Scum (album) - Definition and Overview

See Scum (movie) for the movie, or the SCUM manifesto for the work by Valerie Solanas

Napalm Death - "Scum"

Scum is an album by the grindcore band Napalm Death.

Originally a punk band formed by Nicholas Bullen, Napalm Death were influenced by Metallica, Venom and Celtic Frost, which lead to their grindcore sound. Replacing their original drummer Rat with Mick Harris, who was more up to the task of playing as fast as humanly possible, the band recorded a demo, which would later become Side A of Scum. Recorded for £50 in August 1986, the band had intended on releasing the demo as a split album through the fledgeling record lable, Earache, but fell apart before this could happen.

Nick Bullen was first to leave, followed by Justin Broadrick, the band continued with a new line-up, including Carcass guitarist Bill Steer, who helped to add a metal edge to what was still primarily a punk-influenced band. The new Napalm Death recorded the second half of Scum in May 1987 at Rich Bitch Studios, where the first half had been recorded, and released both halves through Earache in July 1987.

Despite being described by one critic as "the end of music", the record became a success, thanks to John Peel's interest; though bass player Jim Whiteley didn't appreciate this success, and quit the band. He was replaced by Shane Embury, who is still a member of Napalm Death. This new line-up recorded a second album, From Enslavement to Obliteration, but vocalist Lee Dorrian left soon after the release of the album, to form Cathedral; and Bill Steer left to focus on Carcass.

The song "You Suffer" was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's shortest song; though the track is four seconds long, the song itself is a mere three quarters of a second (The length of the track is due to the CD specification requiring a minimum track length of 4 seconds). The album cover was designed by Bill Steer's Carcass bandmate, Jeff Walker.

Track listing

Side A

1. "Multinational Corporations" - 1:06
2. "Instinct of Survival" - 2:26
3. "The Kill" - :23
4. "Scum" - 2:38
5. "Caught... In a Dream" - 1:47
6. "Polluted Minds" - :58
7. "Sacrificed" - 1:06
8. "Siege of Power" - 3:59
9. "Control" - 1:23
10. "Born on Your Knees" - 1:48
11. "Human Garbage" - 1:32
12. "You Suffer" - :04

Side B

1. "Life?" - :43
2. "Prison Without Walls" - :38
3. "Point of No Return" - :35
4. "Negative Approach" - :32
5. "Success?" - 1:09
6. "Deceiver" - :29
7. "C.S." - 1:14
8. "Parasites" - :23
9. "Pseudo Youth" - :42
10. "Divine Death" - 1:21
11. "As the Machine Rolls On" - :42
12. "Common Enemy" - :16
13. "Moral Crusade" - 1:32
14. "Stigmatized" - 1:03
15. "M.A.D." - 1:34
16. "Dragnet" - 1:01

Personnel

Side A

• Justin Broadrick - Guitar
• Nicholas Bullen - Bass, Vocals
• Mick Harris - Drums

Side B

• Lee Dorrian - Vocals
• Bill Steer - Guitar
• Jim Whitely - Bass
• Mick Harris - Drums

References

• "The Story Behind Scum", Metal Hammer issue 120, December 2003.