from the most Old Skool and DIY bands of the Italian

Death Metal, Thrash, Doom Metal, Gothic, Grindcore, Dark Rock
from the most Old Skool and DIY bands of the Italian underground!
Frank Wells is an italian bass guitarist, songwriter and occasionally vocalist, who has been active in
the underground metal scene since the early 90's.
He founded a promotion agency, Gentle Exhuming Records - Small Underground Music Forge, to
support his several projects.
For more informations about Gentle Exhuming Records:
• Official website: www.mortalfungus.com
To download most of Gentle Exhuming Records releases:
• Official webstore: www.mortalfungus.com/webstore.htm
Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/gentlexhumingrecords
Frank Wells - Complete Discography
Mortal Fungus "Mortal fungus" (rehearsal tape 1994 / drums, vocals)
Mortal Fungus "The place of the funeral" (rehearsal tape 1994 / drums, vocals)
Arkenemy "Frost bite" (promo tape 1997 / bass guitar, vocals)
Mortal Fungus "Frightening countries" (promo tape 1999 / bass guitar, vocals)
Demonia "Promo" (promo CD 2001 / bass guitar)
Mortal Fungus / Arkenemy "The split CD" (remastered CD 2003 / bass guitar, vocals)
Mortal Fungus "Mortal...funeral" (compilation CD 2005 / drums, vocals)
World Funeral "World funeral" (demo CD 2006 / bass guitar, programming, vocals)
Transiency "Manqualm" (EP 2007 / bass guitar, vocals)
World Funeral "Caledarium et frigidarium" (CD 2007 / bass guitar, programming, guitar, vocals)
Mortal Fungus "Back to the lombrosary" (CD 2008 / bass guitar, vocals)
Hell Muñeco "Doom core" (EP 2009 / bass guitar, programming)
Scorra "Il girone della merda" (CD 2010 / bass guitar, vocals, guitar)
Cimitero "Lazaret of the abyss" (CD 2010 / bass guitar, vocals)
Cimitero "Morbid curiosity" (CD 2012 / bass guitar, vocals)
Dark Recollections "Enigma of the absolute" (EP 2013 / bass guitar, programming)
Transiency "Abominations of civilization" (EP 2013 / bass guitar, vocals)
Hell Muñeco "Replacing God" (EP 2013 / bass guitar, programming, backing vocals)
Plus…
Scorra “Antica trattoria della merda” (scheduled for 2014)
Cimitero “Into the putridarium” (scheduled for 2016)
Mortal Fungus “Back to the lombrosary – chapter. II” (scheduled for 201?)
World Funeral “World funeral – chapter II” (scheduled for 201?)
Dark Recollections “Demon in disguise” (scheduled for 201?)
Frank Wells - Biography
Chapter 1 - Mortal Fungus
In 1991, there existed an evil group of subversive youth, whose sole purpose was to show others
about the beauty of death. As time passed, they discovered that music was the best form of
expressing the evil that they had learned. These youth became what the leaders of the underground
know to be MORTAL FUNGUS. They recorded two infamous demo-tapes, raw, sloppy, noisy
death/grind under the influence of early Hellhammer, early Necrophagia, early Napalm Death &
Carcass, before disbanding in 1994.
Chapter 2 - Arkenemy
Formed in 1995 with the addiction of ex-Mortal Fungus singer, bass player and lyricist, Frank
Wells, two years later they recorded a 4-songs demo, "Frost bite", a good piece of thrash/death
metal, maybe dispersive and pretentious at times, but very aggressive and played with skill and
rage. ARKENEMY played many concerts in northern Italy, including one supporting Sadist.
Chapter 3 - Mortal Fungus mk.II
MORTAL FUNGUS reformed in 1998 with a different line-up, recording the classic 6-songs
cassette "Frightening countries" (featuring a cover of Autopsy "Service for a vacant coffin"), a great
improvement which allowed them to be finally taken seriously in the underground. Even though
MORTAL FUNGUS is basically an old school style death metal band, comparable to old giants like
Obituary, early Death, Massacre, Autopsy and Celtic Frost, the guitars frequently evoke more of a
heavy thrash feel. Unable to kneel to musical trends and absolutely loyal to their death metal roots,
MORTAL FUNGUS were put on hiatus several times during the years, but they never really
disbanded. Their latest CD and first full lenght release, "Back to the lombrosary", was recorded in
2008. Future plans: re-release of “Back to the lombrosary” with a brand new song, a couple of rerecorded old songs, new backing vocals on some tracks, remastering process and improved guitar
sound.
www.mortalfungus.com/mortalfungus.htm
Chapter 4 - Demonia
DEMONIA were surely one of the most promising gothic metal bands of the late 90's. Their second
promo-CD, actually recorded in 2001, was released two years later due to line-up problems
(drummer, bassist and keyboards player left the group after this release). Their music can best be
described as slow, melodic and atmospheric gothic/doom, with a lot of slow doomy tunes, plus
excellent female vocals that, although a tad deeper than most in the genre, reveal an incredible
ability to sing in such a soothing way. Add a beautiful piano, a faint church organ, choir, relaxed
guitars that don't over-dominate the serenity, and you have a fairly good idea of how they sounded.
What made DEMONIA so special was their ability to make music that harmonized into beautiful
melodies without any particularly impressive guitarplay or soloing.
