Extreme Noise Terror

Formed in Ipswich, England in 1985, ENT are widely considered one of the earliest and most influential European grindcore bands, and particularly the forefathers of the crust punk, grind subgenre. The original idea was to set out to be the fastest Hardcore Punk band ever, consisting of dual vocalists Dean Jones and Phil Vane, guitarist Pete Hurley, bassist Jerry Clay and drummer Pig Killer, Vane and Hurley had previously played with Discharge-influenced acts Freestate and Victims of War, whilst Jones and Pigkiller had been in Raw Noise. Aside from Discharge, the band cite Anti Cimex, Rattus and Kuro, as early influences. The band signed to Manic Ears after a solitary gig supporting fellow UK punks Chaos UK, releasing a split LP with the band in 1986 entitled Radioactive Earslaughter. Although there were musical similarities between the two bands, ENT were already beginning to twist hardcore into what would later become known as "grindcore". In 1987, ENT came to the attention of John Peel. After seeing them live at the Caribbean Centre in Ipswich with his wife and son, Peel offered them their first (of four) Peel Sessions for BBC Radio 1. A second Peel Session was recorded the following May. During this period, the drum stool was filled by former Napalm Death drummer Mick Harris, although he left soon afterward and was replaced by Tony "Stick" Dickens (of crust band Doom).