Editing Napalm Death (section)

==History==

===Early history (1981–1986)===

Napalm Death were formed in the village of [[Meriden, West Midlands|Meriden]] near [[Coventry]], in the United Kingdom, in May 1981 by [[Nicholas Bullen|Nic Bullen]] and Miles Ratledge while the duo were still in their early teenage years. The duo had been playing in amateur bands since 1980 as an extension of their fanzine writing, and went through a number of names (including "Civil Defence", "The Mess", "Evasion", "Undead Hatred" and "Sonic Noise") before choosing Napalm Death in mid 1981. The band were initially inspired by the early wave of punk bands, particularly the [[anarcho-punk]] movement (a subgenre of [[punk rock|punk]] music focused on [[anarchist]] politics), and associated groups such as [[Crass]].

The first stable line-up of the group consisted of Nicholas Bullen on bass and lead vocals, Simon Oppenheimer on guitars, and Miles Ratledge on drums, and lasted from December 1981 to January 1982. Graham Robertson joined on bass in January 1982. Simon Oppenheimer left the group in August 1982 and was replaced by Darryl Fedeski who left the group in October 1982: at this point, Graham Robertson began to play guitar and Finbarr Quinn (ex-Curfew) joined on bass and backing vocals.
The group played concerts throughout 1982 (playing their first concert on 25 July 1982 at Atherstone Miners Club) and 1983 (sharing billing with anarcho-punk groups such as [[Amebix]], [[The Apostles (band)|The Apostles]] and [[Antisect]]), and made four demo recordings in 1982 and 1983, one of which contributed their first released recording to the ''[[Bullshit Detector]] Volume 3'' compilation released by [[Crass Records]] in 1984.
[[File:Napalm HatredSurge.jpg|thumb|right|Cover for the ''Hatred Surge'' demo recording from 1985; from left-right: Justin Broadrick, Nicholas Bullen, Mick Harris]]
The band entered a period of hiatus from the end of 1983 onwards, playing only one concert in 1984 (a benefit for striking mine workers) with additional vocalist Marian Williams (ex-Relevant POS, and sister of the drummer of the group Human Cabbages from Coventry, UK).  During this period, Nic Bullen met [[Justin Broadrick]], a guitarist from Birmingham with whom he shared an interest in the music of bands such as [[Killing Joke]], [[Throbbing Gristle]], Crass, Amebix, [[Swans (band)|Swans]], and the developing [[Power electronics (music)|power electronics]] scene. Bullen joined Broadrick's [[Final (band)|Final]] project for a period in 1983.

In July 1985, Napalm Death briefly reformed in order to appear at a concert at the Mermaid in Birmingham which was also notable as the last concert by Final. The group consisted of a four-piece line-up of Miles Ratledge on drums; Bullen - performing vocals, bass and guitar; Graham Robertson on guitar and bass, and Damien Errington on guitar. After this concert, Miles Ratledge and Bullen asked Broadrick to join Napalm Death as guitarist, with Bullen as vocalist and bass player. The band began to develop a musical style which blended elements of [[post-punk]] (particularly Killing Joke and Amebix), heavy hardcore punk in the vein of [[Discharge (band)|Discharge]], and [[thrash metal]] (with particular reference to [[Possessed (band)|Possessed]] and extreme metal group [[Celtic Frost]]).

The group played their first concert as a trio on 31 August 1985 (playing two concerts on the same day: Telford with [[Chumbawamba]] and [[Blyth Power]], and Birmingham with [[We've Got a Fuzzbox and We're Gonna Use It]]), and began to play regularly in the Birmingham area (particularly at The Mermaid public house in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham) with a wide range of musicians including [[Icons of Filth]], [[Concrete Sox]], [[The Varukers]], Indecent Assault, Decadence Within, and [[The Groundhogs]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2008}}

In September 1985, Peter Shaw joined on bass. The four-piece line-up recorded ''Hatred Surge'' (the band's fifth demo recording) on 23 October 1985 which the band made available at their concerts and by mail. Following the recording of the demo, Bullen and Broadrick wished to extend their exploration of a more extreme musical style which created a split in the group with Ratledge: as a result, the group splintered and [[Mick Harris]] (a local fan) was asked to join as drummer in December 1985.

