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The Gauntlet: Napalm Death |
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Napalm Death Album Review
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Tracklist
Disc: 1
1. Multinational Corporations
2. Instinct of Survival
3. Kill
4. Scum
5. Caught... in a Dream
6. Polluted Minds
7. Sacrificed
8. Siege of Power
9. Control
10. Born on Your Knees
11. Human Garbage
12. You Suffer
13. Life?
14. Prison Without Walls
15. Point of No Return
16. Negative Approach
17. Success?
18. Deceiver
19. C.S.
20. Parasites
21. Pseudo Youth
22. Divine Death
23. As the Machine Rolls On
24. Common Enemy
25. Moral Crusade
26. Stigmatized
27. M.A.D.
28. Dragnet
Disc: 2
1. [Bonus Materials] [DVD] [*]
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Here it is, the record that put grindcore on the map, defining what many considered to be the most extreme style of music made in the history of recorded music. Napalm Death started as a band intent on smashing barriers and with the release of “Scum,” they did so in a way that had never been done before. Bands like Siege had laid the foundation for such an awakening, and at the time many bands in both Europe and America were pushing hardcore punk to new levels of intensity, but it would be Napalm Death, fueled and anchored by the then-seemingly superhuman Mick Harris on drums that would become known as the godfathers of grindcore.
For those more familiar with the modern incarnation of the band, “Scum” serves as a true history lesson. Not a single member remains from the band’s original lineup of Justin Broadrick, Nik Bullen and Harris, the trio that plays on the first twelve tracks here. Many to this day consider the original lineup as being the definitive version of the band, although later incarnations have well overshadowed the trio, both in terms of popularity and commercial success. In many ways, Napalm Death was a completely different band altogether at it’s inception, taking cues predominately from punk music, whereas later recordings took on definite metal overtones – in essence, completing and perfecting the grindcore sound. But what’s most brilliant about “Scum” is its imperfection. Napalm Death wasn’t going for a perfect-sounding recording or trying to create a record that would be commercially successful. Instead, the members were playing the music that they wanted to create and hear for themselves. Prior to the release of “Scum,” songs mere seconds long were almost unheard of, but the blisteringly quick “Polluted Minds” (complete with guitar solo), “The Kill” and live fave “You Suffer” showed listeners that short songs were viable, especially when the group was packing so much aural insanity into such a tight package. Of the Bullen/Broadrick/Harris songs, it’s the title track that became the band’s calling card. Along with further politically influenced diatribes like the record’s perfect introduction, “Multinational Corporations,” the blunt brute forcefulness of “Control” and the band’s longest track, “Siege Of Power,” we find that lashing out versus commerce and governmental authority was the factual essence of Napalm Death. Turning to harsh musical protest as opposed to physical violence defined the group as not only musical innovators, but as anti-political icons as well.
The second portion or “B” side of “Scum” welcomed vocalist Lee Dorian (who would later go on to form the dialectically opposed doom troupe Cathedral) into the fold. Dorian brought clearer enunciation and a wider range of vocals to Napalm Death. “Life?” with an insanely manic beat and alternating guttural grunts and raspy barking is a prime example of how much the band had progressed in such a short time. The second half of “Scum” thrives on lower tones, but a stellar job of remastering brings the brutal cacophony emitted by Harris to the fore. For such a recording, it’s important for the drums and especially cymbals to be audible in order to maintain intensity; here you can hear Mick really well in comparison to the original record. Look to “Deceiver” for wicked vocals from Dorian, while the hammering pace of “Negative Approach” and the relentless havoc of guitarist Bill Steer’s riffing during cuts like “M.A.D.” signaled the band’s first hints at expanding their blasting formula to include different textures.
Included in this reissue, fans receive a DVD that retells the primitive stages of the band, as Mick Harris offers his thoughts and a great deal of band history. The drummer takes us to The Mermaid in Birmingham, the club Napalm Death called home during its formative years and offers tremendous insight into the inner workings of the band’s early years. Also, we’re treated to a visit to Rich Bitch studios, the recording house in which this legendary album was tracked. For so very long, Harris was the heart and soul of Napalm Death, therefore it’s quite befitting the drummer would be the person to guide us through this important snapshot of extreme music history. It’s exciting to have such a glimpse into the past of this critically important group and Harris’ insight and recollections herein will doubtlessly be invaluable to the band’s long time followers.
Earache has done a magnificent job at putting this entire package together. Featuring the original Jeff Walker cover art and lyrics to all of the tracks, this re-mastered gem is one that is simply a must-have in any extreme music collection. A turning point in the history of extreme music, “Scum” remains the definitive grindcore record to this very day.
Review by: E.F.
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