NAPALM DEATH Utilitarian CD 2012 (2021)

Napalm Death have been making people deeply uncomfortable since 1981, and on Utilitarian they sound like a band with absolutely nothing to prove and no interest whatsoever in slowing down.

Released in 2012 and reissued in 2021, Utilitarian is one of the Birmingham grindcore legends' most abrasive and intellectually confrontational records. It features a saxophone contribution from John Zorn, which tells you exactly the kind of record this is, one that uses extreme metal as a vehicle for genuine ideas rather than just punishment. Thirteen tracks of grindcore, death metal, and hardcore punk that move fast, hit hard, and leave you with the distinct sense that Barney Greenway has read more political theory than you have. For a band four decades deep, this is not a legacy cash-in. It's a reminder why they matter.

Format: CD, full-length album reissue. Pressed 2021, original release 2012. UK origin.

Fans of: Terrorizer, Brutal Truth, Assück, Repulsion, Pig Destroyer.