Blackstar (post-Carcass)... any information, anybody?

[King Fear]

I'm listening a lot to Blackstar's "Barbed Wire Soul" album (Peaceville '97) recently. Musically, try to imagine the logically next step from Carcass - "Swansong" onwards and you're pretty close - and that's no wonder, since they consist of 3/4 of the last Carcass lineup plus an ex-Cathedral guitarist. It simply fuckin' rocks!

The question is, does anybody have any further info on the band, if they still exist, or if they released anything else? I know that they released two cover versions on the "Peaceville X" sampler, but seemingly nobody heard of them again after that. Any information on especially Jeff Walker's whereabouts would be appreciated.

 

[Carbonized]

Blackstar was formed after the demise of Carcass, with their one album, Barbed Wire Soul, continuing in the vein of Carcass' Swansong (i.e. away from the grindcore of that band's early works). In some areas the album has been released under the band name Blackstar Rising, presumably for legal reasons and apparently without the knowledge of the band itself (versions of the album can be found under both names). Drummer Ken Owen fell victim to a brain tumor during recordings for a second album, and with him unable to continue, the band folded. Owen has since been reported as getting better. No Further info is available on the whereabouts of Jeff Walker is or what's he's been involved with.

 

[Ol' Dirty Bastard]

http://www.earache.com/news_stories/carcass.html

 

[King Fear]

Thanks for the link!

 

[Edgecrusher]

Blackstar was formed after the demise of Carcass, with their one album, Barbed Wire Soul, continuing in the vein of Carcass' Swansong (i.e. away from the grindcore of that band's early works). In some areas the album has been released under the band name Blackstar Rising, presumably for legal reasons and apparently without the knowledge of the band itself (versions of the album can be found under both names). Drummer Ken Owen fell victim to a brain tumor during recordings for a second album, and with him unable to continue, the band folded. Owen has since been reported as getting better.

Thank you, BNR Metal Pages!

 

[Carbonized]

 

[Ian Christe]

I haven't heard it, but there's also the ex-Carcass project Firebird.

Or you can just listen to Exhumed.