Napalm Death
Diatribes

THE REVIEW

"Diatribes", diatribes: like those that arose among fans of the English combo upon the release of this album in 1995. To be honest, even at the time of the death metal shift five years earlier, with the excellent "Harmony Corruption," there were some who raised their eyebrows, but the quality of that album and the subsequent "Utopia Banished" silenced all criticism, proving that Napalm Death ruled both in grind and death. More discussions arose in 1994, "Fear, Emptiness, Despair" is still a great death album, partially hindered by a lackluster production.

With "Diatribes" the music changes. Literally.

If you think this is a typical grind album, you are really off track. It's grind in the broadest sense, after all, Mark Greenway's ogre-like voice is always a thunderous guarantee. The guitars batter, but it's a slow, deliberate action, there is a focus on details that is completely new for Napalm Death. The innovations don’t end here. In some instances, the solid bass sound of Embury emerges clear with its cyclical and extremely engaging riffs.

But most notably, the blast beats have practically disappeared, present only in "Ripe For The Breaking" and the title track. Not that this is a bad thing. Already from the opener, you can hear - aside from a bombastic production - that it will be a different album. An album that is not afraid to displease some, with a drum style that in many instances has the flavor of that new metal that was all the rage in those years, except here it's cranked up and relentless.

In conclusion, a powerful and dense concentrate of extreme metal, which makes you headbang like there's no tomorrow, and can become one of your favorite albums if you have enough open-mindedness to accept modernisms.