The trio – Bullen on vocals and bass, Broadrick on guitar and Harris on drums – made their first performance on 15 December 1985 and went on to play many concerts in 1986, predominantly in the Birmingham area, with musicians such as Amebix, Antisect, Chaos UK, Varukers, [[Disorder (band)|Disorder]] and Dirge. The group recorded a sixth demo, ''From Enslavement to Obliteration'', on 15 March 1986, which the group made available at their concerts and through mail, before making a seventh recording later that year, ''[[Scum (Napalm Death album)|Scum]]'', which was provisionally intended to form part of a split LP with the English hardcore band Atavistic on Manic Ears Records. This recording later became the first side of the band's debut album ''Scum'' in 1987.

[[File:Napalm Death - 2017215223133 2017-08-03 Wacken - Sven - 1D X MK II - 1438 - AK8I9104.jpg|thumb|Embury in 2017]]
The band then faced a number of line-up changes. Nic Bullen was becoming frustrated with the musical direction of the group, and began to lose interest as a whole: as a result, Jim Whiteley was asked to join as bass player. The band played a number of concerts as a four-piece before Justin Broadrick left the group to play drums for local band [[Head of David]]. The group attempted to find a new guitarist by asking [[Shane Embury]] (ex-Unseen Terror and a fan of the group) to join and giving a trial period to [[Frank Healy]] (ex-Annihilator, later of [[Cerebral Fix]] and [[Sacrilege (band)|Sacrilege]]).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-08-23 |title=Benediction - Interview mit Frank Healy zu "Killing Music" • metal.de |url=https://www.metal.de/interviews/benediction-interview-mit-frank-healy-zu-killing-music-36874/ |access-date=2024-05-11 |website=metal.de}}</ref> After Broadrick's departure, Nic Bullen's dissatisfaction with the musical direction of the group led him to leave the group in December 1986 (in order to focus on his studies in English Literature and Philosophy at university), leaving the group without any of its original members.

===''Scum'' and ''From Enslavement to Obliteration'' (1987–1989)===
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With the departure of Broadrick and Bullen, the remaining members started looking for people who could fill in the roles. Guitarist [[Bill Steer]] played in a death metal band based in Liverpool called [[Carcass (band)|Carcass]], and given the affinity between the two, he joined Napalm Death while still playing an active role in the former. They had also asked another friend, Coventrian [[Lee Dorrian]], to join as vocalist due to his good relationship with the group, even though he had never been in a band before. This line-up recorded the B side of the ''Scum'' LP at Rich Bitch studios in early May 1987, and the album was released through Earache Records.

The band promptly lost another member just after they undertook a short tour after the release of ''[[Scum (Napalm Death album)|Scum]]''. Jim Whiteley left the group (and subsequently joined Weston-Super-Mare based band Ripcord with whom the aforementioned tour had been shared) and [[Shane Embury]] (former drummer of [[Unseen Terror]]) moved to bass. The band then appeared on two compilation records ('North Atlantic Noise Attack' and the 'Pathological Compilation'), recorded two [[John Peel|Peel]] sessions and a split 7-inch with [[Japan]]ese band [[S.O.B. (band)|S.O.B.]] They also returned to Rich Bitch studio once more and recorded their second album: ''[[From Enslavement to Obliteration]]''.

