BLACK HOLE

Progressive Metal • Italy

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Black Hole biography
Based in Verona, Black Hole is the progressive doom metal project of Italian multi-instrumentalist Roberto Morbioli, who performs under the pseudonym "The Mysterious Future" Robert Measles. An eclectic listener inspired by progressive rock, traditional doom and heavy metal (particularly the theatrics of KISS), Morbioli started Black Hole in 1981 as the musical vehicle for his obsession with the esoteric and occult, formed with the help of Spitfire guitarist Stefano Bianchini (who coined the band name) and Exile drummer Paolo Veronese. Morbioli himself handled all vocals, as well as bass, organ and synthesizers. Black Hole's best-known lineup began to take shape in 1983 when, after Veronese was briefly replaced by Gabriele Dunghi, Mauro Tollini (aka "The Present" Luther Gordon) took over on drums, with guitarist and fellow prog-lover Nicola Murari (aka "The Past" Nicholas Murray) filling in for Bianchini the following year, and together they worked on understanding and crafting Morbioli's peculiar yet meticulously-mapped musical dreams.

In the grand "horror metal" tradition of Italian compatriots The Black, Death SS and its co-founder Paul Chain, Black Hole perform an idiosyncratic take on Black Sabbath-esque doom metal combined with hints of NWOBHM and loads of gothic proggy flourishes nodding to Goblin, Pink Floyd and Van der Graaf Generator (a style later revisited and expanded by the likes of Blizaro and Tony Tears). Their English lyrics address, to quote Morbioli, "the afterlife and the search for the self." This style took shape from 1983 to 1984 through three demo cassettes, all recorded quickly in a garage in one take. After continuous rehearsal, refinement and the occasional live show, Black Hole amassed fifteen tracks of material and were prepared to record; wary of Italy's Catholic censorship laws, the band was able to secure Diamine Studio in Venice thanks to a friend of Morbioli's sister.

Black Hole's debut LP, Land of Mystery, was released through City Record in 1985, featuring cover artwork by Marco Fill based on Morbioli's concepts. Murari and Tollini quit Black Hole while the album was still in the mixing stage, torn over creative differences regarding Morbioli's planned follow-up record, and the duo subsequently formed their own doom metal bands: the short-lived Sacrilege in 1985 and the longer-lasting Epitaph in 1988 (likely a King Crimson reference on Murari's part). Before their departure, Murari and Tollini attempted to s...Based in Verona, Black Hole is the progressive doom metal project of Italian multi-instrumentalist Roberto Morbioli, who performs under the pseudonym "The Mysterious Future" Robert Measles. An eclectic listener inspired by progressive rock, traditional doom and heavy metal (particularly the theatrics of KISS), Morbioli started Black Hole in 1981 as the musical vehicle for his obsession with the esoteric and occult, formed with the help of Spitfire guitarist Stefano Bianchini (who coined the band name) and Exile drummer Paolo Veronese. Morbioli himself handled all vocals, as well as bass, organ and synthesizers. Black Hole's best-known lineup began to take shape in 1983 when, after Veronese was briefly replaced by Gabriele Dunghi, Mauro Tollini (aka "The Present" Luther Gordon) took over on drums, with guitarist and fellow prog-lover Nicola Murari (aka "The Past" Nicholas Murray) filling in for Bianchini the following year, and together they worked on understanding and crafting Morbioli's peculiar yet meticulously-mapped musical dreams.

In the grand "horror metal" tradition of Italian compatriots The Black, Death SS and its co-founder Paul Chain, Black Hole perform an idiosyncratic take on Black Sabbath-esque doom metal combined with hints of NWOBHM and loads of gothic proggy flourishes nodding to Goblin, Pink Floyd and Van der Graaf Generator (a style later revisited and expanded by the likes of Blizaro and Tony Tears). Their English lyrics address, to quote Morbioli, "the afterlife and the search for the self." This style took shape from 1983 to 1984 through three demo cassettes, all recorded quickly in a garage in one take. After continuous rehearsal, refinement and the occasional live show, Black Hole amassed fifteen tracks of material and were prepared to record; wary of Italy's Catholic censorship laws, the band was able to secure Diamine Studio in Venice thanks to a friend of Morbioli's sister.

