If you appreciate Napalm Death and ’90s technical death metal, we have a treat for you. Beyond legit vocalist Mike DiSalvo (best known for his work on Cryptopsy’s And Then You’ll Beg… and Whisper Supremacy and now of Akurion and Coma Cluster Void) teamed up with Ryan Mullins (engineer/owner at Apollo Audio, Legend), Sean Rehmer (Mercurial), and Mark Kloeppel (Misery Index, Scour) to record a ripping cover of Napalm Death’s “Hung” from Fear, Emptiness, Despair.
Decibel is happy to share the premiere below. DiSalvo told us how it happened.
How did this project come together?
Ryan asked me if I was interested after mixing my vocals for a benefit. Ryan and Sean have been jamming covers since they were kids and felt that during covid would be a perfect time to get musicians together and cover songs that they love. I was stoked to be part of their vision.
Why cover this song?
Fear, Emptiness, Despair was the first death metal record that Ryan had, and this was always his favorite tune from it, so this was a no-brainer. Funny enough, this was my favorite track from this record too.
Will you be working with this group of folks again?
If I were ever asked again to participate again, seeing how smoothly this went, I would have to say yes. This is my first recorded cover, and it was a blast: super easy-going guys, total pros. I know Ryan, Sean, and Mark will do other covers for sure.
How did you record safely with the pandemic raging?
Sean and I recorded from our homes, so there were no concerns, and Ryan recorded Mark in his studio wearing masks.
How long have you been a Napalm Death fan?
Ryan and Sean were fans since 1994 when Fear came out. I’ve been a fan since 1988 when From Enslavement to Obliteration came out. I was hooked on that album for a long time. Harmony Corruption is where I went into fanboy overload with Napalm Death. They were such a seminal band and continue to break new ground. It was an absolute honor to cover them. We all feel that way.
