Napalm Death 
Apex Predator – Easy Meat 
Century Media
Street: 01.27
Napalm Death = Repulsion + Bolt Thrower + Unseen Terror 
 
Hold on to your butts—anytime there’s a new Napalm Death record, the earth spins on its axis a few extra times. Apex Predator continues what the band has been doing on their last few records, but the songwriting here is probably as tight as it’s ever been. Napalm Death want you to hear every bit and piece of what they’re doing, and the production lends itself perfectly to that. The big difference with this album compared to the past is the riffs and, yes, groove. It’s not Napalm Death going back to their groove era, though. The crunchy riffs go hand in hand with the mass chaos going on in the background, and it all builds, creating a lot of memorable songs. “How the Years Condemn,” the let’s-not-be-grind “Dear Slum Landlord,” and the particularly nasty “Beyond the Pale” are just tidbits of the waste-laying of the Apex. –Bryer Wharton