Black Hole's debut LP, Land of Mystery, was released through City Record in 1985, featuring cover artwork by Marco Fill based on Morbioli's concepts. Murari and Tollini quit Black Hole while the album was still in the mixing stage, torn over creative differences regarding Morbioli's planned follow-up record, and the duo subsequently formed their own doom metal bands: the short-lived Sacrilege in 1985 and the longer-lasting Epitaph in 1988 (likely a King Crimson reference on Murari's part). Before their departure, Murari and Tollini attempted to shape Morbioli's more electronic-based new material (reflecting his love for Tangerine Dream), recording during the Land of Mystery sessions and resulting in three further demo cassettes in 1985.

Morbioli shuttered the band in 1986 but quickly found himself rejuvenated with the help of kindred spirit and guitarist David McAllister, and together the duo rebuilt Black Hole in 1987 (with Morbioli on programmed drums in lieu of a live percussionist), eventually finding another Venezian studio, Pick Studio Records, to record their sophomore full-length from 1988 to 1989. The resulting album, Living Mask, was an even quirkier deconstruction of doom than its predecessor, and included Morbioli's work with Murari and Tollini without their permission (though the two were satisfied with the LP and carried no hard feelings, especially since Morbioli always believed in them and launched their careers in music). Due to burgeoning label Black Widow Records' disinterest in releasing it - expecting "Land of Mystery Part 2," according to Morbioli - Living Mask only saw the light of day in 2000 thanks to Andromeda Relix (co-owned by Massimo Bettinazzi, who also helped produce Land of Mystery). This disappointment, in addition to a failed signing to King Classic Records (wherein the label ghosted the band and never returned the exclusive tapes they sent), led Morbioli to break up Black Hole again in 1990 and turn his back on music to become a football coach.

Still, interest in Black Hole's music continued to reverberate in the underground. 2011 saw yet another reissue of Land of Mystery through High Roller and Shadow Kingdom Records, as well as the Behind the Gravestone compilation, a sprawling collection of demos and a live set from the classic Morbioli/Murari/Tollini lineup. Several years later, Epitaph performed a live medley of Land of Mystery tracks as part of a request by Germany's Hammer of Doom Festival, and later released a studio version in 2016 entitled "Farewell to Blind Men" as part of a split with Abysmal Grief.

Having long expressed a desire to complete the Black Hole "trilogy," Morbioli resuscitated the band in 2016, leading to 2017's Evil in the Dark LP, a sprawling MIDI-prog opera entirely self-produced and performed, once more released on Andromeda Relix.

- Gordy, April 2025read more

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BLACK HOLE discography

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BLACK HOLE top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

3.00 | 1 ratings

Land of Mystery
1985

3.00 | 1 ratings

Living Mask
2000

0.00 | 0 ratings

Evil in the Dark
2017

BLACK HOLE Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

BLACK HOLE Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

BLACK HOLE Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

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Behind the Gravestone
2011

BLACK HOLE Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

0.00 \| 0 ratings Demo '83 1983	0.00 \| 0 ratings Beyond the Gravestone 1984	0.00 \| 0 ratings Demo #3 1984	0.00 \| 0 ratings Demo #4 1985
0.00 \| 0 ratings Demo 1985 1985	0.00 \| 0 ratings Rehearsal Demo 1985

BLACK HOLE Reviews

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Thanks to gordy for the artist addition.

0.00 \| 0 ratings Demo '83 1983	0.00 \| 0 ratings Beyond the Gravestone 1984	0.00 \| 0 ratings Demo #3 1984	0.00 \| 0 ratings Demo #4 1985
0.00 \| 0 ratings Demo 1985 1985	0.00 \| 0 ratings Rehearsal Demo 1985