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Biographie
Rising from the ashes of former band Lord of Putrefaction- Justin Osborn (lead guitar, vocal), Tim Bagshaw (bass) and Mark Greening (drums) came together in 1993. Taking inspiration from two Black Sabbath tracks “Electric Funeral” and “The Wizard” and compounding the titles, the trio had found the their new name and thus Electric Wizard was born. Their debut track “Demon Lung” was released later that year as a split single alongside Our Haunted Kingdom (who would later be known as Orange Goblin).
In 1995 the trio signed London based independent label Rise Above Records where they released their debut self-titled album the following year. Falling comfortably into the doom metal genre, the band were able to make quite an impression with critics as they praised the fine quality of stoner metal showing incredible promise.
By the time the band had released their follow up album “Come My Fanatics” in 1997, their sound had greatly evolved incorporating more elements of grunge which assisted in creating Electric Wizard’s distinctive sound. The album not only showcased their new and improved sound but also acted as a defining moment in the band’s career as the album featured at number 37 in Terrorizer magazine’s top 50 definitive doom albums list.
After the release of the album, the band would find them plagued by a series of unfortunate events with everything ranging from: broken limbs, burst eardrums to various legal issues and battles. Despite these seemingly major setbacks, the band appeared unaffected as they released the “Supercoven” EP in 1998 followed the musical masterpiece “Dopethrone” in 2000. As a pivotal album in the doom metal genre with more intricate and aggressive tones and rhythms, Electric Wizard had carved their name in stone resulting in Terrorizer magazine naming it as Album of the Century.
In 2002, Electric Wizard released their fourth album “Let Us Prey” and on their North American tour to support its release, tension grew between band members which led them to announce their forthcoming split. However despite releasing the statement regarding the split, the band continued and parted ways with Greening and Bagshaw in 2003 who went on to form the band Ramesses. In their place, Electric Wizard welcomed Justin Greaves, Rob Al-Issa and Liz Buckingham to the line-up.
The band continued to tour the album in Australia and England releasing the album “We Live” in 2004. Electric Wizard’s sixth studio album “Witchcult Today” released in 2007 saw the band achieve similar success to the critically acclaimed “Dopethrone”. Using only vintage 70’s recording equipment the album featured the 11 minute instrumental "Black Magic Rituals & Perversions” taking audiences on a soundscape journey of varying elements of metal as the band really showcased their innate ability to create monumental and earth-shattering rhythms.
With a few more replacements along the way, the band line-up in 2014 included original member Jus Obsorn with Liz Buckingham, Clayton Burgess and Simon Poole as they released their eighth album “Time To Die” produced by Osborn.
In their lengthy career, the band have played festivals such as Roadburn, Roskilde, Reverence, Hellfest and Damnation providing their definitive infusion of grunge and doom metal and reaffirming their stature as an instrumental band in the genre’s development.
Avis
I've been an Electric Wizard fan for about 15 years and have never had the opportunity to see them live. In fact, knowing they had played Maryland Deathfest X a few years back, before I starting attending it, had me gritting my teeth in frustration at missing the spectacle. So learning of this tour was a big deal, to say the least.
I was also already a fan of opening act Satan's Satyrs so that was just pungent icing on the rotten black cake. SS put on a great show, are very lively on stage, and played for nearly an hour! Can't remember the last time I saw an opening band do that, if ever. Additionally, bassist/vocalist Clayton Burgess is now also the bassist for Electric Wizard, so for him to be enthusiastic and giving his all when he was about to play another full, even longer, set was commendable.
Just before the lights dimmed for the main event, a smoke machine started to pour on the atmosphere. Then darkness came along with the pulsing portion of "Crypt of Drugula" used as an intro. As the band took the stage, my anticipation was high to say the least. I was hoping for thunderous, floor-rumbling, chest-thumping DOOM in a league of its own.
Unfortunately I did not get it. Not at first, anyway. "Witchcult Today" and "Black Mass" are fine songs but are very different from the suffocating dirge of the Dopethrone material, the band's best. Likewise, these songs didn't bring the heaviness live. "Satanic Rites of Drugula" got a little closer, and "Dopethrone" closer still (though it should have been massive). Finally when "Return Trip" arrived, everything changed for the better.
"Return Trip" is a crushing track on record, and thankfully the band pulled it off live. Enormous, smothering riffs flattened the crowd and this song was the highlight of the show for sure. Moreover, it was as if this song unlocked great sound for the rest of the performance. Leaping forward to newer tracks "Incense for the Damned" and "Time to Die," these too sounded heavier than the first few songs of the set, and "The Chosen Few" followed suit. Soundboard and band were in synch now and glorious riff destruction followed.
