U.K. grindcore pioneers NAPALM DEATH will release their new studio album, “Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism”, on September 18 via Century Media Records. The follow-up to 2015’s “Apex Predator – Easy Meat” was again recorded with longtime producer Russ Russell and features artwork by Frode Sylthe.
NAPALM DEATH vocalist Mark “Barney” Greenway stated about the upcoming album and its theme: “The phrase sticking in my mind when I started thinking about the lyrical direction for this album was ‘the other.’ You could recognize at the time that there was a rapidly growing fear and paranoia being generated about everybody, from migrating people to people with fluid sexuality and this was starting to manifest itself in very antagonistic reactions that you felt were almost verging on violence. Not everybody resorts to such reactions, of course, but even the basic lack of understanding can become toxic over time. I’m not saying that this is an entirely new phenomenon, but it has been stoked in recent history by some particularly attack-minded people in more political circles and, as ever, I felt that it would be the natural antidote to endorse basic humanity and solidarity with all.
“The artwork specifically uses a white dove as a centerpiece, which, of course, is a commonly recognized symbol of peace and cooperation. The dove has been mauled very violently by a sterilizing hand and in death appears particularly broken and bloodied. However, through the violence you can see an equality symbol in blood on the chest of the dove, which perhaps demonstrates — visually at least — that equality cuts through in the end. A positive amidst many negatives then, much like the album title itself being a bit of an oxymoron — the celebration of humanity even in the mangling jaws of negativity.”
From the pinnacle of confrontational instrumental extremity and steadfast lyrical humanity, NAPALM DEATH‘s new album warps musical landscapes all over again. “Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism” includes 12 songs seething with caustic evolution and unrelenting scope.
“Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism” Album Artwork
“Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism” Track-listing:
- f**k The Factoid
- Backlash Just Because
- That Curse Of Being In Thrall
- Contagion
- Joie De Ne Pas Vivre
- Invigorating Clutch
- Zero Gravitas Chamber
- Fluxing Of The Muscle
- Amoral
- Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism
- Acting In Gouged Faith
- A Bellyful Of Salt And Spleen
A first single off “Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism” will be launched on July 24 together with the pre-order start of the album. Look out for further details and the various album formats to be revealed soon.
NAPALM DEATH most recently released a quickly sold-out 7” / digital EP titled “Logic Ravaged By Brute Force” to coincide with the band’s most recent European tour. Check out the track “Logic Ravaged By Brute Force” below.
The group previously released “Coded Smears And More Uncommon Slurs” in 2018, a special compilation gathering a total of 31 songs in a playing time of over 90 minutes, including rarities and exclusive ear-worms spanning 2004-2016 from the whirling gene pool of noise that is NAPALM DEATH.
NAPALM DEATH is (from left to right in photo)
- Shane Embury / Bass reverberations, barks and moans, noise-testing everyday objects
- Mark “Barney” Greenway / Bawling, shrieking, intermittent baritone
- Danny Herrera / Turbulent beat throes
