Search - Extreme Noise Terror :: Damage 381

Good addition to any Napalm fan's collection.

Johnny | Boston, MA | 12/06/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have to admit, I know next to nothing about Extreme Noise Terror. What I do know is that they were one of the original old school grindcore bands, and that Barney from Napalm Death joined the band for a brief period and recorded "Damage 381". Being the huge Napalm freak that I am, I didn't hesitate to pick this up when I happened to find it at a used record store. If you are an ENT fan you may have a different interpretation, I can only review this with the perspective of an ND fan, and a fan of death and grind in general.



Comparisons to Napalm Death are inevitable, and while they are fairly accurate they are also fairly lazy. This sounds like ND in the sense that the song structure is aggressive but not overly complex, the music is fast but still retains catchiness and groove, and the music is clearly played by a grind band that has decided to slow down to more old school death metal tempos. However, this does not sound like a napalm rip off or clone, as other reviewers have suggested. The overall sound is closest to death metal, wheras ND really only did death metal on the Harmony Corruption album. The riffing and drumming is slightly more conventional than ND, but it's by no means boring. I can not see anyone listening to this album without being reminded of Napalm Death, but the band is hardly a clone.



This is Barney's performance between "Diatribes" and "Inside the Torn Apart," and I don't know if his vocals have ever sounded so vicious. They are sung in a much more conventional death metal style instead of the trademarked Barney bellow that you would expect. The vocals have a raspy quality that isn't generally present in ND material. The atmosphere on this album is considerably darker than Diatribes or Inside the Torn Apart, and fans who were disappointed with mid 90's Napalm will probably find this a more satisfying alternative.



Bottom line: this is worth buying simply for Barney's vicious vocal display, but also a good album on its own."

More metal

Sauron | Gondor | 08/11/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This one is more of a metal album than other ENT albums. It features Barney Greenway from Napalm Death fame as a guest vocalist. Together with Dean Jones and Phil Vane the vocals are extreme, noisy, and terrifying. The music has slowed a bit, but are as heavy as ever."