Electric Wizard

Infobox musical artist
Name = Electric Wizard


Img_capt =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Dorset, England
Years_active = 1993-present
Label = Rise Above
Associated_acts = Ramesses, Sourvein, 13, Iron Monkey, Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine
Current_members = Jus Oborn
Liz Buckingham
Tas
Shaun Rutter
Past_members = Tim Bagshaw
Mark Greening
Justin Greaves
Rob Al-Issa

Electric Wizard are a doom metal band from Dorset, England that formed in 1993. The band have since recorded six albums, two of which are now considered to be landmarks of their genre: "Come My Fanatics..." and "Dopethrone". [cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:dpfyxqwkldse |title= Come My Fanatics... Review |accessdate=2008-02-03 |work=allmusic |last= Rivadavia |first= Ed |quote= Essential doom ] cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:h9fwxq90ldke |title= Dopethrone Review |accessdate=2008-02-03 |work=allmusic |last= Rivadavia |first= Ed |quote= with Dopethrone, Electric Wizard has raised the bar for doom metal achievement in the new millennium ] 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 Jus Oborn the only founding member who remains.

History

Electric Wizard began in Dorset, England during 1993, when guitarist Jus Oborn left the band Eternal/Thy Grief Eternal and joined with bassist Tim Bagshaw and drummer Mark Greening.

In 1995 the band signed to Rise Above Records and released their self-titled debut album, "Electric Wizard". [http://www.rockdetector.com/officialbio,2886.sm Electric Wizard biography] at Rockdetector] 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). In 1997 the band recorded and released, "Come My Fanatics...", an album which has 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.

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 marijuana possession, Greening was arrested for assaulting a police officer, and Bagshaw served a sentence for robbery.Fact|date=May 2008 Health problems also plagued the band – Oborn suffered a collapsed eardrum during a concert, and later severed a fingertip in a domestic accident. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:3bfoxqthldde~T1 Electric Wizard biography] at Allmusic] Greening also broke his collarbone in a motorcycle accident.Fact|date=May 2008 During this time the band released the "Supercoven" EP on Bad Acid Records.

After recovering from their complications, Electric Wizard finally recorded and released a third album, "Dopethrone", in 2000. This album expanded upon themes from "Come My Fanatics..." and pushed doom metal into unknown territories. Their next album, entitled "Let Us Prey", 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 American 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.

In August 2003, Oborn revealed Electric Wizard's new line-up – drummer Greaves, second-guitarist Liz Buckingham (of 13 and Sourvein), 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. Greaves left the band in 2006 and was replaced by Shaun Rutter. In November 2007, Electric Wizard released their most recent album, entitled "Witchcult Today". It was recorded entirely using vintage audio equipment from the 1970s. [http://www.riseaboverecords.com/bandpages.asp?band=ewiz Electric Wizard biography at Rise Above Records] ] "Witchcult Today" has earned the band its most favourable reception since 2000.

Members

Current members

*Jus Oborn – vocals, electric guitar, lyrics
*Liz Buckingham – electric guitar (2003-present)
*Tas - bass guitar (2008-present)
*Shaun Rutter – drums (2006-present)

Past members

*Rob Al-Issa – bass guitar (2003-2008)
*Tim Bagshaw – bass guitar (now in Ramesses) (1993-2003)
*Mark Greening – drums (now in Ramesses) (1993-2003)
*Justin Greaves – drums (former member of Iron Monkey, Borknagar, Hard to Swallow, Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine; current member of Crippled Black Phoenix) (2003-2006)

Discography

tudio albums

EPs

Compilations

*1999 – "Come My Fanatics.../Electric Wizard" (Rise Above)
*2006 – "Pre-Electric Wizard 1989-1994" (Rise Above)

References

External links

* [http://www.riseaboverecords.com/artists/riseabove/electric_wizard/ Electric Wizard biography] at Rise Above Records
* [http://www.myspace.com/electricwizarddorsetdoom Electric Wizard] at MySpace
* [http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=407 Electric Wizard] at Encyclopaedia Metallum
* [http://wc02.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:3bfoxqthldde~T1 Electric Wizard] at Allmusic
* [http://www.rockdetector.com/officialbio,2886.sm Electric Wizard biography on Rockdetector]
* [http://www.stonerrock.com/podpeople/podwiztour2005/default.htm Electric Wizard/Pod People Australian Tour Diary]
* [http://groundcontrolmag.com/detail/1/847/ Electric Wizard - Interview with Justin Oborn]