Napalm Death are:
Mark "Barney" Greenway - Vocals
Jesse Pintado - Guitar
Mitch Harris - Guitar
Shane Embury - Bass
Danny Herrera - Drums
Formed in England in 1982, Napalm Death are considered the originators of grindcore and one of the most influentual bands in metal. Their debut album,
Scum, showcased them as an unrelenting metal act, with their mission clearly being the sacrifice of convention for brutal heaviness. Over the course of their still-spanning career, they have embraced just about every heavy style of music and still maintain their trademark sound.
Enemy Of The Music Business is their tenth LP, concerning their departure from the record company for all of their previous albums, Earache Records. While the last few albums from Napalm Death were just as heavy as their others, they weren't exactly departures or highlights of the band's discography. This album is a powerful return to their awesome speed and amazing guitarwork that seemed a bit difficult to attain on their former records.
And we're not talking drop-tuned boring riffs and mid-tempo death metal drumming. This is grind at its best, and when not touching on that genre, Napalm Death turn to a thrashing intensity. There are few slow moments; all of these songs are relentless, and when they really let loose, they're even more overpowering: the drumming becomes a fantastically hasty doop-chick-doop-chick coupled with pounding double bass and the guitarwork is not only quickened but somehow melodic, ripping out awkward, technical chords. There are even bass sections, something you don't find in a great quantity with guitar-oriented metal.
All the while, Barney's voice is a tearing growl that perfectly fits the madness accompanying it. While most metal bands would be content with writing the typical Satanic or gruesomely violent lyrics, Napalm Death's lyrics concern social and political commentary; at least, when it's not concerned with the abuse from their former label. These songs are intelligently written, with lines like, "Cloaks of sickness keeping us sweet/ Delusional blackness, fictitional madness/ Visionary blackness, traps are set/ Revolving mind-doors conspiring our downfall" ("Mechanics Of Deceit"). This is not your typical lyrical fare.
The only foreseeable problem with
Enemy of The Music Business is that when played as background music or just to be played, it feels repetitive and boring. It's only when you turn it up, listen to the nuances, and pay attention that you hear the awesome skill and melodic guitar parts that make the entire album worth hearing. Every member of Napalm Death contributes to the overall feel, and it makes for an excellent experience in ehavy music.
Recommended Tracks: "Take The Poison", "Constitutional Hell", "Can't Play, Won't Pay", "Blunt Against The Cutting Edge", "C.S. (Conservative Shithead) Part 2"
Rating: 4.5/5
