In June 1987, U.K. metal band Napalm Death released their debut album, Scum, after several years of playing gigs and releasing demos. They became regulars of the Birmingham heavy metal scene in their early days, but even earlier found inspiration from the anarcho-punk movement.
Those hardcore punk influences were still present by the time Napalm Death consolidated some of their demos into their first LP. But they’d also leaned into more traditionally heavy influences. However, creative differences and lineup changes caused a few hiccups for Napalm Death. But that revolving door of members also worked in the band’s favor, in a way.
By the time Scum was released, none of Napalm Death’s founding members were in the band anymore. This resulted in a sort of split record with themselves. The A-side of Scum was mostly made up of re-recorded demos, some dating back to 1983, and was more obvious about those anarcho-punk influences. But after those recording sessions, tensions started building within the band.
Founding member Nic Bullen became increasingly uninterested in continuing with Napalm Death after this. He left the band to go to college instead. Prior to Bullen’s departure, early member Justin Broadrick left to join fellow metal band Head of David. More lineup changes during this period ended with a unique sound on Scum. The new lineup recorded the B-side of the album, still rooted in anarcho-punk, but taking a distinct turn into heavier metal.
Grindcore Is Born When Napalm Death Combine Hardcore Punk Roots With Heavy Metal Leanings
Currently, no one in the current Napalm Death lineup performed on Scum. The band was constantly beset by lineup changes, and their timeline of members is visually choppy. But even with this instability, Scum went on to be a successful album despite low expectations and an even lower budget.
In 1986, Digby Pearson signed Napalm Death to his new record label, Earache Records. Scum served as the label’s third release, and Pearson put almost all of his savings into the recording and promotion of the album. There was surprisingly a lot riding on Scum. After a release of only 2,000 copies, a couple of things happened that kicked off unexpected commercial success.
Earache Records secured a deal with Revolver Records for nationwide distribution in the U.K. shortly after the album’s release. Scum quickly sold out, and word spread beyond the band’s usual haunts. Additionally, John Peel played a song from Scum on his BBC Radio 1 broadcast, leading to even more attention for Napalm Death. They were invited to perform a Peel Session, which led to Scum hitting No. 8 on the U.K. Indie Chart.
The drastically different sides of the album essentially led to the development of grindcore. Bridging the gaps between heavy metal and hardcore punk created the fast, abrasive yet uniquely melodic style.
Songs were short and loud like hardcore punk, which differed from heavy metal’s propensity for extended epics. But the solid heft of heavy metal acted like an anchor to that quick, sharp bite. Grindcore essentially spawned from the almost unintentional combination of these elements.
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