Warfare

Tyneside, England's Warfare materialized precisely as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal reached its concluding peak. The group coalesced in 1984 when veteran scene figure Paul Evo—addressed simply as Evo among associates—took the role of singing drummer alongside guitarist Gunner and bassist Falken. Observers quickly likened their sound to Motörhead, Tank, and especially Venom, leading them to ink a deal with the latter's Neat imprint. Operating at the same breakneck pace as their performances, the trio packed their debut year with the EPs Noise, Filth and Fury and Two Tribes, the latter a sardonic reinterpretation of the Frankie Goes to Hollywood smash, plus the full-length Pure Filth, all before delivering a single live show. Kicking off 1985 with the further EP Total Death, Warfare at last began appearing before select crowds, occasionally augmented by Atomkraft drummer Ged Wolf to allow Evo to command the front of the stage. They soon returned to the studio, enlisting none other than Motörhead's Lemmy as producer for the follow-up Metal Anarchy, which surfaced by the close of the year.

Preferring the studio to the road, the band pressed ahead on a third album even as bassist Falken departed mid-sessions; Venom's Cronos stepped in temporarily until Zlaughter assumed the permanent slot. Warfare lifted their self-imposed touring moratorium just long enough to rile European crowds and stage pranks such as interrupting Metallica's performances, prompting Neat Records to postpone the 1987 release of the provocatively named Mayhem Fuckin' Mayhem until matters cooled. An attempt to issue a pointed cover of Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" likewise stalled for half a year. Against expectations, the band surprised listeners with their fourth effort, A Conflict of Hatred, which brought keyboardist Lazer aboard and unveiled sophisticated songwriting approaches few had anticipated. Fans responded strongly, making the album Neat's top seller to date and eclipsing even established acts like Venom and Raven.

Seeking fresh directions, Warfare exited Neat for a partnership with Hammer Film Music and committed an album to horror-movie themes, issued in 1990 as Hammer Horror. Founding guitarist Gunner exited during this period, though Venom's Mantas contributed to the more traditional-metal A Crescendo of Reflections in 2001, after which the group concluded its run with the live album Deathcharge. A Decade of Decibels compilation appeared in 1993, while the broader Metal Anarchy: The Best of Warfare retrospective followed a decade later.