Search - Napalm Death :: Smear Campaign

GRINDCORE KINGS!

Luz Magallanes | OAKLAND CA | 03/02/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"all i need to say about this album is it's heavy as hell!this guys are always more angrier BRUTAL,HEAVY,hell they are more than heavy.Napalm death are sure the kings of grindcore they are the loudest angriest heaviest band out there.Why are you even reading this,if your'e a napalm death fan than sure as hell get this.Like i said it's heavy brutal and loud!!!This guys make six feet under look like little children singing barney songs.THE KINGS OF GRINDCORE RULE!"

Smear Bludgeoning Brutality

Jeremy Brackeen | Cameron, WI United States | 04/02/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Is it just me, or is it the fact that Napalm Death just keep getting better with every album they blast out. Man, I just love these guys to death. They are one of the greatest and most legendary bands not just in grindcore and death metal, but in extreme music overall. Their latest release 2006's "Smear Campaign" is an absolute ferocious, loud, raging, bludgeoning assault to your senses, and to me this is also the best Napalm Death album thus far. There's no doubt that these guys keep getting better with age, and believe me this album is proof. "Smear Campaign" features sixteen scorching tracks of pure smashing, ferocious, bludgeoning, brutality, what more could you ask for? Frontman Barney Greenway's vocals are just nasty, raging and all out vicious as he goes from frightening high-pitched blood-curdling screams to absolute full-bodied death bellows that are just loaded with plenty of rage and agression. I mean, he sounds like he's going to jump right out of your stereo speakers and throttle you just like that. This guy is always on top form when it comes to his vocals. Mitch Harris's riffs are just ferocious and grindingly fast and heavy, and his leads are just crazy and insane. Shane Embury's basslines are heavy and powerful, while skinsman Danny Herrera unleashes and bashes out smashing, insane, superhuman blast beats that will just smash and pound the listener's body to the ground. The album starts off with a 1:28 intro called "Weltschmerz" which includes brief accoustic guitars, organ-style keyboards, and some nice female vocals by The Gathering's Anneke van Giersbergen. Then, all of a sudden, we're thrusted into the smashing second track "Sink Fast, Let Go" which features frightening, piercing high-pitched shrieks, fast grinding buzzsaw riffs, and smashing bludgeoning blast beats. My favorite part is where Barney is barking out the line "SINK FAST, LET GO, SINK FAST, LET GO" over the fast riffing and smashing drums. Another favorite of mine "Fatalist" has more fast insane drumwork, and some fast tempo changes. Next up, we have track four and my favorite song on here, "Puritanical Punishment Beating" which features an absolute nasty barrage of bludgeoning riffs, pounding drums beats and raging vocals. Other favorites on here included "Freedom is the Wage of Sin", "When All is Said and Done", "Deaf and Dumbstruck (Intelligent Design)", "Rabid Wolves (For Christ)", "Identity Crisis", "Shattered Existence" and "Short-Lived". Please read on for my song ratings:

Jeremy's song ratings:

1. Weltschmerz (1:28) - 4/5

2. Sink Fast, Let Go (3:23) - 5/5

3. Fatalist (2:51) - 5/5

4. Puritanical Punishment Beating (3:26) - 5/5 My Favorite Song

5. When All is Said and Done (3:01) - 5/5

6. Freedom is the Wage of Sin (3:09) - 5/5

7. In Deference (3:14) - 5/5

8. Short-Lived (3:06) - 5/5

9. Identity Crisis (2:44) - 5/5

10. Shattered Existence (3:11) - 5/5

11. Eyes Right Out (3:12) - 5/5

12. Warped Beyond Logic (2:00) - 5/5

13. Rabid Wolves (For Christ) (1:24) - 5/5

14. Deaf and Dumbstruck (Intelligent Design) (2:46) - 5/5

15. Persona Non Grata (2:47) - 5/5

16. Smear Campaign (3:20) - 5/5



Overall, "Smear Campaign" is an absolute must-have for any fan of Napalm Death, grindcore, death metal, or just extreme heavy music in general. In my view, this would be one album that Jesse Pintado would definately be proud of. BUY THIS ALBUM NOW!! LONG LIVE NAPALM DEATH!!"