A follow-up release to "Enslavement..." came in the form of the six song 12-inch EP "[[Mentally Murdered]]", which was to be the last recording with the Harris/Steer/Dorrian/Embury line-up. This EP was recorded at the Slaughterhouse Studios and took on a slightly different sound, blending [[grindcore]] with [[death metal]]. Following the release, Napalm Death were featured on national television in the United Kingdom in a heavy metal special by Arena (BBC 2).{{Cn|date=May 2025}}

[[File:Napalm Death - 2017215223704 2017-08-03 Wacken - Sven - 1D X MK II - 1508 - AK8I9174.jpg|thumb|Barney Greenway in 2017]]
The band continued to tour, but as soon as they came back home from [[Japan]], in July 1989, Steer and Dorrian left the band: Steer decided to dedicate himself full-time to Carcass, while Dorrian formed the [[doom metal]] group [[Cathedral (band)|Cathedral]]. The group recruited [[Jesse Pintado]] (ex-[[Terrorizer]]) on guitar and [[Barney Greenway|Mark "Barney" Greenway]] (ex-[[Benediction (band)|Benediction]]) as vocalist. This line-up took part in the Grindcrusher tour organised by Earache Records and featured fellow label-mates Carcass, [[Bolt Thrower]] and Florida's [[Morbid Angel]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pratt |first=Greg |date=2016-06-09 |title=That Tour Was Awesome: Grindcrusher UK, Napalm Death, Morbid Angel, Bolt Thrower, Carcass (1989) |url=https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2016/06/09/that-tour-was-awesome-grindcrusher-uk-1989/ |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=Decibel Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> The group recruited [[Mitch Harris]] (ex-Righteous Pigs) as second guitarist after the tour.{{Cn|date=May 2025}}

===Rise to success (1990–1994)===
In Florida, the group began work on ''[[Harmony Corruption]]''. ''Corruption'' saw stylistic changes from the band. It exhibited stronger influence from [[death metal]] by incorporating [[blast beat]]s and slower tempos.<ref>{{Citation |title=Harmony Corruption - Napalm Death {{!}} Album {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/harmony-corruption-mw0000310655 |access-date=2025-03-27 |language=en}}</ref> Following the record's release, ''[[Live Corruption]]'', a live recording of the band's 30 June 1990 performance at the [[Salisbury Arts Centre]], was released in 1992.<ref>{{Citation |title=Live Corruption - Napalm Death {{!}} Album {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-corruption-mw0000031233 |access-date=2025-03-27 |language=en}}</ref>

Negative fan reactions to ''Corruption'' and accusations of selling out, compelled the band to reconsider its stylistic changes. The group entered Eddie Van Dale's Violent Noise Experience Club in March 1991 to record six new tracks. The songs produced by this session and released on the "[[Mass Appeal Madness]]" 12-inch EP exhibited a much more "raw" quality, again finding favour with fans. This recording, along with the "[[Mentally Murdered]]" 12-inch, the split 7-inch with S.O.B. and live tracks from ''Live Corruption'', were released on ''[[Death by Manipulation]]''.
[[File:Napalm Death - 2017215223400 2017-08-03 Wacken - Sven - 1D X MK II - 1267 - B70I9199.jpg|thumb|Herrera in 2017]]
Drummer Mick Harris—the only remaining member of the ''[[Scum (Napalm Death album)|Scum]]'' line-up—eventually left Napalm Death due to creative differences regarding stylistic direction. In April 1991, Harris recorded ''[[Guts of a Virgin]]'', the debut album for [[Painkiller (band)|Painkiller]], along with [[John Zorn]] and [[Bill Laswell]]. Harris later recalled the ''Guts'' sessions were when he decided to leave Napalm Death and explore different genres of music.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thequietus.com/interviews/mick-harris-interview-scorn-napalm-death/|title=A Beautiful Space: Mick Harris Of Scorn Interviewed|first=The|last=Quietus|date=28 June 2021|website=Thequietus.com|access-date=27 January 2025}}</ref> Danny Herrera, a close friend of Jesse Pintado, was brought in as the new drummer. Herrera's drumming style has been noted for its uniqueness; it has been described as "Euroblast", a variant of [[blast beat]] in which simultaneous eighth notes are played on the ride cymbal and kick drum, with alternate eighth notes added on the snare drum.<ref>Phillipov, Michelle (2012) ''Death Metal and Music Criticism: Analysis at the Limits'', Lexington Books, {{ISBN|978-0739164594}}, p. 86</ref> The addition of Herrera would be the last major line-up change of the band save for Jesse Pintado's departure in 200, which returned the band to a quartet configuration.

