eardrum during a concert, and later severed a fingertip in a DIY accident. Greening also broke his collarbone in a motorcycle accident. During this time the band released the Supercoven
Supercoven
Supercoven is a two song EP by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It was originally released on CD and 12" vinyl in 1998 through Bad Acid Records. In 2000 it was re-released on CD through Southern Lord Records with two extra songs. The production on the extra songs is rougher...
EP on Bad Acid Records.
Dopethrone (2000)
After recovering from their complications, Electric Wizard finally recorded and released a third album, DopethroneDopethrone
Dopethrone is the third full-length album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It was released in 2000 through Rise Above Records and re-released by the same label in 2004 and 2007 with an extra song....
, in 2000. This album expanded upon themes from Come My Fanatics... and pushed doom metal into unknown territories.
Let Us Prey & Band Tensions (2002-2003)
Their next album, entitled Let Us PreyLet Us Prey
Let Us Prey is the fourth album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It was released through Rise Above Records in 2002, and was the last album to feature Electric Wizard's original line-up....
, was released in 2002. It was Electric Wizard's most experimental record, adopting an aggressive sound similar to sludge metal
Sludge metal
Sludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting...
. Following the release the band embarked on an ill-fated North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n tour that produced tensions between band members. The final concert of the tour was announced as their last, but this would prove a premature announcement. Electric Wizard subsequently returned to the UK for a tour with Cathedral
Cathedral (band)
Cathedral are a doom metal band from Coventry, England. The group forged a link between early doom metal and a 1990s extreme metal aesthetic, making doom slower and heavier. Their debut album, Forest of Equilibrium, is considered a classic of the genre. They later on changed their doom style,...
, on which Greening was replaced by Justin Greaves (of Iron Monkey
Iron Monkey (band)
Iron Monkey was a sludge metal band that formed in Nottingham, England in 1994. The original members were Justin Greaves , Johnny Morrow , Jim Rushby , Steve Watson and Doug Dalziel...
). In April 2003 Greening and Bagshaw left the band to form Ramesses
Ramesses (band)
Ramesses is a sludge/doom metal band from Dorset, England, featuring ex-members of Electric Wizard.-Biography:Ramesses was formed in February 2003 by Tim Bagshaw and Mark Greening with Adam Richardson formerly of Lord of Putrefaction, Spirmyard, and Hexed...
.
Line up Changes & We Live (2003-2006)
In August 2003, Oborn revealed Electric Wizard's new line-up – drummer Greaves, second-guitarist Liz Buckingham (of 13 and SourveinSourvein
Sourvein is a sludge/doom metal band that formed in Cape Fear, North Carolina during the year 1993. The band has released three full length albums and one EP.-Discography:*Split with Buzzoven...
), and bassist Rob Al-Issa. This new lineup recorded We Live
We Live
We Live is the fifth album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard, and the first recorded with the band's second line-up. Due to the addition of second guitarist Liz Buckingham, the songs are more complex than their previous work....
in 2004, which featured a similar sound to Let Us Prey, but with a much "tighter" style. The general response from critics and fans has been mixed. The band toured England and Australia in support of the album, also playing a show at the 2005 Roadburn Festival. Greaves left the band in 2006 and was replaced by Shaun Rutter.
Witchcult Today & More Line up Changes (2007-2009)
In November 2007, Electric Wizard released Witchcult TodayWitchcult Today
Witchcult Today is the sixth album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It was recorded entirely on vintage 1970s equipment at Toe Rag Studios and was released in November 2007. The sound of Witchcult Today was less harsh than preceding albums and Jus Oborn's vocals are much more prominent...
. It was recorded entirely using vintage audio equipment from the 1970s. In 2008 bassist Rob Al-Issa left the band and was replaced by Tas Danazoglou. Witchcult Today has earned the band its most favourable reception since 2000.
Black Masses & Future (2010-Present)
In November 2010, Electric Wizard released their latest album: Black MassesBlack Masses
Black Masses is an album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It is the band's seventh album and first with bassist Tas Danazoglou. It was released on 1 November 2010...
. In support of the new album; the band played a small tour starting around Halloween with Moss
Moss (band)
Moss is a three-piece English doom metal band that formed in 2000. Influenced by H. P. Lovecraft and the occult, songs usually average the 20 minute mark and incorporate dense and otherworldly atmospheres...
as a supporting band. Its expected that more dates will be added in 2011.
According to the October issue of Decibel magazine, Electric Wizard have begun working on their new album, expected in 2012.
Electric Wizard will be playing their first U.S. show in ten years at the 2012 edition of Maryland Deathfest
Maryland Deathfest
Maryland Deathfest is an annual extreme music festival held in or near Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The festival mostly features death metal and grindcore bands. It has always occurred during Memorial Day weekend each year....
Members
Current- Jus ObornJus ObornJustin "Jus" Oborn is the lead vocalist, lead electric guitarist and lyricist of Electric Wizard, an influential doom metal/stoner metal band from Dorset, England...
– lead vocals, guitars (since 1993) - Liz Buckingham – guitars (since 2003)
- Tas Danazoglou – bass (2008-2011)
- Shaun Rutter – drums, percussion (2006-2011)
Former
- Tim Bagshaw – bass (1993–2003)
- Mark Greening – drums, percussion (1993–2003)
- Justin Greaves – drums, percussion (2003–2006)
- Rob Al-Issa – bass (2003–2008)
Discography
- Electric WizardElectric Wizard (album)Electric Wizard is the debut album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It was released during 1995 through Rise Above Records. The music is in the style of traditional doom metal with some stoner metal traits. The album cover depicts a woman riding a winged seahorse across a psychedelic ocean...
(1995) - Come My Fanatics...Come My Fanatics...Come My Fanatics... is the second album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It was released in 1997, and is widely viewed as a landmark in the history of the doom metal genre...
(1997) - DopethroneDopethroneDopethrone is the third full-length album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It was released in 2000 through Rise Above Records and re-released by the same label in 2004 and 2007 with an extra song....
(2000) - Let Us PreyLet Us PreyLet Us Prey is the fourth album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It was released through Rise Above Records in 2002, and was the last album to feature Electric Wizard's original line-up....
(2002) - We LiveWe LiveWe Live is the fifth album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard, and the first recorded with the band's second line-up. Due to the addition of second guitarist Liz Buckingham, the songs are more complex than their previous work....
(2004) - Witchcult TodayWitchcult TodayWitchcult Today is the sixth album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It was recorded entirely on vintage 1970s equipment at Toe Rag Studios and was released in November 2007. The sound of Witchcult Today was less harsh than preceding albums and Jus Oborn's vocals are much more prominent...
(2007) - Black MassesBlack MassesBlack Masses is an album by the doom metal band Electric Wizard. It is the band's seventh album and first with bassist Tas Danazoglou. It was released on 1 November 2010...
(2010)
External links
- Electric Wizard biography at Rise Above RecordsRise Above RecordsRise Above Records is a London, England based independent record label owned by Lee Dorrian . It is named after a Napalm Death song from their EP Mentally Murdered. It was formed in the late 1980s and originally made to sell live releases by Napalm Death and S.O.B., but by 1991 had changed to cater...
- [ Electric Wizard] at Allmusic
- Electric Wizard biography on MusicMight
- Electric Wizard/Pod People Australian Tour Diary
- Electric Wizard - Interview with Justin Oborn
- Electric Wizard - Mindless worship of the riff
- Electric Wizard Interview with Prefix Magazine