NAPALM DEATH — Utilitarian (review)

NAPALM DEATH — Utilitarian album cover Album · 2012 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Utilitarian" is the 15th full-length studio album by UK grindcore/death metal act Napalm Death. The album was released through Century Media Records in February 2012. It´s been 3 years since the release of "Time Waits for No Slave (2009)", but as always Napalm Death have been very active touring and among other things bassist Shane Embury has also found time to record a new Lock Up album in "Necropolis Transparent (2011)".

"Utilitarian" continues the more grindcore based death metal style that the band have pursued since "Enemy of the Music Business (2000)". "Utilitarian" travels down a few new roads though but otherwise stick pretty close to the successful formula the band have now practised on six albums. The vocals by lead vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway are usually harsh, growling and shouting, but he actually takes quite a few excursions into clean vocal territory throughout the album, which is great for the atmosphere and for the variation. Barney´s clean vocals are mostly delivered in a dark and monotone style, but his singing on "The Wolf I Feed" very much resembles the singing style by Fear Factory frontman Burton C. Bell. Guitarist/vocalist Mitch Harris also provide vocal variation with his high pitched screaming vocals. All in all "Utilitarian" is vocally probably the most diverse album yet released by the band.

Musically the album is also pretty diverse. The pace ranges from slow, midpaced, fast and blasting and as it´s been the case since "Utopia Banished (1992)", drummer Danny Herrera skillfully takes the band through each pace with great conviction and sense for detail. One of the most accomplished drummers in extreme metal. The rest of the band are extremely well playing too and everything is delivered with precision but fortunately also with an organic touch. This is not a cold and clinical release which is further emphasised by one of the best sounding productions yet on a Napalm Death album. The atmosphere is of course still ridden with despair and frustration, which is a trademark of the band, so don´t expect any sun to shine through. It´s dark, raw and brutal, but always clever and adventurous too.

The musical diversion and development is heard in a track like "Everyday Pox" which features saxophone. An instrument that blends in very well with the rest of the instrumentation. There´s also musical development in a track like the above mentioned "The Wolf I Feed". As always the lyrics on the album are thought provoking and cleverly written.

Six consecutively brilliant grindcore/death metal releases with original material since their artistic comeback with "Enemy of the Music Business (2000)" is not only an impressive achivement. It´s legendary. A 4.5 star (90%) rating is fully deserved.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

The Goblin Sessions Heavy Metal
THEM
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tormenta De Arena Metalcore
VORAGO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Infinite Metalcore
FUTURE GHOST
Buy this album from MMA partners
Heretic Melodic Death Metal
SUNCINDER
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Skull Burned Wearing Hell Like A Life Vest As The Night Wept Mathcore
FRONTIERER
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Future Ghost - Wolves (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Future Ghost - Nemesis Game (Official Music Video)
FUTURE GHOST
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Harrowed TwentyTenVideo
HARROWED
Bosh66· 3 days ago
Sunmancer - Realms of Dilemma (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 8 days ago
Sunmancer - Lower Cavalier (Official Visualizer)
SUNMANCER
Bosh66· 8 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed