Nails – Unsilent Death (LP)

Almost a greatest hits of their earlier days, the impact of the 10th anniversary edition of Unsilent Death is immediate and overwhelmingly attractive

2020, if nothing else, has given musicians time to focus on songwriting and recording, and also given established artists the space to release quality anniversary editions of important records in their discographies. California’s grind legends Nails are no different, unleashing the 10th anniversary edition of their stunning debut, Unsilent Death, and it’s a cracker.

When Unsilent Death dropped in 2010, their heady mix of grindcore, powerviolence, and outright hardcore was a breath of fresh air that blew everyone away, and it still has a similar impact today. This is catchy grind with pockets of sludge and grooves a mile wide, and it hits like a hammer to the head.
The original 10 songs of the album proper have not been touched or tampered with, and for good reason. Unsilent Death is one of the finest grind albums of all time from a production standpoint – all the levels and balance washed in clarity and hard-hitting power – and it stands head and shoulders above most. The attraction of this package is the bonus content which comprises three songs from their Obscene Humanity EP from 2009 and two songs from the Unsilent Death sessions that have never seen the light of day, all remixed and mastered by Kurt Ballou and Nick Townsend respectively.
Almost a greatest hits of their earlier days, the impact is immediate and overwhelmingly attractive, as with all Nails material. Absolutely essential, this is an anniversary edition not to be missed.