NAPALM DEATH — Smear Campaign (review)

NAPALM DEATH — Smear Campaign album cover

Album · 2006 · Death Metal

4/5 · 2021-08-25
UMUR

"Smear Campaign" is the 13th full-length studio album by UK death metal/grindcore act Napalm Death. The album was released through Century Media Records in September 2006. It´s the successor to "The Code Is Red...Long Live the Code" from 2005, and features the same four-piece lineup who recorded the predecessor. Mark "Barney" Greenway (lead vocals), Mitch Harris (guitar, backing vocals), Shane Embury (bass, backing vocals), and Danny Herrera (drums). As a first on a Napalm Death album a couple of tracks feature female vocals, as Anneke van Giersbergen (The Gathering, The Gentle Storm, solo) performs on "Weltschmerz" and "In Deference".

Stylistically the material on "Smear Campaign" pretty much continue the politically charged grindcore/death metal style of the predecessor (this time particularly critical of religion and religious institutions). In many ways it´s a similar sounding release to "The Code Is Red...Long Live the Code (2005)", although Napalm Death branch out a little more on "Smear Campaign". The (very) rare use of clean vocals, and the inclusion of female vocals show development, but other than that this is post-2000 Napalm Death as we know and love them. Unconventionally structured tracks, fierce aggression, and highly energetic playing. Napalm Death are an incredibly well playing band and the listener is treated to one brutal and aggressive creative riff after another (even the most simple grindcore/hardcore riffs usually feature a twist or seque into something adventurous), constant tempo changes dictated by powerhouse drummer Herrera, and the gruff shouted vocals by Greenway. "Smear Campaign" also features a lot of screaming high pitched vocals performed by Harris, so the vocal part of the music is relatively varied.

"Smear Campaign" is a consistent release in terms of quality and style, and any track from the 16 track, 45:09 minutes long album could be mentioned as worth listening to. The often unconventional song structures have a lot to do with the album continuing to be an interesting listen throughout the album´s playing time and a good example of that is "Sink Fast, Let Go", which is initially a blast beat grindcore/hardcore infused track, which develops and features both heavier groove laden sections, and an atmospheric clean vocal part. That´s what sets Napalm Death apart from a lot of other grindcore acts. The perfect balance between raw aggression and sophisticated compositional details. Not many other contemporary artists in the genre master the latter to the point of perfection found on "Smear Campaign".

"Smear Campaign" features a powerful, raw, and detailed sound production which suits the material perfectly. The album was recorded from May to June 2006 at Foel Studios, Llanfair Caerinion, Wales with producer Russ Russell, which is a repetition of how "The Code Is Red...Long Live the Code (2005)" was recorded and produced, again linking the two albums together in a sibling relationship. Upon conclusion "Smear Campaign" is yet another strong post-2000 album release by Napalm Death, and a 4 - 4.5 star (85%) rating is deserved.