Holocaust

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Holocaust is a progressive heavy metal band based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded in 1977 while still at high school, the original lineup (featuring guitarists John Mortimer and Ed Dudley, vocalist Gary Lettice, bassist Robin Begg and drummer Paul Collins) became part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. After numerous line-up changes due to internal strife, John Mortimer remains the only founding member of Holocaust since "No Man's Land".

After the demise of the original incarnations of the band John Mortimer embarked on less heavy direction with the formation of "Dunedin" With guitarist Fin West and long term drummer Steven Cowan with bassist Graham Hall being recruited from Blues-Rock band "Just the Job".

Despite Dunedin producing some notable material,West left to pursue separate projects leaving Mortimer/Cowan and Hall to revert to a heavier sound.

This lineup of the band produced what is generally regarded as the bands finest recording "The Sound of Souls" which embraced a multitude of musical styles and introduced industrial elements to the bands sound with Cowans electronic percussion playing a significant part in moulding the overall sound. The album was released to massive critical acclaim and has been cited as an influence to countless other rock acts.

Hypnosis of Birds in 1992 was a change in the atmosphere of Holocaust. The songs were more gloomy and the riffs from The Sound of Souls were gone. Spirits Fly is largely in the slower style of Hypnosis of Birds. - - Covenant in 1997 was a return to the thrash metal style of The Sound of Souls. With the return of Graham Hall to bass it is a much faster album with the fast riffs heard in the Sound of Souls.

The Courage to Be and Primal both follow in the steps of Covenant.

Current Lineup

• John Mortimer - guitars/vocals
• John McCullim - guitars
• Bryan Bartley - bass
• Ron Levine - drums.

Classic Lineup

• John Mortimer - Lead Guitar / Vocals
• Graham Hall - Bass Guitar
• Steve Cowan - Acoustic / Electric Drums
• Iain (Macca) McKenzie - Lead Guitar (Brandon)

Discography

Albums

• The Nightcomers (1981)
  • Smokin' valves
  • Death or glory
  • Come on back
  • Mavrock
  • It don't matter to me
  • Cryin' shame
  • Heavy metal mania
  • Push it around
  • The nightcomers
• Live (Hot Curry & Wine) (1983)
  • No nonsense
  • Smokin' valves
  • Long the bell will toll
  • Jirmakenyerut
  • The small hours
  • Forcedown breakdown
  • Heavy metal mania
  • The nightcomers
• No Man's Land (1984)
  • No man's land
  • We will rock and we will roll
  • No time left
  • Let's go
  • On the ropes
  • Satellite city
  • Power play
  • By the waterside
  • Missing; presumed dead
  • Alone
  • Here come the good times
• The Sound Of Souls (1989)
  • This annihilation
  • I smash the void
  • Dance into the vortex
  • Curious
  • Three ways to die
• Hypnosis Of Birds (1992)
  • Into Lebanon
  • The small hours
  • Hypnosis of birds
  • The tower
  • Book of seasons
  • Mercier & Camier
  • Summertides
  • Mortal mother
  • Cairnpapple Hill
  • In the dark places of the earth
  • Caledonia
• Spirits Fly (1996)
  • Into Lebanon
  • The small hours
  • Hypnosis of birds
  • The tower
  • Book of seasons
  • Mercier & Camier
  • Summertides
  • Mortal mother
  • Cairnpapple Hill
  • In the dark places of the earth
  • Caledonia
  • Heavy metal mania
  • Death or glory
  • Master of puppets
• Covenant (1997)
  • Leper's progress
  • Salt heart
  • Return to dust
  • Paradox
  • The Battle Of Soaring Woodhelven
  • Valley Of Megiddo
  • Mount Thunder
  • We shall see him as he is
  • Alexander
  • The infinite
  • Absent friend
• The Courage To Be (2000)
  • The collective
  • A gentleman's penny
  • Farthing
  • Neurosis
  • When Penelope dreams, Pt. 1
  • When Penelope dreams, Pt. 2
  • From the mine shaft to the bike shed
  • Fundamentalist
  • Spanner Omlette
  • Home from home
  • The age of reason
• Primal (2003)
  • Iron will
  • Black box
  • Hell on earth
  • Transcendence
  • Fools
  • Made righteous
  • It's your dream
  • They colonize
  • Colossus
  • Lost horizons

EPs and Singles

• Heavy Metal Mania (1980, 7-inch)
  • Heavy metal mania
  • Only as young as you feel
• Heavy Metal Mania (1980, 12-inch)
  • Heavy metal mania
  • Love's power
  • Only as young as you feel
• Smokin' Valves (1980, 7-inch)
  • Smokin' valves
  • Out my book
• Smokin' Valves (1980, 12-inch)
  • Smokin' valves
  • Friend or foe
  • Out my book
• Live from the Raw, Loud, 'N' Live Tour (1981, 7-inch)
  • Lovin' feelin' danger
  • No nonsense
  • Death or glory
  • Forcedown breakdown
• Comin' Through (1982, 12-inch)
  • Coming through
  • Don't wanna be (a loser)
  • Good thing going
• Heavy Metal Mania '93 (1993, CD)
  • Heavy metal mania
  • Heavy metal mania '93
  • The small hours
  • Death or glory

Compilations

• NWOBHM '79 Revisited (1990)
• Smokin' Valves: The Anthology (2003)
  • Heavy metal Mania
  • Only as young as you feel
  • Death or glory
  • Push it around
  • Mavrock
  • The nightcomers
  • Lovin' feelin' danger (live)
  • Forcedown breakdown (live)
  • Coming through
  • Smokin' valves (live)
  • Long the bell will toll (live)
  • The small hours (live)
  • No man's land
  • We will rock and we will roll
  • Here come the good times
  • Mortal mother
  • The tower
  • Master of puppets
  • Leper's progress
  • Return to dust
  • Mount Thunder
  • We shall see him as he is
  • The collective
  • Fundamentalist
  • Spanner Omlette
  • The age of reason

Videos

• Live from the Raw, Loud, 'N' Live Tour (1981, VHS; 2004, DVD)
  • No nonsense
  • Push it around
  • Death or glory
  • Bridge of impressions
  • Out my book
  • Jirmakenyerut
  • Heavy metal mania
  • The small hours
  • Forcedown breakdown
  • Lovin' feelin' danger
  • Cryin' shame
  • The nightcomers
  • Smokin' valves
  • Long the bell will toll
  • It don't matter to me

Cover versions

• Metallica covered the song The Small Hours on their 1987 EP Garage Days Re-Revisited and their album Garage Inc

• Gamma Ray covered the song Heavy Metal Mania on their 1996 live album Alive '95.

• Six Feet Under covered the song "Death or Glory" from "The Nightcomers" album on their 1997 "Warpath" record.

Trivia

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (March 2008)

• Their current drummer, Ron Levine, is also the webmaster. He was appointed as the drummer when his fan page was brought to the attention of the band.

• Former guitarist Ed Dudley and drummer Raymond Marciano formed a band called Hologram, seeking to go in a more melodic hard rock direction than their prior band. The group released one record, 1983's Steal the Stars.

External links

• Official Site

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