Ramesses

RAMESSES’ original and devastating sound embodies torrential riffing, freeform psychedelic jams and enigmatic spells. Emerging from the murky forests of Dorset, England, this three piece formed in 2003 when ex-Electric Wizard drummer Mark Greening and guitarist Tim Bagshaw hooked up with Adam Richardson (bass + vox), formerly of Lord of Putrefaction, Spirmyard, and Hexed.

Within 24 hours of being holed up at London's Fortress Studios in August 2003, the band had recorded 4 tracks. Limited demo versions of ‘Ramesses II’ and ‘Master Your Demons’ were pressed on CD and vinyl in Europe and the USA. Promo videos were also produced, with the short for ‘Ramesses II’ getting multiple airplays on MTV Brasil and featuring in the Doomed Nation DVD magazine.

Legendary producer Billy Anderson re-mixed all 4 tracks for Ramesses’ acclaimed debut EP ‘We Will Lead You to Glorious Times’ released on This Dark Reign Records in January 2005. On the back of this, the band hit the road to play spleen rupturing shows across the UK and Europe, mustering a legion of dedicated fans, reams of rave reviews in the major metal press as well as features in Metal Maniacs and Terrorizer(x2). Ramesses have also been play-listed on radio stations in over 30 countries including Total Rock, KNAC and Resonance FM.

Halloween 2004 saw the band entering State of Art studios in Bristol and teaming up with Billy Anderson again to lay down ‘The Tomb’ EP, and their first full-length album (working title 'Misanthropic Alchemy' - yet to be released). ‘The Tomb’ was released in August 2005 on Geoff Barrow’s (of Portishead) label Invada. ‘The Tomb’ is February's Record of the Month at: http://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/albumofthemonth/1475

Ramesses kicked off 2006 playing with Julian Cope (Lord Yatesbury) at Bournemouth's Opera House on February 15th, to over 500 hundred of their local peers, and they have recently returned from a very successful headlining UK tour in April 2006. Kerrang Magazine was present at the Nottingham show and the following KKKK review was published on May 27 2006: "Ramesses' is more of a drawn-out, fucked-up trio than a bar fight, although that doesn't stop Mark Greening pounding his skins so hard he has to be taken out of the PA and bassist Adam Richardson has to move onto the floor to get away from his rhythmic thunder. And even then, his battery is still louder than the rest of their primeval, psychedelic sludge. Given how formless and plodding such fare can sound, it's awesome how exhilarating Ramesses make it, even when they're going slower than a pensioner in a Skoda, dragging the listener through black, musical hell. Whether you like it or not is irrelevant, when it's this powerful, you'll feel something, be it complete revulsion or macabre joy." (by Nick Ruskell). In its August 2006 issue, Metal Hammer (UK) magazine reviewed the last gig of the tour, the sold out London show: "You can now safely drop the 'ex-Electric Wizard description as they have established their own identity as a great British post-doom band. The reverberations are still rumbling in our skulls long after they have left the stage. It's a night to be pissed or wrecked or otherwise out of it: and even if you are the only person in the place sipping Diet Coke, you leave staggering under the influence of a potent contact high, vaguely aware that you've just seen one of the gigs of the year." (Tommy Udo, 7/10)

A very special performance at the stunning Colchester Arts Centre on 06/06/06 was filmed and Ramesses plan to release a DVD with lots of unseen live footage, gathered over the last 3 years.

Ramesses covered Eyehategod's 'Lack of Almost Everything', for a tribute CD release on Emetic Records, in February 2007. It was an honour for the band to represent the UK on this disc.

'Misanthropic Alchemy' is the title of their debut album, which was released in Europe in June 2007, via FETO Records. FETO is a new UK label owned by Mick Kenney (Mistress /Anaal Nathrakh / Exploder) and Shane Embury (Napalm Death / Lock Up / Brujeria). A limited edition double DLP is being released in 2008 on upcoming Spanish label Mantricum Records. Here are some reviews for 'Misanthropic Alchemy':

"We dream of Electric Wizard! We miss the original line-up each day and bless the day that the older albums just saw a new vinyl release. Ramesses will always be the band that has two thirds of Electric Wizard in them. That omen is branded in their foreheads and is still fuming. Tim Bragshaw and Mark Greening are the strongest set of rhythm in heavy doom circles.

With monster guitarist Adam Richardson, Ramesses have now entered a pathway so strangely, yet beautiful with their debut 'Misanthropic Alchemy' that they do not need their back-catalogue anymore nor any comparison with one of the other Doom Gods of glorious past. They stand firm on their own feet. 'Misanthropic Alchemy' is a stunning release and I cannot help myself smiling of joy that this is still possible : to surprise me in this genre. Ramesses plays like they are walking through meters of mud, they shout down all the angels or move as liquid as maple syrup. Sometimes sweet as honey, sometime green as diarrhoea. Sometimes fast, sometimes immensely powerful, sometimes dead slow. Nevertheless each time the satin gloves of Billy Anderson put the effort on tape. We dream of Ramesses now! This will be a top ten release of 2007 for me. They deserve it!" 92/100 Erik / Lords of Metal (NL)

"Black Metal Magic at its Most Inaudible - You know you've got proper black metal when it sounds like someone shitting into a cement mixer while screaming down a traffic cone. Sonically speaking, this full-length debut from Dorset's Ramesses (featuring ex-Electric Wizard man Mark Greening) is a disaster, making even 'St. Anger' sound like a symphony. Drums clatter like bin lids while the guitars screech like rusty hedge trimmers doing battle with a dozen randy badgers. But it is exactly these factors that make it such a shit-kicking experience. This is a genre that's always been known, loved and just as often hated for such raw and abrasive mannerisms, and there's enough terryfing racket in these 50-odd minutes to drawn out any competition. KKKK - Ryan Bird / Kerrang (UK).


RAMESSES completed an 18 date european tour in September 2007, playing packed shows in France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, and the UK with the last date being a sold out gig at The Barfly in London.

In early 2008 Ramesses were invited to play Inferno Festival in Oslo, Norway, and Roadburn Festival, in Tilburg, Holland - both sold out events. They also did a mini UK tour in March, with support from Norwegian band Obliteration. The last gig of the spring/summer was a FETO Records showcase gig at The Underworld in London. The band spent the summer deciding on studio, engineer, and which tracks to record, finally setting the initial recording date for August 2008.

'Take the Curse' is the title of their second album and it is scheduled to be released on FETO Records on March 30th 2009. Double LP very limited edition releases for both 'Misanthropic Alchemy' and 'Take the Curse' are scheduled for December 2008, and February 2009. Spanish label Mantricum Records will be pressing only 300 copies of each. Ramesses have also recorded a track titled 'The Glorious Dead' for a limited 10 inch split with Unearthly Trance, to be released on February 2009 on Manchester label Future Noise Recrodings.

Ramesses performed tracks from 'Take the Curse' live for the first time at Hokaben Festival, November 8th 2008. This gig was followed by a headlining show at Cambridge's Man on the Moon on November 15th. The band then played a very packed Rock Sound stage at Damnation Festival in Leeds on November 22nd, and Liverpool at Korova Bar supporting Grief on November 23rd.

Ramesses are doing a 16 date european tour with Unearthly Trance in April 2009, to coincide with the release of their second album 'Take the Curse'.