The always productive grindcore four-piece Napalm Death usually doesn’t pull any rabbits out of the hat and they don’t really on Time Waits For No Slave either. The band continues where they left on Smear Campaign. The music is devil-may-care grindcore, but like on Smear Campaign the Napalm Death also moderates the brutality and makes room for some Swans inspired parts. This becomes clear on the diverse titletrack “Time Waits For No Slave”, but the alternative inspirations are also present on “Life and Limb”, “Downbeat Clique” and “Fallacy Dominion”.

The three are a bit atypical for Napalm Death, but nothing that band hasn’t already done in some way or the other. These somewhat alternative things, primarily on the vocals have become a big part of the Napalm Death sound, but it still feels kind of fresh and show that the Brits don’t let time pass them by. In general there’s a good balance in the music and “Time Waits For No Slave” and “Procrastination on the Empty Vessel” among other are catchy. It might not go fast the entire the time, but the band is largely able to retain the momentum all the way. And on “A No Sided Argument” there’s something that almost resemblance like a solo.

I’ve not been that fond of the Russ Russell production on the last couple of Napalm Death albums and the production is really no different on Time Waits For No Slave. It does tend to feel a little thin now and then, but after all it’s easy to hear what is going on and I admit that it actually fit the music very well. Napalm Death fans won’t be disappointed with Time Waits For No Slave. The music might be predictable to some degree, but Time Waits For No Slave is something of the most diverse Napalm Death has shown in recent years.