Effective period / Period of releases: 1997

Members: Jeff Walker, Ken Owen, Mark Griffiths (2), Carlo Regadas

A metal/hard rock band from Liverpool, UK, active between 1995-1999.

Blackstar (later Blackstar Rising) was a short-lived band formed on the ashes of Carcass, which disbanded in 1995. The line-up consisted of three former Carcass members plus Mark Griffiths (of Cathedral/Year Zero. Their debut album "Barbed Wire Soul" was released in 1997. Upon releasing the album for the American market, the band was renamed to Blackstar Rising as there was already another group with the name Blackstar. They proceeded to split-up around 1998/1999 after Regadas had decided to leave the band. In 1999 drummer Ken Owen fell victim to a brain haemorrhage, which effectively put the band to rest for good.