Napalm Death – “Apex Predator – Easy Meat” [Album Review]

Maybe I’m showing my age, but I still remember when a bunch of grubby Brummies barged their way into the homes of the general public forcing them to endure something labelled “grindcore”. That band was Napalm Death and it is hard to believe that, what was met with derision from the mainstream media and music fans alike, has not only survived for over twenty-five years and sixteen albums, but has also seen Napalm Death grow into one of the most respected and highly influential bands in the extreme metal scene.

Yes, the line-up may be far removed from those spotty teenagers in Black Sabbath t-shirts, and the songs may have gotten longer over time but, as their new album shows, Napalm Death are still as potent as ever. In fact, as Apex Predator – Easy Meat explodes into life, you could even go as far as saying they’re raging harder than they ever have. Age and maturity has cleared, not tempered Napalm Death one bit as they spit through the likes of “Smash A Single Digit” seething with anger from every note. It is this unrelenting anger that has been the backbone of every Napalm album and Apex Predator – Easy Meat is no different. Furthermore, while the sound may be a wall of grinding fury, the attitude and the ethos of the band remains as punk as fuck, with frontman Mark “Barney” Greenway snarling his confrontational lyrics on tracks like “Dear Slum Landlord” and “Hierachies” with more venom than ever.

Apex Predator – Easy Meat is pure, undiluted Napalm Death. Each of the fourteen tracks, right from the intro, is an abrasive slice of sense-battering fury. Having clocked up sixteen albums and countless air miles around the world over the course of their career, you wouldn’t begrudge Napalm if they took the foot off the gas and decided to take a break from dishing out this sonic assault. Thankfully, as Apex Predator – Easy Meat demonstrates, they’re still finding new and exciting ways to push their genre-defining sound to new levels.

Track Listing:

01. Apex Predator – Easy Meat
02. Smash A Single Digit
03. Metaphorically Screw You
04. How The Years Condemn
05. Stubborn Stains
06. Timeless Flogging)
07. Dear Slum Landlord…
08. Cesspits
09. Bloodless Coup
10. Beyond The Pale
11. Stunt Your Growth
12. Hierarchies
13. One-Eyed
14. Adversarial / Copulating Snakes

Run Time: 40:05
Release Date: January 26, 2015

Check out the video for “Smash A Single Digit”