Necromandus ~ Orexis of Death (recorded 1973, released 1999)
UK Hard Rock, Prog Rock, Blues Rock, Heavy Metal
Rise Above Records
Members:
Barry “Baz” Dunnery - lead guitar
Dennis McCarten - bass
Frank Hall - drums
Bill Branch - vocals
I’m going to take a deep dive into this album. Before you ask….No, it’s not death metal, or even doom metal, as I’ve seen some label it, nor does it have anything to do with death or rotting flesh. However, this band and album is deeply rooted in early heavy metal. I will fully explain in a minute….
The band name was given to these guys by someone in the audience at one of their early radio gigs. They thought, “that’s really cool” and decided to use Necromandus as the band name. Prior to this, they were calling themselves Hot Spring Water and briefly, Taurus.
Orexis of Death is heavily prog influenced with some jazz undertones. They are not as heavy as Black Sabbath, but have slower more complex song structures. A lot of blues influence, too. Very unique for 1973.
Black Sabbath and Necromandus have a history together. Frank Hall saw Tony Iommi and Bill Ward playing at a pub as Mythology (pre Sabbath). Hall’s band at the time, Heaven, later supported a band called Earth, which had Iommi, Ward, Butler, and Ozzy. Not long after this, Earth became Black Sabbath.
By the time Necromandus was ready to record an album, Black Sabbath was well established. Necromandus just wasn’t going anywhere until Tony Iommi got involved with them, and gave them a helping hand by managing them. They toured with Black Sabbath. An album recording deal was arranged with Vertigo Records. The album was recorded then tabled by Vertigo Records in 1973 because Dunnery, primary songwriter, walked out on the band and the band dissolved.
Frank Hall and Ozzy became friends. Hall called Ozzy John, which is his real name. Frank has several John stories, including how he & Ozzy almost started a prog band. Read them if interested……..
The story of Ozzy’s forgotten 1970s “prog rock” solo band
A couple years before he met Randy Rhoads and released Blizzard Of Ozz, Ozzy Osbourne tried to launch a solo career with a different band
More reading on Frank Hall and his connection to Ozzy, Iommi, Phil Lynott, John Bonham (who gave him a drum kit), Keith Moon, and others…..
Necromandus were earmarked as the next Black Sabbath... by Black Sabbath themselves
They had a genius guitarist, Sabbath’s blessing and Tony Iommi as manager. So how did it all go so wrong for Necromandus?
finally, the music of Necromandus! Excellent album…..
The proggy side of the album, Gypsy Dancer
The heavier more metal song, A Black Solitude
Tony Iommi contributed guitar on the title track, Orexis of Death
Full Album
