NAPALM DEATH
Resentment Is Always Seismic – A Final Throw Of Throes (Century Media)
Back with new album Resentment Is Always Seismic…, the evolution of Birmingham’s Napalm Death during their existence – arguable inventors of the grindcore genre and inarguable extreme metal institution – is profound if less than linear. The band have existed for over 40 years, technically, but have respawned so comprehensively as to have been without any original members for most of that time.
Perhaps their album titles tell a story: the first, in 1987, was simply named Scum, while latterly the band favour larger mouthfuls of wordplay salad like this one. It references the last Napalm Death album, 2020’s Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism – the eight songs on Resentment… are outtakes from it, although you wouldn’t really suspect as much.
Often frazzlingly fast and technically wizardous, with Slaver Through A Repeat Performance the closest thing to straight-up grindcore, Napalm can also do slow punishers (Man Bites Dogged), and often have even while being renowned for groundbreaking BPMs. There are two cover versions, hardcore pioneers Bad Brains’ Don’t Need It and People Pie by 80s industrial rockers Slab!, plus a turn by bassist Shane Embury as Dark Sky Burial, his electronica alter ego.
words NOEL GARDNER