Reviewed - 10/31/04

Leaders Not Followers: Part 2
[Century Media]

Cover albums are a dime a dozen these days. It seems like every band needs to drop a few covers to keep on their toes, burn up record contracts, or make an album for the fans or even themselves. Anyway…

Some cover albums are executed well and show insight to the band (i.e. Pro-Pain’s “Run For Cover). Other cover albums are mediocre affairs (i.e. Overkill’s “Coverkill). Then some cover albums are either horrid or unnecessary, or both (i.e. Six Feet Under’s “Graveyard Classics 2” and Metallica’s “Garage Inc.).

Napalm Death has released a well crafted and insightful cover album in the form of “Leaders Not Followers: Part 2.” While “Leaders Not Followers” was a short EP full of known covers, LNF Part 2 digs in for some obscure bands. The Napalm boys even opt to cover demo material from some of the bands they not only cover, but hold in high esteem.

Basically, Napalm Death put their touch on the tracks. For instance, Sepultura’s “Troops of Doom” sounds like Napalm Death covering a Sepultura song. While this is true for every song (even when Napalm starts fusing Celtic Frost and Hellhammer songs together on “Messiah”), it is the bizarre track-listing that makes LNF Part 2 a gem.

From doom to punk to psuedo-black metal and even trash, Napalm Death covers it all. One minute they are covering hardcore, three minutes later they are trying their hand at thrash. Even with all the sub-genre changes, the Napalm boys are more than adequate for the job and it never gets boring, clichéd, or tired.

The standout tracks are “Low Life” (which features second screeching vocals from Mick) “Clangor of War,” and jaw-dropping groove of “Master.” “Devastation” songs like Napalm Death head butting 80’s era Anthrax while Die Kreuzen’s “I’m Tired” sounds like Voivod with Barney barking out his trademark Cookie Monster vocals.

LNF: Part 2 also features a reappearance of a somewhat-original Napalm Death member in the form of Jim Whiteley (bassist on side B of “Scum”). His appearance on LNF; Part 2 is just as short as his tenure in the band. He only lays down bass on “War’s No Fairytale” and “ Game of the Arseholes.”

In the end, this excellently executed cover album shows one thing. If this is an album of music from the “Leaders” than Napalm Death is surely a “Follower.”