It’s not often that a band that was once seen as the cutting edge of intensity remains on that edge. There is so much music that was once viewed as noise that may as well be soft rock compared to the metal and hard rock that comes out these days. But ever since they hit the scene in 1981 they’ve been one of the most unrelentingly aggressive bands, a title that they can easily lay claim to nearly 40 years later.
Napalm Death is one of those rare groups that actually invented an entirely new style of music. Up until Napalm Death, the worlds of metal and hardcore punk had only touched each other in the sense that they were both heavier genres of music. It was Napalm Death that decided both genres could be made more intense and more violent by crossing them together. And thus created Grindcore, a genre that still inspires parents to turn off radios and accuse their children of listening to washing machines.
That Napalm Death has never once considered slowing down or calming down makes them a rare artifact in the metal community. When you consider how many acts are on their expansive list of artists they’ve inspired, a list that includes Godflesh, Nails, Full of Hell and Isis it’s clear that this is a band that still deserves your time and attention 40 years after they’ve kicked off, and there’s not a lot of bands that can lay claim to that.
Location: Belasco Theater
Address: 1050 S Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
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