Notable for their use of dual vocalists and for recording a number of sessions for BBC Radio 1 DJ John peel, Extreme Noise Terror (often abbreviated to ENT) initially started as a hardcore punk band. It became quickly evident from early shows that they were far more extreme than many bands of that genre. Together with Napalm Death, ENT helped characterise the early, archetypal grindcore sound: Fiercely political lyrics, grinding guitars, extremely fast tempo and often very short songs.
Awakening
Extreme Noise Terror Lyrics
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For what rewards
What have I ever received
Watching worthless fools
Clinging to my wake
But not for long
Far too many years of this life
For now is time to cut you out
To sever these bonds my only thought
Reborn-renamed
Pale existence built on lies
Realisation, routine torn from me
Becoming the fury through what I see
More and more, we're told when to breathe
Told how we've failed in our lives
Never known a life without rules
So now do you realise
Can you see the truth
Nameless - They gain
Heartless - They gain
Faceless - They gain
Unstoppable, unleashed violence
The systems machines crusing you down
The future is yours
How long has it been since freedom
So many promises broken
Smothered from within by these rules
Join me in hell
The lyrics to the song "Awakening" by Extreme Noise Terror highlight the frustration and anger of being trapped in a cycle of hard work without reward. The opening lines, "Working your fingers to the bone / For what rewards / What have I ever received" express this sentiment. The next lines suggest that others are trying to capitalize on the singer's hard work, indicated by "Watching worthless fools / Clinging to my wake / But not for long". The chorus "Reborn-renamed" indicates a shedding of this past life and the emergence of something new.
The verses that follow touch on the idea of living a life based on lies and following societal rules blindly. The lyrics express a desire to break free from these constraints and become "the fury through what I see". The repetition of "Nameless-They gain / Heartless-They gain / Faceless-They gain" suggests a loss of individual identity to those who control the systems that create these constraints.
The closing lines emphasize the need to break free and escape the hell of this existence. The singer suggests that this can be achieved through violence, perhaps indicating a willingness to fight against oppressive forces.
Overall, "Awakening" is a powerful song that expresses a deep level of frustration with the status quo and a desire for change through any means necessary.
Line by Line Meaning
Working your fingers to the bone
You exhaust yourself through hard work
For what rewards
But what do you really gain from it?
What have I ever received
You haven't been given much in return for your efforts
Watching worthless fools
You see others wasting their time and talents
Clinging to my wake
Trying to follow in your footsteps
But not for long
They won't follow you for much longer
Far too many years of this life
You've been living like this for too long
You have been the cancerous side
You've been holding yourself back
For now is time to cut you out
It's time to change and leave the past behind
To sever these bonds my only thought
Breaking free of what has been holding you down is your only goal
Reborn-renamed
You start anew with a different identity
Pale existence built on lies
Living without meaning or purpose, built on false beliefs
Realisation, routine torn from me
You now see the truth and your old way of life is gone
Becoming the fury through what I see
You become angry at what you witness and want to take action
More and more, we're told when to breathe
People are being controlled in every aspect of their lives
Told how we've failed in our lives
You are constantly reminded of your failures
Never known a life without rules
Living a life without limitations is unimaginable
So now do you realise
Do you understand this now?
Can you see the truth
Can you finally see what's happening around you?
Nameless - They gain
People in power benefit from your anonymity
Heartless - They gain
People in power don't care about your well-being
Faceless - They gain
People in power prefer you to remain unseen and unheard
Unstoppable, unleashed violence
There will be a time when people will no longer tolerate these injustices and will take action
The systems machines crusing you down
Living in a world dominated by technology and control
The future is yours
You have the power to change your future
How long has it been since freedom
It's been so long since people have been truly free
So many promises broken
Leaders have made many empty promises
Smothered from within by these rules
People are being suffocated by the very systems set up to help them
Join me in hell
Let's fight together to change things for the better
Contributed by Riley T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
napalmslayer
For a band called extreme NOISE terror, this video is far too quiet
offwiththefairies77
I used to support these guys in Ipswich in the early days in the 1980s. Great to see them still alive and kicking. ;)
*Digital Alchemy*
Sadly Pete and Phil have passsed away....
Anarchist boy Powerviolence
Awesome band, they can be into crust/punk, and a little bit of grindcore, and this song is Death/grind,(Being and nothing album) high quality sound, I got all their albums💀💀💀
Drillerkiller82
That's right, I agree with the direction you stated
This song is Death/grind
_GRINDING!
Alverto Alberto
Legend band extreme noise terror
Shade
The sound quality on this upload is terrible, so quiet...great song and album too, I own a copy and i love it.
Abraão Lima
Legal da hora gostei
Баный Врот
их лучший альбом!
Константин Иванов
Beautiful.