Napalm Death released the album ''[[Utopia Banished]]'' in 1992, produced by [[Colin Richardson]]. Stylistically, the album was described as a "return to the roots" form of grindcore. After recording ''[[Utopia Banished|The World Keeps Turning]]'' EP, the band toured Europe with [[Dismember (band)|Dismember]] and [[Obituary (band)|Obituary]] on the "Campaign for Musical Destruction" tour.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Extreme Metal II|last=McIver|first=Joel|publisher=Omnibus Press|year=2010|isbn=978-1844490974}}</ref> They then toured the US with [[Sepultura]], [[Sacred Reich]] and [[Sick of It All]].<ref>Barcinski & Gomes (1999), page 103.</ref> 

Napalm Death toured the US with [[Carcass (band)|Carcass]], [[Cathedral (band)|Cathedral]] and [[Brutal Truth]] on the Campaign for Musical Destruction tour in 1992.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pratt |first=Greg |date=2020-02-27 |title=That Tour Was Awesome: Campaign for Musical Destruction (1992) |url=https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2020/02/27/that-tour-was-awesome-campaign-for-musical-destruction-1992/ |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=Decibel Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>

The proceeds of Napalm Death's 1993 EP ''[[Nazi Punks Fuck Off (Napalm Death)|Nazi Punks Fuck Off]]'' were donated to anti-fascist organisations. This EP was inspired by Napalm Death touring South Africa during 1993, which was particularly controversial given that the band faced a lot of opposition from many [[White supremacism|white supremacists]] following the [[end of Apartheid]].<ref name="youtube1">Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/x3wuoBsOMW0 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20170421110651/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3wuoBsOMW0 Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3wuoBsOMW0|title=Napalm Death's Barney Greenway - Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction?|date=7 December 2016 |publisher=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The band remixed the track "Mind of a Razor" by London-based [[hip hop]] crew [[Gunshot (band)|Gunshot]]. The remixed version of the track appeared on the [[Extended play|EP]] of the same name in 1992. Thereafter, they went to the studio and recorded ''[[Fear, Emptiness, Despair]]'', which was released on 31 May 1994. The album represented a stylistic transition for Napalm Death.<ref name="decibelmagazine1">{{cite web|url= http://decibelmagazine.com/blog/featured/decibrity-playlist-shane-embury-napalm-death|title= Decibrity Playlist: Shane Embury (Napalm Death)|date= 23 February 2012|website=Decibelmagazine.com|access-date= 24 June 2017}}</ref> ''Fear, Emptiness, Despair'' maintained the complex music structures of their previous albums ''[[Utopia Banished]]'' and ''[[Harmony Corruption]]'',<ref name=Allmusic>{{cite web|url= {{AllMusic|class=album|id=r204477|pure_url=yes}}|title= ((( Fear Emptiness Despair > Overview )))|last=Birchmeier|first=Jason|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date= 13 October 2008}}</ref> but there was a greater emphasis placed on incorporating elements of groove into the band's style, resulting in a wider use of mid-paced music.<ref>Mudrian, Albert (2004). ''Choosing Death: the Improbable History of Death Metal and Grincore''. Los Angeles, CA: Feral House. Page 194.</ref> Bassist [[Shane Embury]] recounts that [[Helmet (band)|Helmet]] and their album ''[[Strap It On]]'' influenced the band's style at the time, as they did many other heavy metal bands during the 1990s.<ref name="decibelmagazine1"/> Live concerts with [[Entombed (band)|Entombed]], Obituary and [[Machine Head (band)|Machine Head]] followed the album's release.

