Friday 27 August 2010

Napalm - Zero To Black (1990)


You can tell by the cover this is something that wants to appear a bit different. In fact Napalm (misleading band name) are the closest thing I've heard to a hybrid of Mordred, Anthrax and possibly Mindfunk. Certainly unfair to call it thrash metal and to restrictive to call it funky or alterno. It certainly has a thrash edge ('Time And Time Again') with a few chugging, albeit not overly heavy riffs and even a few chanted vocals, but this is quite refreshing and not annoying in the slightest which was my biggest fear all those years ago when I heard the funk label in the same breath as the band name. 'Teenage Illusion' is a full on deep funky bass groove with buzzing riff and soulful vocal. Most tracks have an ability to bleed in to quite memorable choruses which are backed with jerky, scratchy rhythms. 'Gone' could easily fit onto Mordred's superb 'Fools Game' record and 'Alternative Life Of Style' could pass for Anthrax. 'Zero To Black' (their second opus) rises above the mediocre in that it appears loose, care-free and sincere in its intention to vary. The only down side being the rather weak vocals, but you'll soon forgive Napalm and find yourself grooving along to this well-diced platter of funky thrash.

7.5/10

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