Napalm Death Albums (16)
'Time Waits for No Slave'
Release Date 1/23/2009
Tracks 14
Label Century
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What The Critics Say
Love or loathe them, you have to respect Napalm Death for sustaining such sheer ferocity, intensity, and volume over 14 albums. Purists complain that the band lapsed in the mid-'90s, sacrilegiously flirting with melody, texture, and conventional rock structures, but Napalm's post-millennial releases have recovered the edge perhaps lacking on records like Diatribes, without going backwards. As Time Waits for No Slave demonstrates, Napalm Death hold to their core values of extreme noise terrorism while also keeping things fresh on each new album. That's evident, for instance, in the atmospheric elements punctuating the assault: ominous vocal coloring on "Fallacy Dominion," dark introductory ambience on "Passive Tense," and a doomy choral conclusion to "Downbeat Clique." Mitch Harris' riffing takes a few atypical turns as "Work to Rule" fleetingly visits black metal territory and the title track's discordant guitar evokes Sonic Youth. Lyrically, though, it's business as usual. The state of the world in 2009 obviously isn't cause for cheer, but at least it gives primordial growler Barney Greenway plenty to rant about: "Life and Limb" denounces torture as Embury and Herrera's rhythm section veers between Swans-like pounding and explosive acceleration; "Strong-Arm" embraces nonviolence; "Diktat" attacks the policing of morality; and the title track rages against the capitalist machine. "On the Brink of Extinction" even tackles ecology and evolution. Ironically, while the punishing music and Greenway's indecipherable, violent delivery suggest otherwise, the sentiments behind many of these songs are actually no different from those once expressed by docile hippies strumming acoustic guitars. And although the metal genre is inextricably linked with an alienated, individualist spirit, Napalm have been relatively anomalous in having a communal, essentially socialist outlook, rooted in their original anarcho-punk influences. Time Waits for No Slave finds Napalm Death keeping faith with their past, albeit without stagnating: within extreme metal's seemingly limited parameters, the band finds modest ways to keep its sound energized and vital. ~ Wilson Neate, All Music Guide
'Smear Campaign'
Release Date 9/15/2006
Tracks 16
Label Century Media
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What The Critics Say
When Napalm Death first hit the scene in the '80s, plenty of detractors must have thought that their brand of extreme metal was just a passing fad, and would soon go away. Now 20 years later, guess who's having the last laugh (especially since the group has long been considered one of the first-ever grindcore bands, and easily one of the most influential/copied metal bands of the era)? And despite 2006's Smear Campaign being the group's umpteenth release, the band's assault-on-your-senses approach is still very much intact -- particularly evident by singer Mark "Barney" Greenway, who still lives to scream his head off at every given opportunity (especially on such tracks as "Sink Fast, Let Go" and "Freedom Is the Wage of Sin"). Some artists enjoy reinventing themselves with each and every release. Not Napalm Death, which is reassuring in a way (you know exactly what lies therein with each successive brutal release) -- and Smear Campaign certainly doesn't disappoint. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
'The Code Is Red...Long Live the Code'
Release Date 1/1/2005
Tracks 16
Label Century Media
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What The Critics Say
Had you dared to suggest back in the late '80s that Napalm Death -- not one of their supposedly more stable peers -- would be the ones to survive through thick and thin and become elder statesmen of extreme metal, you might have been laughed right out of the meat market. But here they are, still thriving decades on from grindcore's violent birth and 11 (that's 11!) studio albums into their career, despite continued challenges like the long-mooted, now seemingly official, departure of long-serving guitarist Jesse Pintado after a decade of work alongside mainstay Mitch Harris. Of course with this elder statesmen status comes the matter of (cough!) maturity, and that right there may be the single word that defines 2005's The Code Is Red...Long Live the Code, whether Napalm likes it or not. It also serves as the dividing line between those fans who have either stuck with or recently discovered the band, and those for whom Napalm Death may as well have died an excruciatingly painful, er, napalm death after releasing those two grindcore-defining first albums: Scum and From Enslavement to Obliteration. The latter are encouraged to take a hike right now, because even ultra-brief new punishments like "Right You Are" and "Pay for the Privilege of Breathing" only barely recall those early years, of which enduring bassist Shane Embury is the only remnant. Rather, though signature new material like "Silence Is Deafening," "Climate Controllers," and "Striding Purposefully Backwards" retains a concerted punk edge in its riffing and arrangements (a trend begun with 2000's revitalizing Enemy of the Music Business), Napalm's maturity (there's that word again), improved technical abilities, as well as a cleaner, more sophisticated production can't help but manifest themselves throughout this set. And yet, even as they prove that reinstating a certain punk ethos still won't get you back to Kansas again, these tracks carry an implicit challenge, daring even the most cynical of listeners to remain unmoved by the gigantic riffs unleashed by the title track or the colossal "All Hail the Grey Dawn" -- not to mention Barney Greenway's still inimitable throat of Armageddon. At this stage, all that's left to comment on are the guest appearances from Hatebreed's Jamie Jasta (pretty nondescript, somewhere in "Instruments of Persuasion"), old Carcass sparring mate Jeff Walker (more obvious in "Pledge Yourself to You"), and lending his unmistakable warble to "The Great and the Good," none other than Jello Biafra. In sum, while most certainly not likely to reconvert old-school grindcore purists, The Code Is Red...Long Live the Code shows Napalm Death in finer form than arguably any of their '90s efforts and lacking little in terms of the uncompromising fury and intelligence that helped make their name. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
