Review: Napalm Death @ The Factory Theatre
Review by Natasha Christian & photos by Jen Langton.
An anthology of atrocious noise rock.
2Gauge Rampage, a deathgrind trio from the Blue Mountains, kicked things off. I was late to their set and only managed to catch the last three songs, but what I saw was circle-pit-worthy. What sets this band apart is their ability to smash us sonically with simplicity - it may sound complex, but in reality it’s just drums, bass and vocals. Yet it’s 12GR’s simplicity that amplifies their impact, from Scott Evans guttural screams to the relentless brutality of their instrumentation.
It’s refreshing to see a band in this genre not take themselves too seriously - 12GR’s pisstake song titles like Long Necks And Dole Cheques and Your Fkn Mate are more reminiscent of The Chats than the grindcore scene.
Up next was Singaporean grindcore outfit Wormrot - who photographer Jennie Langton dubbed “Extortion core”, referring to the band being heavily influenced by the Perth hardcore punk outfit (they also joined this tour for the Melbourne leg). A quick glance at guitarist Rasyid Juraimi’s Instagram after the Melbourne show confirmed these roots.
In 2023 Wormrot are a refreshed three-piece following some lineup changes - notably the departure of vocalist Arif Suhaimi. For this tour, Gabriel Dubko has stepped up for frontman duty. It’s tough shoes to fill off the back of the band’s recent praise for their 2022 album Hiss - which metal critics dubbed a grindcore masterpiece, particularly for Suhaimi’s vocal delivery and versatility.
It was no surprise when I heard some punters came to witness Wormrot in action. Drummer Vijesh Ghariwala set the tone with a blistering drum solo, setting off a cataclysm of circle pits and stage dives. Ghariwala’s stamina behind the kit is nothing short of awe-inspiring, and his playful Gene Simmons-esque tongue antics added a dash of cheekiness to this set.
Wormrot stands out in the grindcore scene, unashamedly injecting a heavy dose of groove and melody into their sound. This contrast against the metalhead norm was also clear in their stage presence on the night, with Ghariwala dressed in white behind a glittery drum kit, along with guitarist Rasyid Juraimi wielding a white flying V. There’s something punk rock/main character about choosing to wear white in a sea of black.
While I enjoyed Wormrot’s set, I don’t think they’ve quite nailed their live performance with this new lineup yet. Sonically they don’t miss a note, but aside from the aesthetics, their performance is missing the core essence of hardcore/punk. You see this sometimes with highly technical bands, the focus becomes showing skill (which these guys have an abundance of) and less about putting on a show. An example of this was when the band experienced some tech issues mid-set. The crowd encouraged Ghariwala to brush it off with a drum solo, but instead of winging it, an awkward silence hung in the air.
Admittedly it’s usually up to the frontman to command the stage and keep the crowd’s attention when things go haywire. Dubko also struggled to adapt to the unplanned pause, missing an opportunity to embrace the chaos - however, as Wormrot hasn't confirmed if he’s officially in the band or just joining for this tour, I think he gets a pass. Luckily for the band, they’ve got the best in the business to take notes from on this tour - it’s called the Campaign for Musical Destruction, after all.
Genre legends and self-described “atrocious noise band” Napalm Death wasted no time, kicking off their set with their latest single Narcissus. Showing no sign of slowing down, the band charged through their 40-year/17 album back catalogue from Scum to Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism.
Despite being around the block more than most bands, watching Napalm Death live is invigorating - they’re a hard listen and they know it, yet they easily sell out rooms full of metal heads who have seen them many times before.
Vocalist Mark “Barney” Greenway, at age 54, exudes a self-deprecating and silly youthfulness that infects his audience - that essence of punk I mentioned earlier, he’s got it in spades. His kinesthetic ability is also ridiculous; I watched him move through the tumultuous sea of stage divers with the grace of a dancer in a cascading waterfall. I read that he broke his ankle a few months back, but you can’t tell. Those people that crap on about vegans having no energy are full of shit.
Beneath the chaotic exterior, Napalm Death are a protest band at their core. Their messages are considered and delivered with meaning, without the trappings of an ivory tower rockstar lecturing their audience. Between the noise tonight, Greenway took moments to advocate for humanitarianism, equality and animal activism - addressing issues ranging from transgender, refugee and Aboriginal rights to worker exploitation. He even called out the enduring presence of Pauline Hanson in Australia’s political spotlight.
Now, back to the music - and we can’t mention Napalm Death without the legendary bassist Shane Embury - the band’s longest-serving member. A standout tonight was hearing his vocal harmonies on Contagion from the Throes album. The track, with its industrial-sounding drums, was surely influenced by Killing Joke. While this was a Throes heavy set, the new songs flex that after all this time, Napalm Death can still deliver excellent, hard-hitting metal.
Crowd favourite Scum turned a bunch of stone-faced metal heads into woo-wooers. I was happy for them. I read recently that Godflesh’s Justin Broadrick felt Scum was the best Napalm Death song he wrote - it’s crazy to think he was only 15 when he worked on this album.
Around Suffer The Children off Harmony Corruption, a daring fan offered Greenway a shoey, but he quickly turned it down with: “If you think I’m drinking lager outta your shoe you got another thing coming!” - Frankly, I wouldn’t have done it either.
The blink and you’d miss blend of world record-breaking shortest song You Suffer and Smash a Single Digit led Greenway to take the piss that they were “very different compositions”. Another highlight of this performance was the covers of Bad Brains I Don’t Need It and a nearly unrecognisable nod to Dead Kennedys Nazi Punks Fuck Off.
The band left us longing for more with the Celtic Frost-inspired Siege of Power from Scum. Not ones for an encore, Napalm Death made their swift exit and I was left wanting so much more - I guess that’s the grindcore way.
Napalm Death are touring Australia and New Zealand with Wormrot, presented by Soundworks.