The Classic Metal Album Reviews:
Title: Scum
Artist: Napalm Death
Label: Earache
Release Date: 1987

Rating: 2 Skulls
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    • Reviewed by Kefka X:
    OK. If you listen to grind, you know for a fact that Napalm Death are the true legends of the scene. Even after going through ridiculous amounts of line-up changes early in their career (no original members of Napalm Death are left in the band) and an inconsistent catalog of music, close to two decades have passed and they're still a crucial grind unit, showing no signs of age. And with Order of the Leech turning heads, the band has definitely solidified its status as gods across the world of metalheads. So let's venture to 1987 and look early into Napalm Death's career, and a cornerstone of extreme metal itself: Scum.

    Now for the facts. If there was ever an album to come out that has been so genre-defining and innovative to the metal scene, Scum is it. The premise of this album is fairly simple, but so genius in its execution: play as loud and fast as you can. Disregard melody, traditional structure, and fluency. The result is a poorly-produced album with 28 tracks, each one lasting barely a minute. The music itself consists of fairly simplistic riffs, complemented with a barrage of blasts from grindcore legend, Mick Harris. Lee Dorrian assumes vocal duties on the first two full-lengths, so don't expect to hear Barney's signature growl on this one. The vocals (along with the rest of the music) are very frantic and rushed in their delivery.

    For being such a revolutionary album, why would I be giving Napalm Death's masterpiece two skulls? Because it sucks. It's a horrible album. The production is of the worst kind to come from any band in the history of metal. It sounds like it was recorded through a glass of kool-aid. The music is so easy to play that it's boring. This wouldn't be bad as long as there was some diversity and hook to each song, but there isn't. Musically, it's just plain awful. There's no way to avoid saying it.

    I know there are a lot of Napalm Death fans out there. Hell, I know I'm one. But let's face it, Scum is a bad, haste-driven album performed and written by a bunch of over-excited teens. I truly believe the band found their style on Utopia Banished, maybe even Harmony Corruption. But to be fear and honest, Scum is their breakthrough album. And without this, bands like Benumb, Nasum, and Pig Destroyer wouldn't exist. It's an album to be appreciated by all metalheads...but that doesn't mean you have to enjoy it. If you've just discovered Napalm Death from the last couple of albums they've put out and have yet to hear the earlier works, then prepare for a major difference.
    2 out of 5

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