"Funeralopolis" is arguably the best song the band have ever penned and it was fittingly used as a closer. The crowd had been relatively tame up this point, lulled by trudging doom, but as the "fast" section of this song erupted, a pit broke out as attendees became frenzied.
One other notable aspect of the show were the "visual aids." On a large screen behind the band were projected clips of campy '70s horror flicks with lots of naked woman, skulls, Satanic rituals, and the like. In other words, the classic schtick which is all part of the Electric Wizard motif.
The 'Wizard didn't fully bring the punishing, filthy, blown-out heaviness I was really hoping for, but they did put on a damn fine show that I would recommend to any doomster. You just don't get many opportunities to see these doom stalwarts.
rick-sadowsky
Currently, the first result that comes up when you put Electric Wizard Live into Youtube is of the Dorset based Doom metallers pummelling the living out of a song called Satanic Rites of Drugula. This song title basically sums up everything about the band on record, containing as it does references to Satanism, horror iconography and illicit substances in four words and a handy pun. The video, on the other hand, shows you what to expect from an Electric Wizard concert, which is quite a lot simpler. Expect riffs. Riffs upon riffs backed up with a few more riffs before exploding into even more disgustingly heavy riffs. The four piece are led by Jus Oborn, a man who can quite easily and accurately claim to *be* Electric Wizard. Live, their business is to taking the sound and aesthetic of early Sabbath records and somehow drawing even more malevolence out of it by slowing the whole thing down by more than a few bpm. It’s the kind of loud that you feel, rather than hear, and it’s downright evil at points. Not in the Marilyn Manson style face paint and bondage gear way, you understand, it’s more primal than that. This is the kind of music where the very structure of it repels as much as it fascinates, and as good as it gets on record, it’s an utterly unmissable live spectacle for anyone with a fascination with the dark side of rock ‘n’ roll.
william-howard-2
Electric Wizard is one of the most exciting and heaviest alternative/rock/metal bands in UK. Until last moment I dond't know will I make it to see doom metal gods in The Ritz. About venue, this is one of two best places to watch any band in Manchester, the other one is o2 Apollo. Unfortunately, because I was there really late I missed all supports. What I can say about Electric Wizard? In their music is definitely more coven than drugs these days. I will not say it's bad, because it's not, I think their show was exciting, despising playlist. Their setlist made this gig one big, heavy as hell show! Their music flow for over an hour and most of the attenders was stunned. Of course, it was very hard to stop starring at Liz, as usual, but visualizations from musicians favorite movies were catching attention too! New-old drummer was fairly descent, but you can sound a difference between him and mighty Mark Greening! It was my second meeting with Electric Wizard this year and I must say that I can't wait for another one!
zakapior
Always a thrill to see Electric Wizard live! An intense, Earth shattering event fit for an apocalyptical end to the world! I'm still shaking from the deep dark slow rumble of their instruments!
On another note, Midnight was surprisingly great! They need to adjust their vocal mics though so we can hear their singer better. Other than that, great band.
Lastly, Brooklyn Steel needs to post their price list for their libations. It's always sticker shock to buy a drink there as you don't know what you are getting into!
Good stuff!
ortizworks
The Wiltern is a horrible venue for a band like Electric Wizard. After two songs, the venue decided to cut their visuals because they deemed them inappropriate. That kind of censorship is inexcusable and disgusting. We all came out for a metal show, not some PG13 shit. I will never come back to The Wiltern and I hope they get an ass load of bad juju for the shit they're trying to pull.
tkristin3
Show was badass! They were amazing and sounded perfectly sludgey and satanic. I am pregnant and Stoked this was babys first.show! The bouncers.sucked Dick and.wouldn't let anyone mosh or smoke so fuck them. And they only played till 930 cause the venue.turned.into a night club womp womp, but electric wizard was above and beyond
XSTONERWITCHX
Stoner caravan emerge from sandsea
Earthling inserts to chalice the green cutchie
Groundation soul finds trust upon smoking hose
Assembled creedsmen rises prayer-filled smoke
Raise up seer’s holy prophecy
Plants down on upon years of the sun now feeds
Seed of Eden fall on nurtured soil
Onward caravan prepare new bong
willy-avalos
Not much to say about the show other than it was rather dull and uneventful. I flew all the way to Amsterdam from New York to see them as well... At least Harrlem and all of Amsterdam was enough to make my trip there memorable!
EddieOnly
Good show. Once again thanks to crappy PA at Circus (Helsinki) some of the guitars and singing were too quiet to hear. Really awesome visuals. Mostly songs from old albums and Funerapolis at the end was purely fantastic.
vokseli
Electric Wizard is always a great band to see when you can.
A crushing force upon your skull, and your ears will cry in joy. Relentless and unforgiving, just relax and accept the raw power.
filthyhabits
