Lake District Progressive Doom Metal band produced by BLACK SABBATH guitarist TONY IOMMI. Created under the original name of HOT SPRING WATER, the quartet comprised of vocalist Bill Branch, guitarist Barry Dunnery, bass player Dennis McCarten and drummer Frank Hall. A name change to HEAVY HAND, and briefly TAURUS, led eventually to NECROMANDUS, a union of Nostradamus and Necromancy.

The band was spotted playing in the Lake District by Iommi on one of BLACK SABBATH's early tours. NECROMANDUS, upon Iommi's instigation, scored a deal the Birmingham based agency Tramp Entertainment, run by Norman Hood and also handling JUDAS PRIEST, the FLYING HAT BAND and BULLION. Relocating from Cumberland to the West Midlands the band cut a demo track, 'Judy Green Rocket', at Zella Studios in Edgbaston for a 7" acetate. NECROMANDUS signed with major label Vertigo Records, with the BLACK SABBATH man producing and lending guitar to the title track, and the 'Orexis Of Death' was duly crafted at London's Morgan Studios.

NECROMANDUS secured the opening slot on a UK tour with Tony Kaye's BADGER and headliners BLACK SABBATH, commencing on 9th March 1973 at Green's Playhouse in Glasgow. However, intended for release in 1973, the album was shelved at the time and only issued many decades later. Later that same year, Dunnery quit and NECROMANDUS, unable to find a replacement, folded.

Dunnery, McCarten and Hall would attempt to create a band with OZZY OSBOURNE in the late 70's upon the singer's first split from BLACK SABBATH. Due to the chaotic circumstances prevailing at the time this project floundered and Osbourne drifted back to his former act for his swan song 'Never Say Die' album. Subsequently, Dunnery joined VIOLINSKI, featuring on the 1979 album 'No Cause For Alarm'. The Italian Black Widow label finally put out 'Orexis Of Death' in 1999, although many bootleg variants had surfaced previously. The 2001 compilation 'Necrothology' included previously unreleased material from Barry Dunnery's archives plus a cover version of 'Nightjar' from the Spanish act THE TEMPTER.

By 2004 Frank Hall was performing as a member of Blues Rock guitarist GERRY GILLARD's band. Sadly, Dennis McCarten passed away later that same year, succumbing to a kidney illness in hospital in Surrey. He was 54.

The Audio Archives re-issued an expanded version of 'Orexis Of Death' in 2005, adding two rare tracks including 'Judy Green Rocket'. Also surfacing would be a March 1973 concert recording from Blackpool's Casino simply entitled 'Live'.