Arise Plus Two

Amebix | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 20, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Alternative Tentacles
• ASIN: B00004T0OT
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #167,427 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent stuff -- a classic, June 2, 2003

By 

Oliver Sheppard (US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arise Plus Two (Audio CD)

There's nary a bad song on this one. The other reviews, "a music fan from san francisco" (below) got it right: this is a classic album, and it holds up well. Have you ever wondered what early Black Sabbath, "Black Metal"-era Venom, and "Overkill"-era Motorhead might sound like, had they come from the punk scene? Now's your chance! ALmost every song on here is a galloping, dugga-dugga- chubb-chubb, chunka chunka guitar fest, but with punk sensibilities. Amebix applied their morbid motif to deeper social concerns: state oppression, the cruelty of wage slavery, the need to "arise and get off your knees," and were influenced as much by anarchist philosophy as by evil metal. Excellent!

Amebix's influence is hard to overestimate, too. Almost all modern hardcore bands worth hearing bear their mark. The late 80's "crossover" hc era, which saw metal and punk combine to give the world thrash, New York hardcore, and the like, were all preceded by Amebix's effortless punk/metal mix. Other dark hc bands, like NEUROSIS, RORSCHACH, NAUSEA, WORLD BURNS TO DEATH, and modern crust like DOOM, MISERY, and others, pay homage to Amebix in nearly every song. While AMebix tackled deep issues about the human (social) condition, they would also indulge a bit in the horror genre, as "Axeman" testifies (one of the better tracks on the album, too). Amebix have broad, cross-category appeal, and their influence is sure to only grow as time goes on.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kings of Crust?, June 13, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Arise Plus Two (Audio CD)

I remember when I first heard songs by AMEBIX back in the late 80s(after they broke up)...on first listen to the original songs from Arise, one could be forgiven for thinking that it was Cronos' voice fronting a more primal(read: less technically proficient)version of that band. AMEBIX's singer - The Baron - had Cronos' raspy snarl down so well that the difference was virtually indistinguishable. That, plus the fact that the band had such a slow, thick, and SLUDGY sound similar to early VENOM, which was almost in direct opposition to the hyperspeed sound that typified the Hardcore punk of the day, made that assessment understandable.

But there was an obvious difference between AMEBIX and their so-called "inspiration". Whereas VENOM's songs were juvenile "evil" tales of damnation and satanic rituals, AMEBIX concerned themselves with demons that were a little more down-to earth, both personally and politically(although "The Moor" and "Axeman" do indulge in a little nasty mythical subject matter). And, while there were some "punk" identified bands at(or a little before) that time that weren't breaking the sound barrier with mega-speedy sonic assaults(i.e. the almighty FLIPPER, or to a lesser extent FANG), AMEBIX really set a new standard by adding such a HEAVY sound, that until that time seemed strictly the province of metal, to their songs.

This sound would later be identified as "Crust", a term which would later be applied to a wide variety of bands which, as far as I can tell, only seem to share a raw and unskilled sound with zero production values on their releases. I'm sure to some that description could apply to AMEBIX as well, but the strength of their songs is that they really are original in their own way. They never played to any labels or terms coined by critics... They just took the best elements of metal and incorporated it within their songs, while taking their own admitted lack of musical skills into account. And you know what? It works - quite well actually, on this album. If you like hard and heavy music pick this up. It truly is a classic that gave a new direction to the punk/hardcore scene.

By the way, although I don't have this version of Arise with the two added songs, I have heard the songs "Right to ride" and "Beyond the sun" and I must say they are worthy additions to this collection. Both songs are early AMEBIX recordings made before Arise came out. "Beyond the sun" is almost balladic(of course in a heavy way) which shows AMEBIX developing the style they would display in Arise, but the real surprise is "Right to ride". I swear it sounds like a lost track from MOTORHEAD's On Parole recording sessions, not just because of its obvious subject matter(taking the "iron horse" on the open road - motorcycles were a passion of The Baron), but because The Baron's voice has traded Cronos' snarl for Lemmy's open throated rasp. He sounds so much like Lemmy it took several listens to convince me it wasn't Lemmy singing. I know that this song will only add to the criticisms that AMEBIX were a derivative band, but it is a damn good song, quite unlike their later material.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the Heaviest non metal band ever, June 4, 2003

By 

Patrick (Devon Uk though Dutch from origin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arise Plus Two (Audio CD)

Amebix was a collective of no nonsense rowdies from the south west of England. As a bunch of Anarchistic warriors they roamed the land and even went overseas where they gained a good following in the former East Block states and The Netherlands where I encountered them. Their music is best described as a crossover from bands like Motorhead and Venom with Disscharge, The Exploited, Disorder and even a bit of the Cure thrown in. I know for a fact that they were a huge inspiration for the 2nd wave of British Heavy Metal and also to gave a kick up the backside of the punkscene who were sinking into new wave mode to easily. Get Of Your Knees, Get Up Stand Up their battle cry.