Live Review: Napalm Death, Dropdead and Siberian Meat Grinder | 02 Academy Bristol | 07/02/2023
Even with with one man and one leg down, Napalm Death once again prove themselves to be leaders of the pack alongside some great company.
Siberian Meat Grinder
Sharing a lineup with acts outspoken on how their ardent ideologies drive their music, it could be stated that Siberian Meat Grinder feel somewhat of a mismatched band on this tour. Plus, with their vocalist donning a latex bear mask – a reference to their ‘Bear Cult’ community – they’re certainly a unique and unexpected spectacle. But regardless, despite such contrasts, the Moscow collective waste no time in justifying their presence or inclusion. Offering up a high octane fusion of thrash, grind, rap and all things designed to be energetic and certainly obnoxious, Siberian Meat Grinder immediately establish themselves as a unit dedicated to the absurdity and inherent fun of extreme metal.
Granted, their take on genre dynamism may not be original nor particularity groundbreaking – with tracks from their recent 2022 record Join The Bear Cult falling upon a grinning yet mostly static audience, but there’s no denying that the band do enliven their purpose in sounding fun and enjoyable. If anything, they’re a jovial counterpart from the devastating grind set to characterise this evening, and in turn, Siberian Meat Grinder establish themselves as being fully endearing and oddly wholesome. With their branded uniforms, high energy, devotion to their bear cult collective, constant calls for inclusivity and their bear masked-donned vocalist constantly attempting to cause a ruckus within the venue, they’re a daft, obnoxious but certainly jubilant spectacle to behold. Yes, a few within this venue do ultimately scoff at the sight of a man in a bear mask rapping over thrash, but going from the reception they receive as a whole, it’s clear that the majority of this audience in are in agreement with Siberian Meat Grinder’s antics.
Score: 7/10
Dropdead
In contrast to the overbearing antics of their prior peers, Dropdead are a band utterly bound by their ideology. Opening by dedicating their set to those antifascist in attendance – which, hopefully, should be all – the grindcore and powerviolence legend’s set is one of two things. Firstly, it’s a set that preaches the importance of animal liberation, anti-facism, inclusivity, pro-choice and the horrors of religious authoritarianism. Secondly, as proven with opening lacerations from their 2020 record, it’s a set that shows how Dropdead have lost none of their potency over the decades.
Whilst this cavernous and corporatised venue may be a far cry from the dives and squats where the band first established prominence within the powerviolence scene, Dropdead are still an overwhelming force. Delivering a career and decade spanning setlist that’s chaptered by speeches detailing the importance of the ideologies that serve as their crux of their work, it appears the recent crimes against humanity that have been executed by governments the world over has only invigorated the band with a newfound sense of purpose. Frontman Bob Otis seems more driven than ever before, prowling the stage with intent and steeled reserve as he screeches the lines to tracks from their their 1993 self-titled LP and their previous splits with the likes of Converge and Totalitar. Truly, there’s no mincing of words within their dashings of punishment – just pure righteous violence and energy set to inspire and mobilise the masses before them. Granted, whilst many an emerging band may claim to exist in order to highlight the injustices plaguing the world, the fashion in which this is primary crux of Dropdead’s work and motivation is startling. This set, much like the countless ones that came before it courtesy of this band, is a masterclass in political hardcore, and as the band ring out with the ‘At The Cost Of An Animal’, it’s hard to imagine a band with more of an authentic purpose than Dropdead.
Score: 9/10
Napalm Death
With Barney gracing the stage in a leg cast – a result of broken ankle sustained just two weeks prior in Munich – and with Shane Embury absent due to personal reasons, any fan of the grind would certainly be forgiven in thinking that this would be a set that Napalm Death would limp through. However, as the band tear into ‘Nacissus’ prior to diving headfirst into ‘Backlash Just Because’ and ‘Fuck The Factoid’, it’s clear that the grandfathers of grind have lost absolutely none of their incendiary power with one leg and man down. With Matt Sheridan of Siberian Meat Grinder filling in on bass duties and with Barney thrashing and raging in his chair not unlike a chained animal trying to escape it’s binds, the Birmingham bona fide legends are on more than fine form given the unique circumstances
Tracks from their latest record Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism hit with full overwhelming force. A particularly impactful and relentless rendition of ‘Contagion’ showcases this in a manner most savage whilst also baring witness to the ideology that has always bounded their work. Dedicated to how friends and refugees are always welcome and with it’s performance tonight coinciding with the UK’s government’s horrifically callous plan regarding those seeking asylum, the rendition of the track is the catalyst for absolute mayhem in the pit, the energy within the crowd only matching that of the intensity of the band’s performance. ‘Suffer The Children’ – addressing how women’s rights over their own bodies are being strangulated by conservative zealots worldwide – ‘Amoral’ and ‘Invigorating Clutch’ are also delivered with the same fervour, highlighting the band’s purpose of demanding change whilst also showcasing the band’s versatility, with the two latter tracks mentioned being delivered with a sense of groove not associated with the band’s perceived output.
But potentially one of the most striking moments of this set comes with the performance of tracks from Utopia Banished, From Enslavement To Obliteration and Napalm Death’s ceremonial 1987 debut Scum. Even with a large portion of the crowd not even being conceived when these album’s where released, tracks from these records are received with utter jubilation, with a rare treat of the two second ‘You Suffer’ being played twice – due to Barney missing his cue – also being met with a rapturous reception. But with these songs sounding so fresh, revitalised and urgent this evening, it’s impossible for one to not to figuratively lose their mind to classic grindcore of this magnitude. Even after sixteen full lengths and four decades in the game, Napalm Death sound utterly unstoppable, with the band and Barney’s vocals in particular putting the current fresh-faced trendsetters in the scene to shame. Tonight, much like pretty much every one of the band’s performances as of late, is testament to Napalm Death’s legacy and longevity, and as the band ring out with the now timeless ‘Surge Of Power’, it’ clear that Napalm Death are still to remain untouchable for years to come.
Score: 9/10