Napalm Death Time Waits for No Slave
by Matthew Hoffman
Staff Writer
How refreshing it is to not have to analyze and critique every little facet of an album. In the case of Napalm Death, the Birmingham, England extreme metal pioneers, their techniques are so tight and polished that you can rise above that fray listen to the music and give your two cents. Not only has the music been perfected but the social and politically charged themes are still running strong after 28 years. The original grind-core band’s latest release is entitled Time Waits for No Slave and rumbles along for 50 highly charged minutes. It is on Century Media Records and is available now for purchase.
“Life and Limb” is the radio friendly track (satellite) though any “normal” rock radio stations wouldn’t dare play it. It features the usual double bass extreme metal drumming of Danny Herrera, killer extreme vocals of Barney and a massive hook.
Parts of the album see Barney in a more respectful and traditional vocal scheme but for the most part its balls to the wall like the wicked cut “A No Sided Argument.” This track is a 145 second extravaganza that if left in a time machine could serve to explain to either future or past humans the pure aggression of the 20th and 21st Century extreme metal genres. This sickening cut has nasty guitar riffing from Mitch Harris and deep bass bombs from Shane Embury as well.
The only down side of the record is the lack of guitar solos, but the riffs are so damn heavy and fast that you should barely miss them.
The band’s frontman was amazed at the overwhelming reception of this album after all these years in the industry. Sources like Decibel and Metal Maniacs gave it mad coverage and the band even hosted Headbangers Ball in late 2008. They are currently preparing for a massive North American Headlining tour that includes supporting vagrants bastards like Kataklysm, Toxic Holocaust, Abigail Williams and Trap Them, starting April 10.
Oh well after this long of a successful career with more than 20 releases everyone knows what to expect on a CD release. In the case of Time Waits for No Slave no one will be even remotely disappointed.
Pick up a copy as soon as possible, put it in your car stereo and scare at least 27 old ladies at a local retirement facility near you.
Label: Century Media
Band Members
Barney Greenway-Vocals
Shane Embury-Bass
Mitch Harris-Guitar
Danny Herrera-Dums
Track Listing
1. Strongarm
2. Diktat
3. Work to Rule
4. On the Brink of Extinction
5. Time Waits for No Slave
6. Life and Limb
7. Downbeat Clique
8. Fallacy Dominion
9. Passive Tense
10. Laurency of the Heart
11. Procrastination of the Empty Vessel
12. Feeling Redundant
13. A No-sided Argument
14. De-evolution Ad Nauseum
Rating: 8/10