10) “Antibody” – Greed Killing EP
Similar to Breed To Breathe,this EP contains the lead single from Diatribes, as well as a few extra tracks culled from the Diatribes studio sessions. Napalm Death takes a lot of blowback for that record, and while I know it’s different than what they’d previously released, following the band’s progression over the three albums leading up to this one makes it seem less like a lemon out of left field and more like a natural progression of Napalm’s ever-evolving sound. I like Diatribes, but I actually like “Antibody” more than any of the songs from it. This is one of the heaviest tunes those sessions yielded. It opens the set that Earache later released as Bootlegged In Japan, and still gets occasional love from the band live. The opening is so heavy.
11) “Truth Drug” – Fear, Emptiness, Despair [DIGIPAK] and Noise For Music’s Sake
Fear, Emptiness, Despair is my favorite Napalm Death record. It’s the heaviest thing they’ve ever done, I think, and it really showcases the band hitting their stride with incorporating the groovier elements of traditional death metal that had begun infiltrating their sound on the previous two albums. Looking at the outtakes and inclusions for this record, it’s hard to make a real distinction; they’re all relentlessly heavy, and each number is just as deserving of space on the record as the next song. “Truth Drug” has plenty of the Fear, Emptiness, Despair mid-paced groove, and several pockets of grind slid seamlessly into the track’s guts. If you liked this record, you’ll love its outtakes.
12) “Malignant Trait” – Utopia Banished [BONUS EDITION] and Noise For Music’s Sake
[youtube]https://youtu.be/6cPjc6Mf-ZA[/youtube]
So much love for Utopia Banished.This was the first record to feature Danny Herrera behind the kit, and it’s clear from the jump that he was the logical choice to replace the mighty Mick Harris. “Malignant Trait” was included with a few other tracks on a bonus three-inch CD that came with early issues of Utopia Banished. Those tracks were later tacked on to the end of the standard CD version, and they’re also available on Noise For Music’s Sake. “Malignant Trait” has all the same characteristics as “I Abstain,” “The World Keeps Turning,” and the other standout songs that made this release so essential. If you, for some reason, own a version of Utopia Banished that doesn’t include these tracks, ditch it and get ’em. You’re missing half the action.
13) “Unchallenged Hate” – Mass Appeal Madness EP, Death By Manipulation, Noise For Music’s Sake
[youtube]https://youtu.be/WWqrcOmuYqA[/youtube]
The version of “Unchallenged Hate” I’m talking about isn’t the track from From Enslavement To Obliteration. For my money, this version, the one originally included on Mass Appeal Madness, is where it’s at. This is a classic Napalm Death face-breaker, one of the heaviest in the style adopted during this period of the band’s evolution. This series is called Criminally Slept-On, but this track only fits here because it wasn’t included on any major LP release. “Unchallenged Hate” is anything but slept-on; it’s one of this version of Napalm Death’s most celebrated offerings, and that proof lies in the number of times it’s been subsequently covered live and on record by scores of death and grind bands. Dying Fetus’s version from History Repeats… is particularly outstanding. If for some reason, you’re a fan of this group and you’re not familiar with this track, get in on this business immediately. This is a key piece of history in the annals of extreme music.
14) “Hiding Behind” – Harmony Corruption [CD VERSION]
[youtube]https://youtu.be/_OW15eVM2sU[/youtube]
If you wanna date this release, it’d be fairly easy be noting that “Hiding Behind” was a bonus track offered to those who wanted to branch out and pick up one of those newfangled compact discs all the kids were raving about. No, really, I don’t know why they chose to offer a bonus track for the CD version. I was seven when this record came out. I was busy picking my nose and learning how addition worked. All told, though, “Hiding Behind” is one of the longer tracks from Harmony Corruption, and Harmony Corruption is a fantastic record that’s enjoyed some much-deserved longevity. “Hiding Behind” blends a bit more of the band’s grind roots with the traditional death approach they took on this LP, and it makes for a fantastic blend of where Napalm Death came from and where they were heading.
Napalm Death’s importance in heavy music history cannot be overstated. Without this group, death metal, grindcore, and any heavier permutation of aggressive rock simply wouldn’t exist in the way we understand it today. I could talk about this group for days. If you’re into them, I hope you’ve been able to find out about a track or two that may have slid under your radar. And if you’re just getting into Napalm Death, man… bookmark this article and come back to it later. The first thing you need to do is run down every LP this band’s put out, listen to them until you’re sick, then sleep with them under your pillow until you’re better again.
A version of this article originally appeared on AudioPhix.com.
