November 8, 2013

Filthy Music Review - 'Napalm Christ: Demo 2013'


Napalm Christ – Demo 2013

Goatprayer Records

Review by Jude Felton

Limited to 100 copies, Napalm Christ’s demo cassette is 6 songs of aggressive swagger. The band, who hail from Little Rock, Arkansas, have delivered a demo that could quite frankly have been released as a full-on album. I will tell you this; it bodes well for the future, as when they do finally unleash a full length, it will kick your ass.


Playing an aggressive blend of death metal, grindcore and doom, Napalm Christ don’t appear to be a band that are confined by the style of music they play. Although you will hear elements of the aforementioned sub-genres, you’ll also hear a distinctive sound that is very much theirs. Now, I’m not saying that they have delivered the re-invention of the wheel, but they have carved out 6 very good monstrous tunes of varying length and depth, all of which punish the listener.


The overall feel of the demo is one of a grinding heaviness, coated in a thick film of decaying filth, with a truly intense vocal delivery. It’s the musical soundtrack of a murder scene, one which brings to mind the opening five minutes of the 1986 movie, River’s Edge. Maybe a strange comparison, I will admit, but if you have seen that film, and then listen to this demo, you might well get an idea of exactly what I mean. This is dark music, with songs like Life is Dimming and the epic closer, Burning away the Scourge, doing their best to burn themselves into your soul.

Hell, this is a quite terrific demo, and one that you need to take the time to hunt down. Although there are only 100 copies of the cassette, the demo is also available in digital form, via Bandcamp, so get on that.

Track listing:

1. Idols of Evil
2. Life is Dimming
3. Reclaimed by the Earth
4. Nuclear Holy War
5. Despoilment of Will
6. Burning away the Scourge

Demo 2013 is available now from Goatprayer Records (Cassette) and Bandcamp (Digital).

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