Freedom to Music
Posts tagged Necromandus
Necromandus – Necrothology (1971-73) (@256)
14 Jul 2010
(Review from alexgitlin.com)
“Necrothology” features extended and alternate versions of songs from the Morgan Studios sessions together with some otherwise unavailable tracks, a very rare live number from 1971 and a special tribute song.
Line-up:
- Barry Dunnery / guitar
- Frank Hall / drums
- Dennis McCarten / bass
- Bill Branch / vocals
Track List:
01. Intro – 1:08
02. Curly Sea Slug – 6:12
03. Nightjar – 4:58
04. Orexis of Death – 4:54
05. I’ve Been Evil – 6:21
06. A Black Solitude – 4:28
07. Still Born Beauty – 4:06
08. Gypsy Dancer – 6:51
09. Homicidal Psychopath – 3:24
10. Orexis of Death – 4:29
11. Mogidisimo – 1:19
12. Nightjar – 5:23
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Necromandus – Live (1973) (@256)
13 Jul 2010
(Review from recordhaven.net)
This is a recording made at one of the band’s gigs in Blackpool, on March 30th, 1973.
This complete concert is dark and powerful as you’d expect with amazing lead guitar wizardry . A sombre trademark of this highly regarded downer-rock quartet. The mild banter between songs is so humble, yet the music is so killer.
Also notable are two songs performed here that were intended for a never-realised second album.
Line-up:
- Barry Dunnery / guitar
- Frank Hall / drums
- Dennis McCarten / bass
- Bill Branch / vocals
Track List:
01. Judy Green Rocket – 3:54
02. Still Born Beauty – 4:19
03. Homicidal Psychopath – 3:26
04. Gypsy Dancer – 9:56
05. Limpet Man – 6:02
06. A Black Solitude – 4:41
07. Orexis of Death – 4:17
08. Nightjar – 4:40
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Necromandus – Orexis of Death (1973) (@256)
12 Jul 2010
(Review from rockofages, alexgitlin.com)
One of the more obscure but interesting stories in early 70s British rock is that of Cumbrian band Necromandus. As early associates of Black Sabbath; the band were taken under the wing of Tony Iommi, who subsequently acted as the band’s mentor and producer as the band assembled tracks for their debut album.
A short acoustic piece entitled “Mogidissimo Pt. 1″ gives way quickly to the first song proper, the excellent “Nightjar”. A rollicking, riffing piece of pure early 70s progressive blues rock it quickly dispels any thoughts that Necromandus are mere Sabbath copyists as this is more akin to Wishbone Ash or Uriah Heep.
“Still Born Beauty”, the A side closer, is another excellent track that proves that even lacking the wall of sound Sabbath could boast they did possess the dark subject matter and just dressed it differently and with a lot more subtlety.
Gypsy Dancer is again a drawn out progressive rock workout that draws on folk and jazz influences at times but allows for some guitar wizardry.
Title track Orexis Of Death is another fine rocker and the vocals of Bill Branch are more enhanced here to great benefit. However once again it’s the guitar work that steals the attention. Dunnery alternates between intricacy and intensity and is joined for some subtle jazz-rock soloing by Tony Iommi himself.
The slow, sparsely instrumented introduction to “I’ve Been Evil” is heavy enough to at last see some real comparison to Black Sabbath themselves until a suitably demonic final swirl ultimately gives way to a final return of the Satanic music-box sound of Mogidissimo Pt.2 that closes the album.
The album was shelved and not released at the time, this event being a key to the band’s disintegration.
This edition of the album includes two versions of the band’s 1972 doomy, riff-laden “Judy Green Rocket” as a bonus.
Line-up:
- Barry Dunnery / guitar
- Frank Hall / drums
- Dennis McCarten / bass
- Bill Branch / vocals
Track List:
01. Judy Green Rocket (Bonus Demo) – 3:39
02. Mogidisimo – 0:31
03. Nightjar – 4:14
04. A Black Solitude – 4:32
05. Homicidal Psychopath – 3:24
06. Still Born Beauty – 4:07
07. Gypsy Dancer – 6:53
08. Orexis of Death – 4:30
09. Mogidisimo (Reprise) – 1:16
10. Judy Green Rocket (Bonus Live) – 3:34
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