The Official Napalm Death Thread

jackhammer · 08-20-2011, 08:29 PM

A couple of things before I start. Despite their heavy sound I am almost loathe to put Napalm Death in the metal forum as their ethos is still essentially Punk to this day but with the long hair still around and a sound influenced by Metal I think this is probably the better place.

Also why no thread? I can't believe a band so seminal has no thread!

Without going into huge detail if you haven't heard of Napalm Death regardless of your age then you have been living under a very large heavy metal rock (pun intended).

One of the originators of Grindcore (albeit from a Punk angle), their seminal debut album Scum is an all time classic with one Justin Broadrick (Jesu, Godflesh) being one of their earliest members and Carcass main man Bill Steer being an integral member at one point. The current line up has pretty much been stable since 1991 and they have continued to put out album after album with the same intensity and politically charged lyrics since their early days.

Although the band have incorporated heavier and slower elements in their music over the years, they have never sold out and remain as intense as ever and for my money outshine 95% of the so called extreme bands out there.

I have seen the band a number of times especially in the late 80's/ early 90's and know a past member well and used to hang around with the current bass player way way back (he probably wouldn't recognise me now) and over 20 years later got to see them last week and they absolutely destroyed even though the band are in their 40's now.

Have a couple of vids:

Early days around 1990:

and a few years back:

From their latest 2009 release:

Despite that early vid with vocalist Lee Dorrian sounding like a demented pig, you can hear how influential they were in extreme Metal and the latest vid with Barney's stupendous voice proving that they can still blow you away.

Fans?

**Janszoon** · 08-20-2011, 08:46 PM

I have to admit they are one of those seminal bands that I've never gotten around to checking out despite being a grindcore fan. What album do you think is their best?

jackhammer · 08-20-2011, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

I have to admit they are one of those seminal bands that I've never gotten around to checking out despite being a grindcore fan. What album do you think is their best?

Scum is seminal in terms of influence but From Enslavement To Obliteration or Smear Campaign are probably their best.

**Janszoon** · 08-20-2011, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackhammer

Scum is seminal in terms of influence but From Enslavement To Obliteration or Smear Campaign are probably their best.

I'll definitely check those out. Thanks!

Urban Hat€monger ? · 08-20-2011, 09:24 PM

I've been trying to find some of their old demos.

So far I've only found Hatred Surge from 1985.

The Batlord · 08-22-2011, 12:10 PM

I'm not a HUGE fan of their first two albums, not being a huge hardcore fan I guess. But their later death metal work is some of the best death metal I've heard. Harmony Corruption and Utopia Banished are just about the most perfect combination of hardcore, grindcore, and death metal that I've ever heard and Barney's vocals are just too awesome.

BastardofYoung · 08-23-2011, 12:14 AM

1990 is the early days?

anyways, that aside...

One of the very first albums I got on cassette that got me into Metal:

Howard the Duck · 08-23-2011, 02:42 AM

i was a fan from early on but found their discography daunting later, but i'm slowly returning to them and might eventually obtain their entire discog

i have Scum, From Enslavement to Obliteration, Harmony Corruption (which i discovered on my own) and Time Waits for No Slave (mostly cos of the thread-starter's rec)

hip hop bunny hop · 08-23-2011, 06:48 PM

Hmm. I've the first two and I've heard bits of their mid 90s work, and when Napalm are on they're great, but I never considered them to be very consistent. Never had anything by them I could just put on and let play for the length of the album; always had to do lots of track skipping.

BastardofYoung · 08-23-2011, 08:07 PM

Casual fans would just be better off getting the "Noise for Music's Sake" comp.

But you are correct, when they are on they are on... when they are off they are really off.

08-20-2011, 08:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	The Official Napalm Death Thread A couple of things before I start. Despite their heavy sound I am almost loathe to put Napalm Death in the metal forum as their ethos is still essentially Punk to this day but with the long hair still around and a sound influenced by Metal I think this is probably the better place. Also why no thread? I can't believe a band so seminal has no thread! Without going into huge detail if you haven't heard of Napalm Death regardless of your age then you have been living under a very large heavy metal rock (pun intended). One of the originators of Grindcore (albeit from a Punk angle), their seminal debut album Scum is an all time classic with one Justin Broadrick (Jesu, Godflesh) being one of their earliest members and Carcass main man Bill Steer being an integral member at one point. The current line up has pretty much been stable since 1991 and they have continued to put out album after album with the same intensity and politically charged lyrics since their early days. Although the band have incorporated heavier and slower elements in their music over the years, they have never sold out and remain as intense as ever and for my money outshine 95% of the so called extreme bands out there. I have seen the band a number of times especially in the late 80's/ early 90's and know a past member well and used to hang around with the current bass player way way back (he probably wouldn't recognise me now) and over 20 years later got to see them last week and they absolutely destroyed even though the band are in their 40's now. Have a couple of vids: Early days around 1990: and a few years back: From their latest 2009 release: Despite that early vid with vocalist Lee Dorrian sounding like a demented pig, you can hear how influential they were in extreme Metal and the latest vid with Barney's stupendous voice proving that they can still blow you away. Fans? __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

08-20-2011, 08:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
Janszoon Mate, Spawn & Die Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Rapping Community Posts: 24,593	I have to admit they are one of those seminal bands that I've never gotten around to checking out despite being a grindcore fan. What album do you think is their best? __________________ A Night in the Life of the Invisible Man Time & Place 25 Albums You Should Hear Before the Moon Crashes into the Earth and We All Die last.fm

08-20-2011, 09:24 PM	#5 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	I've been trying to find some of their old demos. So far I've only found Hatred Surge from 1985. __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

08-23-2011, 12:14 AM	#7 (permalink)
BastardofYoung Buzz Killjoy Join Date: May 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 2,692	1990 is the early days? anyways, that aside... One of the very first albums I got on cassette that got me into Metal: __________________ last.fm ‎"I hope that someday we will be able to put away our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people." - Jack Handey.

08-23-2011, 06:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
hip hop bunny hop Music Addict Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,381	Hmm. I've the first two and I've heard bits of their mid 90s work, and when Napalm are on they're great, but I never considered them to be very consistent. Never had anything by them I could just put on and let play for the length of the album; always had to do lots of track skipping. __________________ Have mercy on the poor.

08-23-2011, 08:07 PM	#10 (permalink)
BastardofYoung Buzz Killjoy Join Date: May 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 2,692	Casual fans would just be better off getting the "Noise for Music's Sake" comp. But you are correct, when they are on they are on... when they are off they are really off. __________________ last.fm ‎"I hope that someday we will be able to put away our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people." - Jack Handey.