===''Diatribes'', Greenway's departure and return (1995–1999)===
[[File:Napalm Death 08.jpg|thumb|upright|Mitch Harris in 2009]]
Their EP ''[[Greed Killing]]'' was released through Earache in December 1995, followed by the album ''[[Diatribes (album)|Diatribes]]'' in January 1996. There was greater animosity between the band during this time, with a rift between Greenway and the remainder of the band, especially over the band's stylistic transition and the interference of background presences in the band, exemplifying the former when he stated that the band were "letting go of what made the band special".<ref name="youtube1"/> Greenway was hence expelled from the band later in 1996, and went to record with fellow grindcore act [[Extreme Noise Terror]] (ENT) on their release ''[[Damage 381]]''. Greenway has stated that following his expulsion he was "devastated" and did not want to commit to ENT in fear of a repetition of the events that took place within Napalm Death.<ref name="youtube1"/>

ENT's vocalist Phil Vane replaced Greenway in Napalm Death. Alas, Shane Embury stated that Vane "couldn't pull off what was required. It was a hard day when I had to pull Phil aside and tell him it just wasn't working. We had been too much into doing our own thing to acknowledge all of the parts that made the Napalm machine tick. I quickly made the call and asked Barney if he would rejoin—time away certainly gave all of us the chance for reflection, regrets and hopes for the future. He was surprised by the material, as it was heavy and some of the songs were fast—I don't know what he really expected us to do!".<ref name="decibelmagazine2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2017/12/13/rank-defile-shane-embury-orders-napalm-deaths-albums-worst-best/|title=Rank and Defile: Shane Embury Orders Napalm Death's Albums from Worst to Best|date=13 December 2017|website=Decibelmagazine.com}}</ref> Following Vane's departure, Greenway returned and the band released the album ''[[Inside the Torn Apart]]'' on 3 June 1997. An [[Breed to Breathe|EP]] and music video were released for the album's track "Breed to Breathe" on 17 November 1997.

The album ''[[Words from the Exit Wound]]'' followed this, being released on 26 October 1998. The album was their last to be produced by [[Colin Richardson]], who Embury believes hindered the album's creation, ultimately affecting the album's success.<ref name="decibelmagazine2"/> Embury has stated that bands such as [[Nasum (band)|Nasum]] influenced the album, and in Embury's view, this album represented a turning point in the band's sound, stating "it was also a turning point in us moving towards rediscovering our roots."<ref name="decibelmagazine2"/> Embury also mentioned that following the album's release, the band found it hard to tour due to restricted budgets from their record label, but [[Cradle of Filth]] and [[Nick Barker (Australian musician)|Nick Barker]] were able to alleviate this problem.<ref name="decibelmagazine2"/>

In 1999 the band made an appearance on [[Chris Evans (presenter)|Chris Evans']] [[TFI Friday]], playing three songs on a set lasting 59 seconds.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jun/12/tfi-fridays-best-performances-manics-garbage-page-and-plant-shaun-ryder-slipknot|title=TFI Friday's best performances: Manics, Garbage, Page and Plant and more|first=Marc|last=Burrows|date=12 June 2015|website=The Guardian}}</ref>

===Departure from Earache and the departure of Pintado (2000–2004)===
The band acrimoniously departed from Earache Records following ''[[Words from the Exit Wound]]'' and later, on 25 September 2000, released ''[[Enemy of the Music Business]]'' on the record label Dream Catcher. The album demonstrated the band's anger with the music industry and Earache in particular, whilst also incorporating a greater grindcore influence than on their previous few albums. The album was produced jointly by [[Simon Efemey]] and [[Russ Russell]], the latter of whom has since been a long-time collaborator with Napalm Death.

