Amebix - Arise! (1985)

Amebix are considered one of the first - if not, the first - crust punk band and innovated the "gritty" sound of crust punk. The band, led by vocalist / bassist The Baron and guitarist Stig, formed at the tail end of 1978 originally dubbed The Band with No Name. One of these formative tracks, 'University Challenged', turned up on the renowned compilation album 'Bullshit Detector 1'.

A series of line up fluxes eventually saw keyboard player Norman being enrolled in 1981 as the group relocated to Bristol. Another inductee would be drummer Virus from local act Disorder and in this incarnation Amebix signed to Spiderleg Records issuing three EPs.

More line up changes, saw Amebix making do as a trio for a tour of Italy before the quickfire changes in the keyboard department settled when George came in during November of 1984 for dates in Holland, replacing Jenghiz on Synth/Keyboards.

Spider Arachno Blaster replaced Virus as drummer as Amebix signed to Alternative Tentacles for the 1985 album 'Arise'. Sophomore effort 'Monolith' arrived on the Wolverhampton Heavy Metal label but the band folded in late 1987. Spider, George and Stig stuck together to forge Zygote. In later years Spider would be found in Muckspreader. According to some reports The Baron went on to live on the Isle of Skye manufacturing swords(!).

Genre:Crust Punk/Thrash Metal

Lyrical themes:Society, Politics, Doomsday, Apocalypse, Anti-religion

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The Darkest Hour

My friend the time has come for us to say goodbye 

So with these parting words I bid you fond farewell 

It seems the life we led was just a shameful lie 

What does the future hold? Well only time will tell 

I'm not scared of dying and I don't really care 

If it's peace you find in dying well then let my time be near 

If it's peace you find in dying when dying time is here 

Bundle up my coffin, 'cos it's cold way down there

And when I'm dead 

And when I'm gone 

There'll be one child born 

And a world to carry on


Some say our fate is sealed and help to tie the knot 

Some say that this may be the lull before the storm 

But there's one piece of nature everyone's forgot 

And that's, "The darkest hour is always before the dawn!"

When the candle burns low 

When there's no more to say 

Dig me a hole 

Where my body might lay