Very good grinding Napalm Death album, not so good sound

G. Sarivougioukis | Doncaster, VIC, Australia | 07/25/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Much has been documented about Napalm Death's return to grinding, blasting form since their 'Enemy of the Music Business' album of 2001. Having heard that album soon after its release, I could hear the band was genuine in its intention of returning to the more intense, extreme type of sound that put latter day Napalm Death -i.e. Barney Greenway era - on the musical map. Since that album, the band has released album after album of such intensity & brutality, each gaining a substantial amount of positive press & reviews, including the album reviewed here, the 'Smear Campaign' album of 2006.



Having read many reviews of the album prior to hearing it, the main focus was always on the album's intense, uncompromising delivery, & the band's brutally honest intention to absolutely shred. So then, while listening to the album, it is clear & unmistakable that it certainly lives up to that reputation. The album starts with a bleak sounding instrumental, 'Weltschmerz', which is rather musical & moving, as well as methodically mid tempo in serving as a prelude to what follows it.....because then starts the shredding. With the second track, 'Sink Fast, Let Go', begins the uncompromising assault that the band has made its trademark once again. What you get here is the trademark blistering & intense grindcore/death metal that only Napalm Death know how to deliver, with good song structure, strong captivating riffs, & good variation throughout each song, never boring the listener. This skillful & punishing delivery continues as the album rages on with songs like 'Fatalist', the ambitiously titled but convincing 'Puritanical Punishment Beating', & one of the highlights of the album, 'When All Is Said & Done', with its strong chorus line. While each song may follow a slightly different formula in terms of arrangement, there is always good variation in riffing & tempos, from blast sections, to thrashing parts, to mid-tempo heavy breakdowns.



As this assault continues song after song, there is no doubt this album is living up to the acclaim the many reviews praised it with in terms of intensity & conviction in the music. There is something else though, that becomes just as evident which is not so positive.....& that is the production. What is soon noticeable from the first song is that the album has a rather dry, dead sounding production. Its not that it lacks power, there's certainly a powerful sound here, but there isn't any of that 'live' feel that was present on albums like 'Harmony Corruption', or 'Utopia Banished'. Instead the album has a somewhat more 'industrial' sound in terms of production. Everything sounds boxed in, dried out & muted. This is most evident with the way the vocals were mixed, as they have that muted, processed sound that is characteristic of the way 'industrial' heavy music is recorded. At first listen, I thought it may have just been an effect the band & producer attempted with the first one or two songs, but disappointingly though, it continues for the entire album. The question that begs then is, if there was an idea to experiment with a somewhat more industrial sounding production, why not commit one or two songs to that? Why the whole bloody album? Most disappointing I must say, as this is not a step in the right direction if the band is to stay true its musical origins & the fans of the earlier albums.



Having said that though, the production & sound aspects are not a complete failure. The mix is quite competent in that most instruments can be clearly heard, except the bass guitar. Additionally, the sound in general is punchy, crisp & powerful enough. The guitars boast a heavy crunching sound, & the drums have a good punchy sound, although it loses some of its punch noticeably when the drums switch to faster blast sections, but not to the point of failure, & it is after all a common challenge with mixing drums when recording extreme grind or death metal.



Barney's vocals sound somewhat like a throwback to those on 'Utopia Banished', in that they are a semi-growled, semi-shouted vocal style similar to those on that album. Nonetheless, Barney has extended his vocal range to include high pitched screeching & some rare clean vocal sections, all of which are competently perfomed, adding a plus to the vocals.



I seem to find the best songs are tracks 7-10, with track seven, 'In Deference', possibly being the album's most memorable song, largely due to a most effective & memorable middle section, featuring guest vocals from Anneke from The Gathering.



Generally, although this is a good album, it's not one of Napalm Death's best, & when deciding to listen to the band's musical output during the Barney Greenway era, I'd instead be listening to 'Harmony Corruption' or 'Mass Appeal Madness'.

"