NAPALM DEATH „The Code Is Red…Long Live The Code”

Music: Death / Grind
Website www.napalmdeath.org
Country: U.K.


Best tracks: The Great And The Good, Diplomatic Immunity, The Code Is Red…..Long Live The Code

Since Napalm Death is my favorite band, they really don't have to keep getting better, they just have to maintain their godly status, which they certainly do with the new release on Century Media, “The Code Is Red…Long Live The Code”. Even without Jesse, they still maintain their godly status. The album is everything Napalm. The blast beating drums, the growling “uuuhs” and “aaayyyyys” from Barney, the speedy Death mixed with driving grooves for thrashin'. Shane's furiously pounding and driving bass. Yeah! Napalm has maintained still! Maybe forever.

“Silence Is Deafening” starts this onslaught in furious Napalm fashion. Barney growling, Mitch screaming, Danny pounding and blasting the roof off. Shane driving. Then slows to a good pounding Napalm groove for headbangin'. “Right You Are” is a 52 second blast in your face of Napalm brutality followed by “Diplomatic Immunity”, another one minute – forty five seconds of growling, blast beating fury which turns to an awesome Napalm groove for neck wreckin'. The title track is chock full of Barney, showing no sign of losing his touch, with gut wrenching “uhhhs!!” and “aaaayyss!!” throughout. Barney is still my hero. F**k Yeah. Damn good to hear Napalm maintain!

“Climate Controllers” is a hard driving, fast and furious assault and “Instruments Of Persuasion” is……well, a hard driving, fast and furious assault, with a brutal scat-thrash groove in the middle..Napalm style. “The Great And The Good” is my favorite track, with a driving, pounding rhythm mixed with furious speed and Jello Biafra on backing vocals. Awesome bass groove too with Jello and Barney doing duel vocals. “Sold Short” is another short blast of brutality with good rhythm. “All Hail The Gray Dawn” is another track like “The Great And The Good” that is reminiscent of the 'Diatribes' Napalm, which is my favorite. Barney duets with Jamey Jasta on those.The thrash groove in the middle is also trademark Napalm. Head bangin', fist pumping, growling and grinding Napalm Death.

“Vegatative State”, “Pay For The Privilege Of Breathing”, “Pledge Youself To You” and “Striding Purposefully Backwards” are all vintage Napalm brutality, assuring their roots are still attached. “Morale” is the longest and slowest , as Napalm always grinds one out in slow pounding fashion, and there is an eerie video for it as well incuded on the cd, done by Mitch. This fades into the also slow and eerie “Our Pain Is Their Power”.

Any Napalm fan should be thoroghly satisfied with this cd, as I am. They're still going strong and maintain their position as number one on my list. I saw them live in 2005 and their show is still as furious and brutal as ever and I can't wait to see them in 2006 with Kreator. Long Live The Napalm Gods!!!!

note: 8/10

Tracklist

01. Silence Is Deatening
02. Right You Are
03. Diplomatic Immunity
04. The Code Is Red… Long Live The Code
05. Climate Controllers
06. Instruments Of Persuasion
07. The Great And The Good
08. Sold Short
09. All Hail The Grey Dawn
10. Vegetative State
11. Pay For The Privilege Of Breathing
12. Pledge Yourself To You
13. Striding Purposefully Backward
14. Morale
15. Our Pain Is Their Power

Line-up

Barney Greenway – vocals
Mitch Harris – guitar
Shane Embury – bass
Danny Herrera – drums