'Leaders Not Followers, Pt. 2'
Release Date 1/1/2004
Tracks 20
Label Century Media
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What The Critics Say
In 1999, British grindcore legends Napalm Death decided to take a break from their regularly demanding touring and recording regimen to pay tribute to some of their favorite bands. The resulting six-track EP, Leaders Not Followers, was a smashing success with their fans, and also afforded Napalm a unique opportunity to have a little fun for once -- stepping outside the undoubtedly draining parameters of a hate-fueled career. So it was hardly surprising when the band decided to not only repeat the dose, but triple it five years later with the 19-track Leaders Not Followers, Pt. 2. Once again, the group digs deep into a wide array of influential metallic subgenres (ranging from hardcore, to death, to thrash, to doom, and beyond) to name check both established and obscure acts (from Sepultura to Wehrmacht, from Agnostic Front to the Dayglo Abortions) on their way to uncorking an unusually entertaining and educational covers record. As such, highlights include a brotherly take on Cryptic Slaughter's "Lowlife," a loving remake of Hellhammer's "Messiah," a fun-filled romp through Kreator's "Riot of Violence," and a pulverizing, 30-second spanking of Hirax's "Hate, Fear and Power." And, in a heartwarming display of friendship and loyalty within the extended Napalm Death family, even original bassist Jim Whitely is coaxed out of retirement to help play Discharge's "War's No Fairytale." In the end, Leaders Not Followers, Pt. 2 -- much more than just a treat for Napalm Death fans -- is clearly (and tough-guy metal heads will bristle at such a pansy-ass description before admitting its adequate) a labor of love. And hey, enjoy it while it lasts. Next time you hear from Napalm Death they'll probably be splattering your brain all over the sidewalk again. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
'Punishment in Capitals'
Release Date 1/1/2003
Tracks 28
Label Snapper
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What The Critics Say
Napalm Death has always been an interesting anomaly in the metal underground: generally considered to be the inventors of grindcore, the band eventually became a ragged patchwork of punk, death metal, and hardcore that was simultaneously sloppy, technical, unwaveringly ugly, and downright vicious. And political -- proof being this live DVD, shot in 2002 at a London animal rights benefit gig. Hence the anomaly; while slaughter, fantasy, and war are thematic crutches for much of the metal underground, Napalm is intent on righting the injustices of the world. Punishment in Capitals does a decent job of capturing the group's focus and intensity on-stage, the band rampaging through 28 songs in 90 minutes, from haphazardly arranged early donkey punches "Scum" and "Lucid Fairytale" to latter-day pneumatic drillers "Can't Play Won't Pay" and "Breed to Breathe." Visually, the live show is more than adequate, with enough camera angles to keep diehards relatively interested throughout, even if sonically the live mix is a bit gutted (strangely, the between-song chatter of singer Mark "Barney" Greenway is mixed much louder than his actual during-song vocalizations). Strictly for droolingly devoted Napalm drinkers is a jittery, D.I.Y., 45-minute documentary tacked on as a bonus feature, with mostly Barney-centric interviews covering relatively interesting territory (the band's political views) and the transcendentally mundane (what the band members eat before a show). Also added to the fray are two grainy cuts camcordered in Tokyo in 1996, and a half-dozen more culled from a particularly frenzied gig in Santiago, Chile, in 1997. Long-in-the-tooth Napalm punters will find plenty of meat and potatoes to consume in Punishment in Capitals, and the general no-bones-about-it approach nicely conveys the compelling grit of the hard-working and rightfully well-respected band at its center. [Snapper Music also released a CD edition, without the 1996 and 1997 bonus recordings.] ~ John Serba, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The old dog might not have learned any new tricks, but that doesn't mean that it can't improve on what it already figured out. When Napalm Death started, it was one of the fastest guns in the west, whereas the intermediate era of the group ushered in slower tempos but higher levels of intensity. Order of the Leech eschews the relative experimentation of the preceding Enemy of the Music Business, and instead it artfully combines the reckless alacrity of the band's youth with the lessons in extremities it mastered with age into a record that's the best of both worlds -- blazingly fast, yet chock-full of interesting ideas. Danny Herrera has to be considered one of the best drummers the genre's produced, as his performance here is nothing short of Dave Lombardo-esque in its power; meanwhile, Barney Greenway's vocals are overpowering as he returns to the band's roots of biting political and social commentary throughout the record, which shifts into fifth gear right out of the box with "Continuing War on Stupidity" and doesn't slow down for a second. ~ Brian O'Neill, All Music Guide
