Resentment Is Always Seismic (Dark Sky Burial Dirge) (6:01)
Review: RECOMMENDED
17 albums in and it feels like Napalm Death are only just hitting their stride. Well, they've been hitting their stride for roughly 17 albums, but while many bands - especially those at the more frenetic and uncompromising end of things - tend to start, err, compromising after four or five long forms, the Birmingham grindcore masters still sound fresh. Albeit fresh but covered in sweat and rage.
Following on from 2020's Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism, Resentment is a mini-LP that picks up where its predecessor left off. Among the highlights is a fantastic cover of 1980s industrial electronic outfit Slab!, but really it's nigh-on-impossible to pick specifics here - buckle up, turn it up, and let the ferocity wash over you. Suffice to say, keeping this level of intensity without winding up sounding like you're screaming into the abyss isn't easy, and Napalm Death's career should be considered a masterclass.
Gipsy Kings - "You've Got A Friend In Me (Para El Buzz Espanol)" (2:14)
Randy Newman - "We Belong Together" (4:00)
Review: Who doesn't love Toy Story? It's an on going classic with a heart of gold, some of The best animation in the film world and most loveable characters to ever make the silver screen. Whether young or old, snuggling down to watch this sone is always a treat, and now you can bring some of that magic onto your decks with the red vinyl compilation album. It brings together some of the best tracks and favourite musical moments of the movie such as, of course the most notable song of them all, 'You've Got A Friend In Me (Para El Buzz Espanol)' as well as 'I Will Go Sailing No More' and 'We Belong Together.'
Review: 2024 saw the return of easily the biggest powerviolence act to ever decimate speakers and human hearing - Nails, who picked up right where they left off with their ferocious fourth full-length Every Bridge Burning, marking their first new album in almost a decade. Despite rave reviews, many of the fanbase argue that its 2016 predecessor You Will Never Be One Of Us is still the band's finest achievement of musical malevolence to date. Their final effort with the original trio line-up of bassist John Gianelli and drummer Taylor Young before both would amicably depart in 2020, these 21 minutes of sonic abrasion (still their longest LP) deliver on everything the Nails ethos stands for - frenetic riffage, crushing breakdowns, hulking grooves and a breakneck pace libel to instil panic attacks, while primary songwriter Todd Jones' nihilistic viewpoint and seemingly anti-everything attitude is barely decipherable through his mouth-full-of-broken-glass vocals. Be warned, however, each and every micro-burst of fury such as the 45-second 'Friend To All' is paid back by the end with the heinously oppressive noise-sludge-doom monolithic closer that is the 8-minute 'They Come Crawling Back'.
Review: Following on from their critically acclaimed 1988 sophomore effort From Enslavement To Obliteration, which marked their final full-length with original vocalist Lee Dorrian and guitarist Bill Steer, Birmingham grindcore legends Napalm Death would redefine and re-establish themselves on 1990's Harmony Corruption. With the addition of current frontman Mark "Barney" Greenway, the group would trek to the iconic Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida (studio home to many a classic death metal record from the likes of Cannibal Corpse and Death), to craft a work far more sonically inspired by their outlying peers within the genre. Working from their refined grindcore blueprint, yet imbuing the trudging chaos with especially heavy riffage and even low guttural growls, this newly tempered form of deathgrind would not only re-chart the band's course for the ensuing decades, but cause a connective riff between the two subcultures of metallic extremity still felt to this day. Vocalists from the two legendary Floridian death metal acts Deicide (Glen Benton) and Obituary (John Tardy) also both make appearances on the vile 'Unfit Earth', making for one of the only posse-like grindcore cuts you're likely to ever have invade your ear canals.
Review: Originally released in 1990, Extinction would serve as the sole full-length from New York crust punk pioneers Nausea. While not the first band of misfits to amplify the angst and visceral aggression of hardcore, they are often cited with being integral to the genre's expansion and incorporation of equally heinous sonics from the realms of doom and sludge metal as well as d-beat, with their Discharge influence worn proudly on their tattered sleeves. Equally inspired by the anarcho-punk messaging of Crass, their lyrics urgently represented their views on feminism, anti-racism, anti-war and class conflict, while their apocalyptic world view rivalled that of their peers in Amebix. Delivered with an unmatched vitriol indicative of the time in which they were penned and further bolstered by the now iconically chaotic push-pull of dual vocalists Al Long and Amy Miret, it's bizarre to track the career of drummer Roy Mayorga who would go on to become a mainstay in mainstream metal fulfilling tenure with the likes of Soulfly, Stone Sour, and presently Ministry. Following Svart Records' recent 12" reissue/compilation of the Cybergod and Lie Cycle EPs, the label brings this nihilistic classic home to wax after two decades of absence.
The Beach Is For Lovers (Not Lonely Losers) (2:57)
December (3:37)
Smooth Seas Don't Make Good Sailors (3:03)
I Hope This Comes Back To Haunt You (2:45)
Rock Bottom (3:10)
Review: Following their signing to the immensely impressive roster of pop-punk-centric label Hopeless Records, Welsh upstarts (soon to turn megastars) Neck Deep made good on all of the promise of their 2014 debut full-length Wishful Thinking with their breakout sophomore effort Life's Not Out To Get You in 2015. Linking up with A Day To Remember vocalist Jeremy McKinnon, former guitarist-turned-engineer Tom Denney and producer Andrew Wade down in Florida, the guidance and input from more seasoned veterans helped elevate the band's hardcore-adjacent blend of anthemic, saccharine pop-punk to staggering new heights, leading to somewhat of a torch-passing between bands as Neck Deep's stratospheric ascent can likely be drawn back to the success of this second LP. Now, courtesy of their ever-supportive label-home, the album lands back on wax after too long an absence.
Review: Nena's second album, released in 1984 and now reissued on striking red vinyl, was a shift from the assertive sound of their debut, presenting a more romantic and introspective approach. The album cover, featuring a shadowy band photo against a black backdrop and a simple question mark as its title, hints at its deeper emotional themes. While the opening track 'Rette Mich' carries forward the energy of their first album, the overall mood embraces love and longing, with Nena's voice revealing a touching vulnerability. The music leans toward 70s Baroque rock, combined with the catchy simplicity of 80s pop, as all band members contribute to the songwriting, ensuring a rich tapestry of melodic sophistication. The title track, initially released as a mellow single, captures the emotional complexity of desire and resonated deeply with fans, further solidifying Nena's status in the German pop scene. Following the unexpected success of '99 Luftballons', which became a worldwide hit, this album helped elevate Nena and her band beyond the constraints of the Neue Deutsche Welle movement, marking them as a unique force in pop music history. Its timeless appeal ensures that Nena remains a classic in German music.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.