Napalm Death | Biography

Napalm Death was founded in 1982 in Birmingham by the members of the Punk band Civil Defense Nick Bullen (vocals) and Miles Ratledge (drums).

Napalm Death is up till this day the leader in Grindcore. There's no stupid horror texts or Death Metal clichés but texts with political and social contents. This band has influenced almost every type of music style, be it for guitars (e.g. Death Metal, Free Jazz) or for electronics (e.g. Ambient, Techno).

Bands The band has changed some members over the years, but the quality of the music has stayed the same. The members of Napalm Death play or have played in bands likeCathedral, Extreme Noise Terror, Terrorizer, Painkiller, Defecation, Techno Animal, Meethook Seed, Scorn, Godflesh, Carcass, Righteous Pigs, Lock Up, Benediction, Venomous Concept, Brujeria, Unseen Terror and other groups.

The first LP called Scum was recorded in August 1986, the members being Mick Harris (drums), Nick Bullen (bass) and Justin Broadrick (guitars). The 2nd side of the LP was recorded in May 1987 with completely new members, consisting of Lee Dorrian (vocals), Jim Whitely (bass), Bill Steer (guitars). The only member from the original group was Mick Harris (drums).

No Punk and no Hardcore could compare with this noise. And so the ultimate form of extreme music was born. After I had bought this album I played it to my friends. They only gave me blank looks, but that didn't bother me. At last a band who went over the limits. Previously no one would have dreamt of doing such a thing: brutal guitar massacre, incredible drum speed and inarticulated grunting. Also the short duration of one and a half seconds for a song was beyond imagination. Within a few weeks Scum had risen to 3rd place in the British Indie-Charts. Napalm Death always expressed their political views and participated at events against the growing neofascism.

In september 1987 and March 1988 John Peel arranged two sessions with the band in the BBC studios. In 1988 Shane Embury replaced Jim Whitely and Napalm Death recorded their 2nd album From Enslavement To Obliteration. For the recording of their album Harmony Corruption in 1990 the group completely changed roles. Mark "Barney" Greenway screamed and wrote most of the texts for the band. The two Americans Mitch Harris and Jesse Pintado took over the guitar work.

In 1992 Mick Harris, the last member of the original group, left. He was replaced by Danny Herrera for the recording of the album Utopia Banished.

In 1995 trouble strated brewing again. For no known reason Greenway was sacked.
In 1996 Phil Vane from Optimum Wound Profile joined the group, but he didn't fit in. During a studio session for the album Inside The Torn Apart Greenway returned to the band. In 2005, when the album The Code Is Red ... Long Live The Code was produced Jesse Pintado left the band reducing it to a quartet. On this album a few guest musicians are to be heard: Jello Biafra, Jamey Jasta from Hatebreed and ex-Carcass loudmouth Jeff Walker.

Even without Pintado and all the guest singers the quartet is still a first class grindcore band.

In Memory Of Jesse Pintado On the 27^th August 2006 Jesse Pitntado died in Holland at the age of 37 of a diabetic coma.
Before he died he recorded after 17 years a second Terrorizer album called Darker Days Ahead, together with the drummer Pete Sandoval, the bass guitarist Tony Norman (both from Morbid Angel) and the singer Anthony Rezhawk (from Resistant Culture).
In remembrance of him, Earache Records put a compilation of songs from his two bands in the internet which can be loaded free of charge.
grab the FREE downloadable "In Memory Of Jesse Pintado" - Compilation