''[[Order of the Leech]]'', released on 21 October 2002, continued the previous album's style, with production credits again shared by Efemey and Russell. In 2003, Embury and Hererra formed the side-project [[Venomous Concept]] with Kevin Sharp and [[Buzz Osborne]], and that group has since released four albums.<ref>Aswad, Jem & Christie, Ian "[http://trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=napalm_death Napalm Death]", ''[[Trouser Press]]''. Retrieved 21 March 2018</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ASdPUHhxr_oC&pg=PA8 "Venomous Concept ''Retroactive Abortion''"]. ''CMJ New Music Report''. 28 June 2004. p. 8. Retrieved 21 March 2018.</ref> In 2004, Napalm Death recorded a covers album called ''[[Leaders Not Followers: Part 2]]'', the sequel to their earlier covers EP. It contains covers of old [[hardcore punk]] and [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] bands, including [[Cryptic Slaughter]], [[Massacre (metal band)|Massacre]], [[Kreator]], [[Sepultura]], [[Siege (band)|Siege]] and [[Discharge (band)|Discharge]]. Due to personal problems, [[Jesse Pintado]] did not play on either ''Order of the Leech'' or ''Leaders Not Followers: Part 2'', and left the band in early 2004. Nevertheless, Pintado stated that he left because he grew tired of Napalm Death and wanted to start something new.

===''The Code Is Red...'' and ''Time Waits for No Slave'' (2005–2010)===

[[File:Nd1.jpg|thumb|300px|Live in 2007]]
In April 2005, their next album ''[[The Code Is Red...Long Live the Code]]'' was released. It features guest appearances from [[Jeff Walker (musician)|Jeffrey Walker]] ([[Carcass (band)|Carcass]]), [[Jamey Jasta]] ([[Hatebreed]] vocalist) and [[Jello Biafra]] (formerly of [[Dead Kennedys]], and [[Lard (band)|Lard]] among many other bands). The album continued the band's progressive approach to their brutal brand of extreme metal, with their trademark grindcore sound retained. Also in 2005, Embury and Herrera joined the extreme metal band [[Anaal Nathrakh]] for one tour.

Napalm Death finished recording their follow-up album titled ''[[Smear Campaign (album)|Smear Campaign]]'' in June 2006, and it was released on 15 September 2006 to strong reviews from fans and critics alike. The main lyrical focus is criticism of the [[United States Government]] and other governments who are strongly religious. The album features a guest appearance by [[Anneke van Giersbergen]], vocalist for the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] rock band [[The Gathering (band)|The Gathering]]. There is a limited edition [[digipak]] version of ''Smear Campaign'', which has two new songs, "Call That an Option?" and "Atheist Runt". They played a series of headline shows in support of the release including the Koko in Camden with [[Gutworm]]. <!-- need more stuff on newer albums -->

In early 2006 Napalm Death headlined a tour with [[Kreator]], [[A Perfect Murder (band)|A Perfect Murder]], and Undying. On 27 August 2006, [[Jesse Pintado]] died in a hospital in the [[Netherlands]] due to [[liver failure]], prompting Mitch Harris to express his sadness at the loss of someone he thought of as "a brother" on the band's official website.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mitch on Jesse |url=http://napalmdeath.org/ |publisher=Napalm Death |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901173513/http://napalmdeath.org/ |archive-date=1 September 2006 |date=29 August 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref> After the Smear Campaign tour, the band did a 2007 "World Domination Tour". Bassist [[Shane Embury]] is currently working on a project with [[Mick Kenney]] of [[Anaal Nathrakh]], their work together will be released on FETO Records at the end of 2007. In November 2008, Napalm Death's fourteenth studio album, entitled ''[[Time Waits for No Slave]]'', leaked onto the internet; it was officially released on 23 January 2009.  Similar to ''Smear Campaign'', ''Time Waits For No Slave'' also had a digipak version containing two extra songs ("Suppressed Hunger" and "Omnipresent Knife in Your Back").

