2nd November 2022

Review: “Pestilential Pursuit” by Napalm Ted

Recorded and mixed by guitarist and vocalist Gravy Ted before being mastered by Dan Swanö (Necrophobic, Millencolin, Deserted Fear) at Unisound Studio, “Pestilential Pursuit” marks the fourteenth release from Deathgrind merchants Napalm Ted since they climbed from the morbid wastelands of North Finland since 2015. The trio started with a collection of original material alongside Macabre and Terrorizer covers representing their influences before releasing two full-length albums, a compilation and a bunch of singles, EPs and splits through various independent labels. Lyrically this new record deals with current rising of fascist movements along with other kinds of horror thematics, while curiously enough being written by Brain Ted, an unofficial fourth member of the band who has been lurking in the shadows since the Inception of the outfit…

…there is no two ways about it, there is no place for isms in this World and so lyrically “Pestilential Pursuit” is a record that resonates from the very beginning, giving reason to form a clenched fist of hate. A classic Hardcore Punk leaning riff brings in “Skeletal Lake” before the artillery shelling begins. As the percussive pummeling rattles the skull like a prisoner rattling the bars of their cage the scalding vocals burn the skin with multiple voices taking their turn to annihilate the brain cells in the process of getting the message across. A headbangers neck snapping delight, the sinister atmosphere between the swagger of the Hardcore Death Punk is crushing, the balance perfectly weighted. The pendulum swings as “Purgatorium” turns everything up a couple of notches for a rapid fire blitz through riffs reminiscent of Slayer on Speed. Everything is so fast an loose that you can just picture the band screaming “hold onto your hats!” before committing this one to tape, the result a savage white knuckle thrill ride. For the genre, these songs are sixty seconds or so longer than you might expect but the band make great use of that time and it it has no impact on their lethal cutting edge. “White Riot” is a slaughter house classic with perfectly executed tempo shifts and bloods curdling roars as the band go through the gears like a juggernaut after it’s broadsided another vehicle, grinding it into dust with sparks flying in every direction, the sound of Metal on Metal threatening to burst the ear drums. That approach continues into “The Rot“, a feral 92 second ripper that satisfies like a low budget horror movie and is over so fast that you just have to rewind and play it again. Much like the recent Gorotica album, “Flesh Prison” dials down the darkness with a riff that batters the brains like a blunt force truma as Napalm Ted refuse to come out with their hands up and instead launch a Molotov cocktail of a final onslaught, the solo from Tuomas Laurila adding a moment of pure unadulterated defiant bliss to finish the record on a high [7.5/10]

Track Listing