Taramis
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Predecessor | Prowler |
| Founded | 1981 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Progressive metal music, studio albums |
Taramis was a progressive metal ensemble originating from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1981 under the name Prowler, the group produced two studio albums before dissolving in 1993.
Australian rock historian Ian McFarlane described Taramis as "among the pioneering local bands to perform a form of 'progressive' heavy metal inspired by international acts."
Formation and development (1981–1993)
The band initially formed in 1981 as Prowler, featuring Joe Cordina on drums, Danny Komorr handling bass duties, and guitarists Mick "Lights" Cawthan alongside Craig Robertson. Shane "Joel" Southby became the lead vocalist after the original singer failed to appear. Starting out as a cover band playing songs by Iron Maiden and Manowar, they gradually transitioned to creating original compositions. After a brief replacement of Cawthan with Andrew Rigo, Cawthan returned to take on managerial responsibilities. Their 1985 demo titled Blood & Honour preceded their participation in the 1985 Metal for Melbourne festival. That same year, Dave Browne, formerly of Nothing Sacred, replaced Cordina on drums. The group’s style shifted towards a heavier, progressive thrash metal sound, prompting a name change to Taramis—derived from their track Riders of Taramis and a character from Conan the Destroyer. Their debut performance under the new name occurred on New Year’s Eve 1985.
Taramis maintained a steady presence in Melbourne’s live scene, including an appearance at the 1986 Metal for Melbourne event. Their first album, Queen of Thieves, was recorded and released by Metal for Melbourne in August 1987. Prior to this release, bassist Evan Harris replaced Danny Komorr. The album later received an international reissue through Metal Blade Records, becoming one of the earliest Australian metal records to achieve worldwide distribution and garnering favorable reviews across Europe. The band was slated to open for Metallica during their 1986 Australian tour; however, the tour was canceled following the death of bassist Cliff Burton.
In early 1990, guitarist Craig Robertson departed and was succeeded by George Larin (formerly of New Religion and Nothing Sacred). April 1991 saw the release of their sophomore album, Stretch of the Imagination, through Rising Sun Productions. Throughout 1992, Taramis supported both Sepultura and Ian Gillan during their Australian tour stops in Melbourne while simultaneously working on a third album. The group ultimately disbanded in 1993 before this project reached completion.
Activities following disbandment and subsequent reunions
Following the split, Shane Southby relocated to Sydney and joined the Merv Brewer Steel Guitar Band before moving to New Zealand. George Larin initiated a solo project under his own name and later rejoined Nothing Sacred during the 2010s. In 2000, Dave Browne became part of Clauz, a metal trio that released one album titled Strict Regime in 2002. Evan Harris contributed bass performances for various Australian metal outfits including Black Majesty, Vulvagun, Eyefear, as well as working with progressive rock musician Steve Turner.
Dave Browne passed away on 6 January 2009 at age 44. In June of that year, Taramis reunited for a benefit concert dedicated to Browne’s memory featuring Evan Harris, Craig Robertson, George Larin, and Chris Phillips (formerly of Mass Confusion) on drums. Both Taramis albums were reissued that same year by My Graveyard Productions. The band assembled once more in 2017 to perform at the Metal for Melbourne event with Errol Willenburg (ex-Light Force) behind the drum kit.
In 2019, Taramis announced intentions for European tours planned for 2020 and 2021 via their Facebook page; however, these were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their discography saw another reissue in 2022 through German label Golden Core Records.
Discography
- Blood & Honour (released under the name Prowler) (1985)
- Queen of Thieves (1987)
- Stretch of the Imagination (1991)
Members
- Shane Southby – lead vocals (1983–1993, 2009, 2017)
- Dave Browne – drums (1985–1993; deceased 2009)
- Craig Robertson – guitar (1983–1990, 2009, 2017)
- George Larin – guitar (1988–1993, 2009, 2017)
- Evan Harris – bass guitar (1988–1993, 2009, 2017)
- Mick "Lights" Cawthan – guitar (1983–1984)
- Danny Komorr – bass (1983–1987)
- Joe Cordina – drums (1983–1985)
- Andrew Rigo – guitar (1985)
- Chris Phillips – drums (2009)
- Errol Willenburg – drums (2017)
Sources
- Note: The archived digital copy has restricted features.