Melvins with Napalm Death | Savage Imperial Death March
Extraordinary full-length collaboration between two of heavy music’s most uncompromising institutions: the Melvins and Napalm Death. Named after their joint tours in 2016 and 2025, this record is a true hybrid project that finds members of both bands writing and performing together as a singular, mutated collective.
Recorded at the Melvins’ Los Angeles studio, the album features Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover joined by Napalm Death’s Barney Greenway, Shane Embury, and John Cooke. The result is a 50/50 partnership described by Osborne as a "dream come true," where riffs were written and recorded on the spot, blending the Melvins' lumbering, experimental sludge with Napalm Death’s grindcore precision and political ferocity.
Originally available as a tour-only limited edition in 2025, this expanded wide release features new artwork by Mackie Osborne and includes two brand-new tracks: "Awful Handwriting" and "Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy."
Melvins: The Uncompromising Pioneers of Sludge and Grunge
Since their formation in 1983 in Montesano, Washington, theMelvins have remained one of the most influential forces in modern heavy rock. Founded by vocalist/guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover, the group is credited with merging the worlds of punk rock and heavy metal to create a new subgenre all their own. Their slow, heavy, and sludge-filled sound directly inspired the Seattle grunge movement and legendary bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden.
Over their 40-plus-year career, they have released more than 30 original albums, numerous live records, and a staggering amount of singles and rarities. Their 1987 album "Gluey Porch Treatments" (1987), laid the foundation for sludge metal, and the landmark 1993 album "Houdini," brought their experimental noise to a wider audience. The Melvins' ability to maintain their creative integrity while constantly evolving has made them an enduring benchmark for invention in experimental music.
Napalm Death: Grindcore Legends and Political Ferocity
Where the Melvins master the slow and heavy, Napalm Death brings explosive energy and uncompromising speed. Credited as the pioneers of the grindcore genre, the Birmingham legends have been exerting an indelible influence on the world of heavy music for nearly 40 years. Their sound, which incorporates elements of crust punk and death metal, is characterized by its "blast beats" and extreme sonic intensity.
Led by vocalist Barney Greenway and bassist Shane Embury, the band has always maintained a fiercely anti-authoritarian and socially conscious perspective. Their debut album, "Scum" (1987), changed the landscape of extreme music forever, while the following releases "From Enslavement to Obliteration" (1988) and "Harmony Corruption" (1990) cemented their status as genrebending leaders. Even decades into their career, Napalm Death continues to push forward at full pelt, proving that their brand of "eclectic musical madness" is as relevant and vital as ever.