Napalm Death-Harmony Corruption torrent

1990 Earache
by Horatio
Napalm Death - Harmony Corruption

Quick Summary:
1990 was a year of major transition for Napalm Death as original members Lee Dorrian and Bill Steer left to pursue other projects, leaving behind Embury and Mick Harris as the remnants from 1989's 'From Enslavement To Obliteration'. The major acquisition was of Benediction's vocalist Barney, otherwise known as Mark Greenway. American guitarists Mitch Harris and Jesse Pintado (ex Terrorizer) were hired to fill Steer's shoes, giving the band an Anglo-American mix (furthered the following year when Danny Herrera replaced Mick Harris). After the novelty value of the first two albums and their blast beat innovations, Napalm Death opted for a death metal route for 'Harmony Corruption', no doubt influenced by recording with Scott Burns at the one time death metal hotbed of Morrisound Studio's.

Napalm's shift in direction didn't sit well with hardcore fans, who accused them of becoming bland and formularized in the face of constructing longer songs, with massive death metal leanings musically. This criticism didn't sit well with the band, who defied these 'fans' with brutal slabs of grindcore like 'Extremity Retained'. 'Harmony Corruption' was their first real album you might say, with proper song development and lyrics, that saw the band playing with as much speed as they ever had. The blast beats are numerous and the death metal riffing is vintage early 90's style, listening to this it's obvious that Burns was the same man responsible for offerings by Cannibal Corpse, Deicide and Obituary. Napalm Death might have changed here, but nothing had been compromised. In fact this is the only occasion where they played in such a blatant death metal manner. A must have in terms of 1990's death metal.