Dorsetshire Doom mongers Electric Wizard actually started life dubbed Thy Grief Eternal before shortening this to Eternal. Ex Lords Of Putrefaction vocalist Justin Obern fronted the band at this point, also comprising of further Lords Of Putrefaction colleagues bassist Dave Pedge and drummer James Evans. However, following the British pop charts being hit by the female quartet of the same name Eternal felt required to instigate a name change to Electric Wizard.
Under this handle the group has subsequently made their career. The 1998 mini album 'Supercoven', featuring drummer Mark 'Groaning' Greening, was released only by mail order in a limited edition. Another ex-Electric Wizard frontman, Lee Smith, founded fellow Birmingham based Doomsters Sally in the late 90's. The first two records were re-packaged as a singles set for re-release in 1999.
Recording for Electric Wizard's fourth album was severely delayed when Greening fell off a pushbike and damaged his arm. Obern was also hospitalized with alcohol poisoning. Although undertaking another round of North American touring in the summer of 2002, headlining over Sons Of Otis and Unearthly Trance, the band released a press statement stating that their closing gig of this run, at Philadelphia's Khyber Pass venue on June 27th, would be their final show.
However, April of 2003 saw Electric Wizard's long standing rhythm section of bassist Tim Bagshaw and drummer Mark Greening severing ties in order to fo.....