Chapter 5 - Transiency
TRANSIENCY came to life in 2001 from the ashes of female-fronted gothic/doom metal band
Demonia. They started working on their debut EP, "Manqualm" (a concept about The Black Death),
in 2002, and finally released it in 2007. The tracks on this release have a pleasant narrative quality,
there's a good deal of mystery and tantalising plot elements in the track names alone.
TRANSIENCY play a genre almost forgotten nowadays, taking elements from gothic, doom and
death metal, producing a gloomy, melancholic sound with plenty of weight and focus. Someone
heard similarities with early Amorphis, Katatonia, Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, Amon Amarth,
due to the mournful leads, dominant bass and Frank's guttural doom vocals. Their 2nd EP,
"Abominations of civilization", is once again unified by a theme (the horrors of colonization).
www.mortalfungus.com/transiency.htm
Chapter 6 - World Funeral
In 2004, the original line-up of Mortal Fungus got back together assembling a collection of old
tunes ("Mortal...Funeral"), and working on new stuff. WORLD FUNERAL play slow, ultra-heavy
riffs, with a raw production and experimental edge. In their own words, WORLD FUNERAL
defined theirselves as a "doom/core" outfit, drawing on elements from the Black Sabbath style on
one side and elements from the diSEMBOWELMENT-and-Winter one on the other, also showing
tendencies towards psychedelic rock, sludge doom and ‘core riffage that infused the music with a
slightly lighter mood amongst the darkness. They released one rough demo in 2006, and finally
recorded their debut 7 songs CD (“Caledarium et frigidarium”) in 2007, before disbanding.
World Funeral never wrote new tunes after their debut long-playing, but in 2013 they started rearranging and re-recording their first, self-titled demo, for a possible 2015 official release.
Chapter 7 - Hell Muñeco
HELL MUÑECO was founded in 2008 by Frank Wells, who wanted to record some tunes he
originally wrote as a follow up to World Funeral's "Caledarium et frigidarium". All bandmembers
are well experienced musicians, they are influenced by stoner, heavy doom & NWOBHM bands
and also by 70's dark rock with Black Sabbath in primis, but that almost goes without saying when
it comes to doom-metal. HELL MUÑECO started with the intention of writing slow and heavy riffs
with weird guitar harmonies and a touch of gothic, they have no shortage of groovy riffs and good
concepts of doom that lyrically deal with social subjects. On their second release they managed to
get a more powerful sound, with a darker approach on the lyrical side, plus a groovier and heavier
riffing provided by their new lead and rhythm guitarist, Mirko Bosco (from Witches’ Brew).
www.mortalfungus.com/hellmuneco.htm
Chapter 8 - Scorra
SCORRA is an italian oldschool grindcore band which recorded a 22 songs CD, "Il girone della
merda" (2008), released in 2010 after a long delay due to the politically uncorrect lyrics and
controversial artwork, all about issues still relevant nowadays in the collapsing italian nation.
They wrote 22 new songs for another release, "Antica trattoria della merda", and they’re looking for
a guitar player right now.
Chapter 9 - Cimitero
CIMITERO belong to the current wave of bands doing death metal the old way. Altough this entity
was formed only a couple of years ago, their members "were already pullulating in the underground
around 1990", which means each one was involved with other bands that time. There is a certain
constant groove and quality in how CIMITERO write their songs, that is plain to hear when dealing
with experienced musicians which, in their own words, are "opposed with any affiliation with the
modern metal scene". Their music is comparable with a mix of death and (most of all) thrash metal,
with hints of black metal to be find here and there on their first release, while vocals are
occasionally dual-layered as the good Carcass of old did. CIMITERO are still spreading old school
death metal with their second release, "Morbid curiosity", a concept album about selected shocking
events happened in Italy throughout the years. They’re currently gathering ideas for a possible 2016
release, “Into the putridarium”, with both Moonbeam and Frank putting finishing touches on
another project conceived mainly by Moonbeam, Death Whistle.
www.mortalfungus.com/cimitero.htm
www.facebook.com/cimiterodeathmetal
Chapter 10 - Dark Recollections
Back in 2008, Frank Wells started working on his first non-metal project, looking for a more dark
rock sound with prominent bass lines, 80's keyboards, drum machine, and a mix of arpeggios, clean
and electric guitar. After choosing the monicker DARK RECOLLECTIONS, he collaborated with
longtime buddy Andy Soresina (Oniromantic, Stygian, Neophyte, Alice in Darkland among others),
who provided amazing guitar arrangements, and writer Davide Montoro who wrote introspective
and moody lyrics. Struggling to find a reliable singer, and reluctant to take on vocal duties, Frank
shelved the project a few times before finally finding the warm and deep voice of Anthony Manuzi,
formerly of UK darkwave band Veil of Isis, whose main influences are Joy Division, The Cure,
Killing Joke, The Cult (early), Sisters of Mercy, The Mission (early), Echo & The Bunnymen,
Depeche Mode (post-pop), U2 e Cocteau Twins. They’re gathering ideas for another release,
“Demon in disguise”. Andy and Frank are also collaborating on a couple of brutal death metal
songs to be released digitally.
www.facebook.com/darkrecollections
Gentle Exhuming Records is always willing to release in-depth interviews about its small
underground music forge, we urge you to contact us at our official mail
[email protected] if interested.
Have a good listening experience!