We Live

We Live
Studio album by The Electric Wizard
Released	June 28 2004
Recorded	2004 at Chuckalumba Studios in New Forest, Hampshire, England
Genre	Doom Metal, Psychedelic Doom Metal
Length	54:59 (CD)
Label	Rise Above Records
Producer	Mathias Schneeberger, Jus Oborn
The Electric Wizard chronology
Let Us Prey (2002)	We Live (2004)	Radio 1 Session 1/05 (2006)

We Live is the fifth studio album by the Dorset doom metal band Electric Wizard (Credited on this release as Electric Wizard II and The Electric Wizard.), released in June 2004 via Rise Above Records. Notably it's the first Electric Wizard album since the departure of the original lineup and thus the first to feature longtime second guitarist and writing partner Liz Buckingham. It's also notable for being the only studio album to feature Iron Monkey drummer Justin Greaves as he would depart by the Spring of 2006.

We Live notably also has a cleaner production in comparison to the massive downtuned and fuzzy tones of albums prior and could be seen as a bridging point between the band's original era and their "occult doom" style to come in subsequent albums.

Background

Writing and Recording

After Tim Bagshaw and Mark Greening would leave Electric Wizard in 2002, Jus Oborn would take a short time off and had originally intended to put the band entirely to rest. Initially the plan was to start a new band entirely and talks were of Oborn and Buckingham to start a new band together but ultimately both agreed to re-form Electric Wizard. In an interview with NPR Buckingham would explain he joining the group and their later success:

“	"At the moment I'm pretty proud of what I've done in Electric Wizard. When I joined, the band was in a weird place, kind of limbo. I was bit nervous about what I would bring to the band and would it be accepted. But since then the music I've written, the imagery I've created has really come together and been successful. So I feel pretty proud of it now."	”
	— Liz Buckingham, NPR

In August 2003, vocalist-guitarist Jus Oborn revealed Electric Wizard's new line-up with Buckingham, along with drummer Justin Greaves (Iron Monkey, Varukers, Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine) and former roadie Rob Al-Issa on bass. This new line-up recorded the album in July 2003, just days after Buckingham began rehearsing with the band. As Oborn explained, the addition of Buckingham was crucial given the departure of his previous writing partner, Tim Bagshaw:

“	"(The addition of) Liz was the most important element...because Tim had left the band and we were writing partners so to speak. So when Liz came aboard we were writing partners again. Our styles were very similar. We have the same sort of down-stroke pattern. And since we were writing together, Electric Wizard was happening again. I have to have a writing partner."	”
	— Jus Oborn, Prefix

For this release, Electric Wizard continued to be inspired by horror movies. "Eko Eko Azarak" is the title of the first in a series of Japanese horror movies directed by Shimako Sato, while "Tutti I Colori Del Buio" and "Living Dead at Manchester Morgue" are named after a 1972 Sergio Martino movie and a 1974 Jorge Grau horror movie, respectively. Furthermore, the track "We Live" samples dialog from Don Sharp's 1973 horror film Psychomania. Notably the band are named "The Electric Wizard" on the album cover, and "Electric Wizard II" in the booklet. The booklet also contains the statement: "My enemies, I fear not...but God protect me from my friends". This was likely to distance themselves from the previous era and any association with the previous rhythm section as the animosity between Oborn and his former bandmates was still pretty fresh.

Release and Reception

We Live was initially released on 28 June 2004 via Rise Above Records (Europe) and The Music Cartel (USA), the former also releasing the album as a Purple 2LP. In 2006 We Live would be reissued (as would the other four albums by Electric Wizard up to that point.) and remastered. Along with a CD version featuring "The Living Dead at The Manchester Morgue" a 2LP + 7" edition would see release on 16 January 2006, 500 in Black and 500 in Dark Green. Candlelight Records would get a reissued CD in the United States in 2007.

In 2014 Rise Above Records would once again reissue We Live on vinyl in the following formats: Crystal Clear (100 copies), Solid Gold/Solid Purple Mix (200 copies), Solid Purple (500 copies), Solid Black (500 copies), Solid Gold (500 copies), Transparent Green/Clear/Black Mix (500 copies). A CD reissue via Rise Above would see release in 2017 for Rise Above's US distribution.

The album had been praised by critics, both at the time and retroactively.

Tracklist

NOTE: Tracks D and E are Bonus Tracks. "Tutti I Coloro Del Buio" is exclusive to all vinyl editions while "The Living Dead at The Manchester Morgue" appears on the 2006 vinyl editions and all reissued CD versions.

• A1. Eko Eko Azarak i) Invocation ii) Ritual (10:35)
• A2. We Live (7:46)
• B1. Flower of Evil (a.k.a. "Malfiore") (7:29)
• B2. Another Perfect Day? (7:51)
• C1. The Sun Has Turned To Black (6:16)
• C2. Saturn's Children (15:01)
• D. Tutti I Coloro Del Buio (16:13)
• E. The Living Dead At The Manchester Morgue (4:58)

Personnel

• Jus Oborn - Guitar, Vocals, Producer
• Liz Buckingham - Guitar
• Rob Al-Issa - Bass
• Justin Greaves - Drums
• Mathias Schneeberger - Recording, Producer
• Tim Turan - Mastering
• Anthony J. Roberts - Artwork

External Links

• We Live on Discogs