Pre-Electric Wizard 1989-1994

Pre-Electric Wizard 1989-1994
Album cover for the project.
Compilation album by various
Released	2006
Recorded	January 10, 1990 (Lord of Putrefaction) October 26 & 27, 1991 (Thy Grief Eternal) 1992 (Eternal)
Genre(s)	Death Metal, Black Metal, Doom/Death, Doom Metal
Length	73:26
Label	Rise Above Records

Pre-Electric Wizard 1989 - 1994 was a compilation release put together by Rise Above Records in 2006, featuring three of Jus Oborn's bands predating Electric Wizard.

Background

In late 2005/early 2006, Rise Above Records announced a re-issue campaign of all of Electric Wizard's studio albums to that point with bonus tracks and re-mastering. Along with this was this compilation, featuring output from Jus Oborn's previous projects before the band had been formed.

The Bands

Eternal was a doom metal band in similar form to Electric Wizard with their demo Lucifer's Children intended to be released on Rise Above but ultimately prevented by the band's dissolution. Thy Grief Eternal was a doom/death band in the vein of bands like Winter and Paradise Lost with their demo ...on Blackened Wings being their only recordings. Lord of Putrefaction was a death/doom band with some songs sounding closer to death metal or black metal than doom metal. Their demo Wings Over a Black Funeral (Later released as a split with Mortal Remains) rounds out the final tracks of this compilation. In the case of each band, the name changes started when bands members quit.

Magickal Childe uses a sample from the film Living Dead At The Manchester Morgue (1974), directed by Jorge Grau. This same sample would open Wizard in Black on the Electric Wizard album Come My Fanatics.... Chrono.Naut would be re-recorded by Electric Wizard for it's own EP in 1997.

Some materials by the band was not included on the compilation, such as a July 1992 rehearsal by Eternal and at least two Lord of Putrefaction tapes (A Rehearsal Demo made in 1990 and the Necromantic demo recorded in 1989.).

Lucifer's Children and On Blackened Wings would be released as their own vinyl releases in 2006. The first seven songs (along with two unknown jams) were given out on a CD by The Music Cartel during the late 1990s to promote Electric Wizard.

History

NOTE: this is the history as it appears in the booklet for the release.

This CD traces the origins of one of the most important bands to evolve from the UK heavy underground, Electric Wizard. Initially formed in the unlikely setting of Wimborne, Dorset the first known incarnation to feature Electric Wizard main man, Justin Oborn went under the moniker, Lord of Putrefaction. Inspired by the popular bands of the time; Carcass, Celtic Frost, Slayer, Bolt Thrower, Napalm Death etc. the band members also had deep rooted connections in the underground tape trading scene. Following the recording of their 1989 demo, Necromantic, word about the band spread internationally. Then followed the release of the band's one and only vinyl venture, which came in the form of a self produced split album with Mortal Remains on Nuclear Gore Records. This was the label founded by bassist Dave Gedge, who also ran a magazine of the same name. He remained a key member of the various bands leading up to the formation of Electric Wizard and later went on to publish his own magazine & record label, Bad Acid. The recording from that split has now been remastered for inclusion here, with original copies now being extremely hard to find. Following the recording of the Split, a notable change was beginning to occur in the band's musical approach. They began to play a lot slower, displaying obvious influences from cult bands such as Winter and Melvins. This had been noted by friend Lee Dorrian who used to write to various members of the band. He heard a rehearsal tape from that time and became interested in working with them on his label, Rise Above Records. This would become the start of a working relationship which has survived until the present day. By June 1991, after a couple of line-up changes the band had decided to change their name to the more morose sounding Thy Grief Eternal. After playing a show with Cathedral at London’s prestigious Marquee Club, Dorrian paid for them to go into the studio to record some tracks (included here) for initial inclusion on the second instalment of Doom Metal compilation, Dark Passages. Due to timing problems, this didn't happen. The alternative idea was to put out the recording as a 12" EP, an idea which was rejected by the label’s distributors in favour of waiting for a full-length album, which never saw the light of day. One of the main reasons for this was due to the band's ever developing sound and by 1993 they had again changed their name to the abbreviated & less deathly sounding Eternal. By now the band was displaying a much more 70's inspired Doom sound and after more key London shows with Cathedral they began to headline shows alongside up and coming new UK Doom bands such as Solstice & Mourn. In the summer of 93 the band recorded their now legendary demo, featured on this CD, which again was initially intended for a vinyl release. This line up didn’t last too long after the recording was made mainly due to the fact that long time bassist and associate, Dave Gedge moved to Sherborne. Meanwhile, Justin already had other plans and started to work on a project called Doom Chapter, with new accomplices Mark Greening & Tim Bagshaw. This line up would, of course later become better known as Electric Wizard.

Tracklist

• 1. Eternal - Magickal Childe (6:02)
• 2. Eternal - Electric Funeral (Black Sabbath) (4:29)
• 3. Eternal - Lucifer's Children (9:47)
• 4. Eternal - Chrono.Naut (Phase I - IV) (16:01)
• 5. Thy Grief Eternal - Swathed in Black (6:59)
• 6. Thy Grief Eternal - On Blackened Wings (8:59)
• 7. Thy Grief Eternal - Outro (1:22)
• 8. Lord of Putrefaction - Descent (3:48)
• 9. Lord of Putrefaction - Wings Over a Black Funeral (4:47)
• 10. Lord of Putrefaction - At The Cemetary Gates (6:05)
• 11. Lord of Putrefaction - Dark Prayers (5:07)

Bands

Eternal

• Dave Gedge - Bass
• Gareth Brunsdon - Drums
• Gavin Gillingham - Guitars
• Jus Oborn - Guitars, Vocals

Thy Grief Eternal

• Dave Gedge - Bass
• James Evans - Drums
• Gavin Gillingham - Guitars
• Jus Oborn - Vocals, Guitars

Lord of Putrefaction

• Dave Gedge - Bass
• James Evans - Drums
• Adam Richardson - Guitars, Backing Vocals
• Jus G. Warrior - Vocals, Guitars