Amebix

Amebix was an English crust punk band, widely regarded as one of the pioneering forces behind the crust punk genre. Formed in 1978 as The Band with No Name, Amebix combined anarcho-punk and heavy metal influences, helping to lay the groundwork for the crust punk sound and leaving a lasting impact on the extreme metal scene. The band’s original run lasted from 1978 to 1987, during which they released two EPs and three full-length albums. Amebix reunited in 2008, released another album in 2011, and disbanded again in 2012.

History

Formation and Early Years (1978–1987)

Amebix was formed by brothers Rob Miller (known as “The Baron”) and Chris “Stig” Miller, along with Andy “Billy Jug” Hoare and Clive Barnes, while they were still in school in Tavistock, Devon. Initially called The Band with No Name, they played extensively in their local area and recorded a four-track demo tape. Rob Miller, who also worked as a part-time columnist, gave a copy of their tape to the band Crass when they played in Plymouth, leading to their track “University Challenged” being featured on the first Crass Records Bullshit Detector compilation.

After some early lineup changes, including the departure of Clive Barnes and Andy Hoare, the band renamed themselves Amebix. The name was inspired by the amoeba, reflecting the band’s fluid and evolving nature. Martin Baker briefly joined as their drummer before being removed from the band by his parents, leading to the song “Largactyl,” which was written about his subsequent breakdown and diagnosis with paranoid schizophrenia. With the addition of Norm as a synth player and Neil “Virus” Worthington as their drummer, Amebix began to establish a semi-stable lineup and relocated to Bristol, where they lived in squats.

This lineup recorded the band’s first two 7″ singles, Who’s the Enemy and Winter, followed by their first album, No Sanctuary. The band then acquired a new synth player, George, and in 1985 released their seminal album Arise! through Alternative Tentacles, becoming the label’s first UK signing. The band’s final studio album during this period, Monolith, was released in 1987 on Heavy Metal Records. However, distribution issues with the album contributed to the band’s eventual breakup later that year.

Reunion and Second Run (2008–2012)

After years of inactivity, Rob Miller announced via Myspace that Amebix had reformed in February 2008. They reissued Monolith as a sliding scale download through Moshpit Tragedy Records and released the Redux EP, featuring rerecorded versions of songs from their original incarnation. In 2011, Amebix released Sonic Mass, their first full-length album in 24 years, through their own label, Amebix Records, and Easy Action Records. The album was well-received, but the band disbanded once again on 28 November 2012.

Post-Amebix and Legacy

After Amebix’s final disbandment, Rob Miller went on to form the band Tau Cross in 2014, collaborating with members of Misery, War//Plague, and Voivod. Amebix’s influence remains significant in both the punk and metal scenes, with bands like Sepultura, Neurosis, and Deviated Instinct citing them as a major inspiration. Their blending of punk ethos with heavy metal elements helped shape the crust punk genre and influenced the development of black metal.

Influences

Amebix drew inspiration from bands like Motörhead, Black Sabbath, and Killing Joke, blending these influences with an ethos similar to that of Crass. Although often compared to proto-black metal bands like Venom, Rob Miller has denied that Amebix was directly influenced by them. The band also drew from post-punk and gothic rock, citing acts such as Public Image Ltd, Bauhaus, and Joy Division as influences.

Band Members

Final Line-up

• Rob “The Baron” Miller – vocals (1978–1987; 2008–2012), bass (1979–1987; 2008–2012)
• Chris “Stig” Miller – guitar, backing vocals (1978–1987; 2008–2012), keyboards (1978–1979)
• Roy Mayorga – drums, percussion, keyboards (2008–2012)

Past Members

• Clive Barnes – bass (1978–1979)
• Andy “Billy Jug” Hoare – drums (1978–1981)
• Ric Gadsby – bass (1979)
• Martin Baker – drums (1981)
• Norman Butler – keyboards (1981–1984)
• Virus – drums (1981–1985; died 2015)
• Jenghiz – keyboards (1984)
• George Fletcher – keyboards (1984–1986)
• Robert “Spider” Richards – drums (1985–1987)
• Andy Wiggins – keyboards (1986–1987)

Discography

Studio Albums

• No Sanctuary (1983, 12″, Spiderleg Records)
• Arise! (1985, LP/CD, Alternative Tentacles)
• Monolith (1987, LP/CD, Heavy Metal Records)
• Sonic Mass (2011, LP/CD, Easy Action & Amebix Records)

EPs

• Who’s the Enemy (1982, 7″, Spiderleg Records)
• Redux (2010, 12″, CD, DD, Profane Existence)

Live Albums

• V živo (1986)

Compilation Albums

• The Power Remains (1993, LP, Skuld Releases)
• No Sanctuary: The Spiderleg Recordings (2008, LP+7″/CD, Alternative Tentacles)
• Bullshit Detector Vol 1: University Challenged (1980, LP, Crass Records, Bullshit Detector)