Napalm Death

An essential icon of the Grindcore international scene, Napalm Death made its debut in 1981 in Meriden near Birmingham following the impulse of Nick Bullen (bass), Miles Ratledge (battery) and Simon Oppenheimer (guitar). A few months later, the trio was joined by a fourth member, Graham Robertson (low). Inspired by the punk wave and anarcho punk of Crass, Rudimentari Peni, The Ex, Napalm Death performs its first concert on July 25 with Bible Of Sins, Corrupt Youth, Hiroshima and Society's Victims. Subject to chronic instability, Napalm Death does not even take the time to use his musicians. Simon Oppenheimer was the first to pack in August 1982, replaced by Darryl Fedeski until October. This departure forced Robertson to slide on guitar and the recruitment of a new bassist, Finbarr Quinn (ex- Curfew). Between 1982 and 1983, the band performed several concerts with Amebix , Antisect or The Apostles and recorded four demos, one of which appeared on the Bullshit Detector compilation in 1984. 1983 is a period of hiatus. Napalm Death performs only one concert, with Bullen going right to the left, including Justin Broadrick and his final project. At the end of a show, Ratledge and Bullen asked the latter to integrate Napalm Death, who left in a trio before becoming a quartet again with the arrival of Peter Shaw (ex-Autism). After the recording of Hatred Surge, there were some disagreements between Bullen and Broadrick, who wanted to tend towards a more extreme style, and Ratledge. The latter was replaced by Mick Harris in December 1985. Between that date and 1986, Napalm Death foamed the entire Birmingham area with Amebix, Antisect or Chaos UK and recorded his sixth demo, From Enslavement To Obliteration followed by what would become Scum's first face. Tensions take on another dimension shortly afterwards. Bullen began to be blasé and, following Broadrick's departure from Head Of David, left the case entirely to devote himself to literature and philosophy. Bullen's departure marks the end of the original Napalm Death. The survivors went out looking for new members and recruited Bill Steer, guitarist of Carcass, as well as Lee Dorrian, concert promoter, to record Scum's B-side at Rich Bitch Studios in May 1987. After a short tour, Jim Whiteley was replaced by Shane Embury (ex-Unseen Terror) on bass. Napalm Death then appeared on two compilations, two Peel Sessions, and a split with S.O.B. The band went back to the studio for the recording of the second album, From Enslavement To Obliteration and took part in the BBC Arena Heavy Metal Special, before continuing on a tour that led them to Japan. Back, Steer announced his intention to devote himself only to Carcass and Dorrian went to found Cathedral . The musical chairs calm down somewhat with the arrival of Jesse Pintado (ex-Terrorizer) and Mark Greenway (ex-Benediction). Napalm Death then started the Grindcrusher Tour with Carcass, Bolt Thrower and Morbid Angel and recruited a second guitarist, Mitch Harris (ex-Righteous Pigs). The band embarks for Florida to work with Scott Burns for the production of the third album, Harmony Corruption , which marks a césure by its more death metal style. After the ensuing tour, Mick Harris created his Scorn project in which Bullen will be found. The new album Utopia Banished is recorded with Danny Herrera, an old friend of Jesse Pintado. From then on, Napalm Death continued to turn, following the Campaign for Musical Destruction Tour alongside Dismember , Obituary , Carcass and Brutal Truth and participating in the compilation Alternatives Tentacles of the Dead Kennedys with "Nazi Punks Fuck Off". After recording Diatribes , the atmosphere darkens. Following tensions with Mike Greenway, he was exchanged with Phil Vane (Extreme Noise Terror ) before returning to Napalm Death. Until 2004, the Birmingham band recorded four additional albums but had to face Jesse Pintado's departure that year because of personal problems (he died in 2006). Napalm Death becomes a quartet and comes out The Code is Red...Long Live the Code on which Jello Biafra, James Jasta or Jeff Walker appear. The thirteenth album, Smear Campaign , was released in 2006, following an avalanche of dates around the world. The subsequent Smear Campaign Tour is an opportunity for the band to pay tribute to Pintado, who died during the recording of the album. The World Domination Tour that followed in 2007 and 2008 announces the imminent release of a new studio album. This was done in 2009 with Time Waits for No Slaves, which, twenty-two years after Scum, confirms the vitality of this group. Impression more than renewed three years later with Utilitarian at the wildness still assumed. His fifteenth studio album, Apex Predator - Easy Meat , released in 2015, shows that Napalm Death does not lose any of its qualities over time.