'Enemy of the Music Business'
Release Date 9/25/2000
Tracks 14
Label Dream Catcher
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What The Critics Say
While no one should ever accuse Napalm Death of being complacent, there's nothing like record label troubles to force a band to pool its collective energy and refocus its intent. Napalm's previous two records, Inside the Torn Apart and Words From the Exit Wound, were every bit the grind metal excursions fans expected them to be, although they seemed a bit uninspired in comparison to the band's benchmark releases Scum, Harmony Corruption, and Fear Emptiness Despair. When the group's longtime relationship with Earache Records hit the skids, the subsequent bitterness from both parties gave Napalm Death the fuel to regroup, reorganize, and reemerge as the unwieldy, venom-spewing grind python that longtime followers craved. The result? The none-too-subtle Enemy of the Music Business, which kicks off with "Take the Poison," one minute and 49 seconds of abject, heart-bursting terror, guitarists Jesse Pintado and Mitch Harris peeling off flesh-filleting riffs with deadly accuracy as lead throat Barney Greenway shrieks like a speared baboon. In fact, the first seven cuts on Enemy just don't let up, no riff, growl, or certifiably insane drum fill wasted, all muscle and no fat, slabs of meat meant to be consumed by only the strongest of stomachs, 20 suffocating minutes of limb-flailing, venomous, full-tilt Armageddon punctuated by lung-busters "Thanks for Nothing" and "Can't Play, Won't Pay." Of course, the album's second half resumes the destruction, although relatively pacing itself by tossing wrecking balls at personal and political injustices in the form of "Necessary Evil" and "C.S. (Conservative Shithead), Pt. 2," a throwback to the band's Scum days. Although casual listening will cause the album to occasionally veer into wall-of-white-noise monotony -- something Napalm Death, even in its brilliance, has always contended with -- it never strays from the band's above-average to excellent song construction; in fact, closer examination and repeat spins will reveal ugly little bile-splattered nooks and crannies in the arrangements, as well as consistently thought-provoking lyrics. Whether you side with Greenway's generally socialist views is irrelevant (it's impossible to understand him through his guttural, lungs-of-hell delivery without close examination of the lyric book, anyway); it's the band's wall-to-wall rage that the punters will connect with -- something that Napalm Death hadn't really done since the early to mid-'90s. Calling Enemy of the Music Business a return to form is an appalling understatement. ~ John Serba, All Music Guide
'Words from the Exit Wound'
Release Date 1/26/1999
Tracks 15
Label Earache
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What The Critics Say
Over the years, Napalm Death went through more than their share of personnel changes and infighting. The late '90s saw Napalm fire lead singer Lee "Barney" Greenway (who had joined in 1989) and hire Phil Vane as a replacement -- only to end up parting company with Vane and asking Greenway to come back. You would think that so much infighting would have had a negative impact on the band creatively, but in fact, Napalm sound fairly inspired on Words From the Exit Wound. With a lineup that includes Greenway on vocals, Mitch Harris and Jesse Pintado on guitar, Shane Embury on bass, and Danny Herrera on drums, the grindcore/death metal band is certainly focused on brutally heavy, blistering offerings like "Devouring Depraved," "Clutching at Barbs," and "Cleanse Impure." This CD isn't a radical departure from 1997's Inside the Torn Apart or 1998's Breed to Breathe, although it would be wrong to think of Napalm as stagnant. In the '90s, Napalm evolved gradually, incorporating touches of industrial music and alternative rock. Words doesn't quite fall under the heading of "essential," but longtime Napalm followers will be glad to hear how good the band continued to sound after 15 years. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
You can tell that Bootlegged in Japan isn't a bootleg because no intelligent bootleggers would go out of their way to draw attention to the fact that they have manufactured something illegally. Of course, many Napalm Death bootlegs have been sold in the underground market, and this CD came about after members of the influential grindcore/thrash metal band came across bootleg tapes of a 1996 performance in Tokyo. Feeling that a bootleg tape of an August 5, 1996 show at Tokyo's Liquid Room "captured the true uncompromising live spirit of Napalm Death, " the band decided that the recording might as well be sold legally. To be sure, Bootlegged in Japan does capture Napalm's brutal urgency. With a Napalm lineup that includes Barney Greenway on vocals, Shane Embury on bass, Mitch Harris and Jesse Pintado on guitar. and Danny Herrera on drums, the headbangers are in excellent form on ferocious, enraged performances of numbers ranging from "The Kill" and "Cursed to Crawl" to "Siege of Power," "Lucid Fairytale," and "Unchallenged Hate." A cover of the Dead Kennedys' "Nazi Punks Fuck Off" proves interesting -- Greenway's growl doesn't allow you to make out many of Jello Biafra's right-on-the-money lyrics, but you can definitely feel the urgency he brings to the punk classic. Obviously, grindcore isn't for everyone, but die-hard Napalm fanatics will agree that the band is in fine form on this CD. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'Inside the Torn Apart'
Release Date 6/3/1997
Tracks 14
Label Earache
See Album Tracklist and Review
