Extreme Noise Terror

ByLets Go Punk
Extreme Noise Terror

Extreme Noise Terror is a British band from Ipswich, England, formed in 1985. Early on they pushed a raw, politically charged attack with dual vocalists, runaway tempos, and very short songs. Sessions for BBC Radio 1’s John Peel and relentless touring helped spread the word far beyond the UK underground.

How The Band Got Started

The original lineup featured Dean Jones and Phil Vane on vocals, Pete Hurley on guitar, Jerry Clay on bass, and Pig Killer on drums. Members had roots in groups such as Raw Noise, Freestate, and Victims of War. The name came from an insert for a Lärm record. Early touchstones included Discharge, Anti Cimex, Rattus, and Antisect. After a single support slot with Chaos UK, the band signed to Manic Ears.

Early Years and Peel Sessions

The 1986 split LP with Chaos UK, Radioactive Earslaughter, arrived on Manic Ears. ENT began twisting hardcore into the blasting style later tagged grindcore, even as they kept a punk core. John Peel invited the group to record, starting a run of four sessions from 1987 to 2001. Lineups shifted, with Mick Harris briefly on drums before Tony “Stick” Dickens, and Mark Gardener taking over on bass. The debut album, A Holocaust in Your Head, fused thick crust weight with raging speed, and tours followed across Europe and Japan.

The KLF Collaboration

After more touring and a second session, ENT issued the Phonophobia EP and returned to Japan. Bill Drummond of The KLF heard the band on Peel and invited a collaboration. Together they cut a hard version of “3 a.m. Eternal” intended for Top of the Pops. The BBC refused to air it on daytime TV, so The KLF boycotted the show. The track later appeared in limited form on KLF Communications and drew praise from weekly music papers. ENT also worked on The KLF’s unreleased album The Black Room and joined the 1992 BRIT Awards performance that fired blanks into the crowd.

Lineup Changes and the Earache Period

Through 1993 and 1994 the band kept touring while members rotated. Lee Barrett stepped in on bass, Ali Firouzbakht on lead guitar, and Pig Killer was replaced by William A. “Was” Sarginson. ENT signed to Earache in 1994 and recorded Retro-bution, reworking earlier material with a tougher, slightly more metal edge. Founder Phil Vane departed in late 1996 to join Napalm Death. Mark “Barney” Greenway briefly traded places and recorded vocals for Damage 381 before returning to Napalm Death. Vane rejoined ENT in 1997.

2000s Through Today

Further changes followed, including Zac O’Neil on drums and Gian Pyres on lead guitar. The album Being and Nothing landed in 2001 on Candlelight. The band recorded a fourth BBC session in 2001 and played major European festivals, including Wacken Open Air in 2003. Paul “Woody” Woodfield and Stafford Glover reinforced the guitars and bass in the 2000s, with Ollie Jones later becoming a permanent guitarist. ENT toured widely, issued splits with Driller Killer and Trap Them, and released Law of Retaliation in 2009, a full throttle return to hyper speed hardcore punk. Phil Vane passed away in 2011. The group continued with Ben McCrow on vocals and issued the self titled album Extreme Noise Terror in 2015.

Musical Style

ENT favors two vocalists that trade high and low registers, fast guitars, political lyrics, and concise song structures. The earliest work sits at the meeting point of crust punk and the first wave of grind. Later records bring in sharper metal riffing while keeping the ferocity intact.

Members

  • Dean Jones, vocals, 1985-present
  • Ollie Jones, guitars, 2005-present
  • Michael Hourihan, drums, 2008-2011, 2014-present
  • Ben McCrow, vocals, 2014-present
  • Dicky Moore, bass, 2019-present

Former Members

  • Phil Vane, vocals, 1985-1999, 2006-2011
  • Pete Hurley, guitars, 1985-1995
  • Jerry Clay, bass, 1985-1988
  • Pig Killer, drums, 1985-1987, 1993-1995
  • Mick Harris, drums, 1987-1988, 2008
  • Tony “Stick” Dickens, drums, 1988-1999
  • Mark Gardener, bass, 1988
  • Peter “Doom” Nash, bass, 1988-1990
  • Spit, vocals, 1989
  • Mark Bailey, bass, 1990-1994
  • Si Brown, drums, 1990
  • Lee Barrett, bass, 1994-1997
  • William A. “Was” Sarginson, drums, 1995-1997
  • Ali Firouzbakht, lead guitar, 1995-2005
  • Mark “Barney” Greenway, vocals, 1996-1997
  • Zac O’Neil, drums, 1997-2008
  • Manny Cooke, bass, 1997-2001
  • Jose Kurt, vocals, 1999-2000
  • Adam Catchpole, vocals, 2000-2006
  • Stafford Glover, bass, 2001-2012
  • Andi Morris, bass, 2012-2019
  • Woody, rhythm guitar, 2001-2010, 2011-2014
  • Chris “Chino” Casket, rhythm guitar and bass, studio 2009-2014, live 2010-2012
  • Roman Matuszewski, vocals, 2011-2012
  • Barney Monger, drums, 2011-2014
  • John Loughlin, vocals, 2012-2014

Discography, Studio Albums

  • A Holocaust in Your Head (1989)
  • Retro-bution (1995)
  • Damage 381 (1997)
  • Being and Nothing (2001)
  • Law of Retaliation (2008)
  • Extreme Noise Terror (2015)

Split Albums

  • Radioactive Earslaughter with Chaos UK (1986)
  • In It for Life (1989)
  • Discharged: From Home Front to War Front (1991)
  • Extreme Noise Terror / Driller Killer (2007)
  • Extreme Noise Terror / Trap Them (2008)
  • Extreme Noise Terror / Cock E.S.P. (2009)
  • Hardcore Attack of the Low Life Dogs (2010)
  • Extreme Noise Terror / The Dwarves (2016)
  • Daily Holocaust (2017)

EPs

  • The Peel Sessions (1987)
  • Phonophobia (1992)
  • Hatred and the Filth (2004)
  • Phonophobia II, The Second Coming (2009)
  • Hardcore Attack of the Low Life Dogs (2010)
  • Tear It Down (2013)
  • Chained and Crazed (2015)

Live Albums

  • Are You That Desperate? (1989)
  • The Peel Sessions ’87-’90 (1990)
  • The Split Noiz Live EP (1990)
  • Live & Loud (1990)

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