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Bible Black

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New York based BIBLE BLACK - not the be confused with the San Diego area Bible Black who appeared on the 1985 'No Substitue For Steel' compilation - formed in 1981 when former Elf and Rainbow members, bassist Craig Gruber and drummer Gary Driscoll, teamed up with with former Shakin' Street guitarist, Andrew 'Duck' MacDonald. The latter suggested a former band mate, Louis Marullo, for the vocalist position. This line-up recorded a 3-song demo made up of 'She’s Gone', 'Back to Back' (with former Elf/Rainbow man Mickey Lee Soule on piano), and 'Metal Man'. Marullo soon left to join guitarist Ross 'The Boss' Friedman (ex-The Dictators, Shakin' Street) and bassist Joey DeMaio in Manowar and changed his name to Eric Adams. Marullo's replacement was Jeff Fenholt, the original lead in 'Jesus Christ Superstar' on Broadway, who re-cut all of Marullo's vocals with the help of long time Kansas producer, Jeff Glixman. The band recorded a new 4-song demo with Glixman at his Atlanta GA studio and played a major label showcase at the Ritz in New York but did not get signed. BIBLE BLACK recorded a further three tracks, including a cover of the Rolling Stones' 'Paint It Black', with ex-Mountain bassist, Felix Pappalardi, as producer before Fenfolt left for California where he briefly joined Black Sabbath and then Joshua on their 'Surrender' album. Gruber accepted an offer to join Gary Moore's band for the 'Victims of the Future' tour and appears on the 'We Want Moore!' live album. MacDonald and Driscoll carried on with BIBLE BLACK recruiting new vocalist Joey Bellardini and bassist Joe Sopp. They cut one last 3-song demo in 1983 before calling it quits. Bellardini went on to join up-and-coming thrashers Anthrax debuting on their 'Armed and Dangerous' EP as Joey Belladonna. Driscoll guested on Jack Starr's 'Out of the Darkness' LP while McDonald appeared on Megaforce Records founder Jon Zazula's rap metal novelty 12" 'Lone Rager' alongside members of The Rods before spearheading the Thrasher project for Combat Records with Rods drummer Carl Canedy. In 2022, the aforementioned recordings were released on CD as BIBLE BLACK - 'The Complete Recordings 1981-1983' by Louder Than Loud Records, spearheaded by Canedy and Warlord vocalist, Gilles Lavery, in conjunction with Germany's Pride & Joy Music. A vinyl edition followed in 2023 through German company High Roller Records.