Apex Predator - Easy Meat

So it's been five years since Napalm Death put out their critically acclaimed album Apex Predator - Easy Meat. So naturally, it's the perfect time to review said album. Apex Predator - Easy Meat continues the upward trend that Napalm Death went on since 2006's Smear Campaign. The ironic thing here is that Apex Predator - Easy Meat is probably the angriest record that these Birmingham legends ever put out. And this was before America's greatest president in a while, Donald Trump got elected.

So yes, the lyrics on Apex Predator - Easy Meat are political subject matter taken to the extreme. However most of the time you cannot understand them because you're being simultaneously bombarded with blast beats and crushing riffs. Take "Stubborn Stains" for example, a casual listener would be turned off and think it's noise, but an experienced listener would understand the complexity and the subject matter. One favorite of mine is "Hierarchies", which contains some wicked guitar riffs and a breathtaking clean-sung chorus. It's also one of the few songs on Apex Predator - Easy Meat to contain a guitar solo. "Dear Slum Landlord..." is also a unique song in which the guitars take some influence from the sludge metal genre.

Mitch Harris' guitars are prominent on Apex Predator - Easy Meat, however, all four musicians share the spotlight. Whereas Utilitarian was basically deathgrind that leaned towards death metal, this album leans more towards the grind spectrum. The majority of the songs are below three minutes making the music on Apex Predator - Easy Meat very tight, leaving zero error. Special mention goes to "Smash a Single Digit" which clocks in at 1:25, the shortest song on the album which also received a music video. Harris' guitars are generally rhythm based, but are lead based in certain songs like the aforementioned "Hierarchies". Barney Greenway sounds the angriest he's ever been considering he was 44-45 during recording especially on "Bloodless Coup". Danny Herrera's drumming is everywhere on Apex Predator - Easy Meat and is arguably the most relentless of his career. Shane Embury's bass may not be as audible as the other three players but this is grindcore, a subgenre where a lot of bands don't even have a bassist. Regardless, Embury and Harris will provide lead vocals on certain songs.

It's hard to believe that Apex Predator - Easy Meat is considered to be one of Napalm's finest achievements, but ultimately that's a true statement. The album has no weak spots whatsoever and relies on pressuring the listener with controlled chaos. Whereas bands like Pig Destroyer eventually turned to shit, Napalm Death continued their consistency as their musicianship continues to evolve and please metalheads. Apex Predator - Easy Meat is so good in fact that I picked it as one of my favorite grind albums in a Shreddit Discord poll. So if you're waiting for Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism just like me, take some time during this pandemic and listen to this fantastic record.