===''Utilitarian'' and ''Apex Predator – Easy Meat'' (2011–2016)===
[[File:Napalm Death - 2017215223157 2017-08-03 Wacken - Sven - 1D X MK II - 1457 - AK8I9123.jpg|thumb|[[John Cooke (musician)|John Cooke]] in 2017]]
In February 2011, Napalm Death appeared in an episode of E4's ''[[Skins (TV series)|Skins]]''. In October 2011, Napalm Death performed at The Zoo, in Canada in which they debuted their song 'Quarantined'.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6uBu6CGpHs&lc=Ugz6fAPNciCwacZMji94AaABAg | title=Comment from @bringmethegurrizon | website=[[YouTube]] | date=6 November 2011 }}</ref> Napalm Death entered Parlour Studio in Kettering, with producer [[Russ Russell]] to begin working on a new album. Also in 2011, they recorded the single "Legacy Was Yesterday". Napalm Death released their fourteenth studio album, ''[[Utilitarian (album)|Utilitarian]]'', on 27 February 2012 in Europe and 28 February in North America via Century Media.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=165646 |title=News > Napalm Death – New Album Title, Cover Artwork Unveiled |work=Blabbermouth.net |access-date=4 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111111001858/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=165646 |archive-date=11 November 2011  }}</ref> In March 2012, Napalm Death headlined the Metal Mayhem IV festival organized by "Defenders of Metal" in Nepal. This was the first time Napalm Death played in Nepal.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kamiński |first=Karol |date=2012-07-13 |title=Napalm Death 2012 World tour dates |url=https://idioteq.com/napalm-death-european-tour-dates/ |access-date=2022-06-07 |website=IDIOTEQ.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Napalm Death were scheduled to play a special one-off show at the [[Victoria and Albert Museum]] in London, on 22 March 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vam.ac.uk/whatson/event/2399/bustleholme-keith-harrison-napalm-death-at-the-va-3686/ |title=Bustleholme: Keith Harrison & Napalm Death at the V&A &#124; What's On &#124; Victoria and Albert Museum |publisher=Vam.ac.uk |date=22 March 2013 |access-date=5 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140207091501/http://www.vam.ac.uk/whatson/event/2399/bustleholme-keith-harrison-napalm-death-at-the-va-3686/ |archive-date=7 February 2014  }}</ref> The show was eventually cancelled at the Victoria and Albert Museum, due to concerns that the noise levels could damage parts of the museum.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21858852 |title=Napalm death V&A gig cancelled over gallery damage fear |publisher=BBC News |date=20 March 2013 |access-date=5 March 2014}}</ref> The show was relocated to the [[De La Warr Pavilion]] in Bexhill, and was performed on 29 November 2013.<ref name="DLWP">{{cite web |url=http://www.dlwp.com/event/napalm-death-and-keith-harrison |title=Bustleholme: Napalm Death & Keith Harrison |publisher=Dlwp.com |date=29 November 2013 |access-date=5 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009154256/http://www.dlwp.com/event/napalm-death-and-keith-harrison |archive-date=9 October 2013  }}</ref> The performance was a collaboration with ceramicist and Victoria and Albert Artist in Residence Keith Harrison.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/c/keith-harrison/ |title=Ceramics Resident: Keith Harrison - Victoria and Albert Museum |publisher=Vam.ac.uk |date=23 January 2012 |access-date=5 March 2014}}</ref> The show featured 10 large-scale wooden speakers filled with liquid clay that were left to solidify. When the band began to play, the clay inside the speakers was expected to vibrate, causing the speakers to crack and eventually explode.<ref name="DLWP" /> The actual performance was considered anticlimactic, as the speakers withstood the sonic vibration.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thevinylfactory.com/films/bustleholme-napalm-death-keith-harrison-video/|title=Bustleholme: An exclusive video of Napalm Death's collaboration with ceramicist Keith Harrison |website=Thevinylfactory.com |date=11 February 2014 |access-date=23 May 2017}}</ref>

In April 2014, the band released a cover of the [[Cardiacs]]' song "To Go Off and Things" via [[Bandcamp]]. All proceeds from the single went towards Cardiacs frontman [[Tim Smith (Cardiacs)|Tim Smith]]'s recovery from a simultaneous heart attack/stroke he suffered in 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/napalm-death-to-release-special-roadburn-festival-ep-charity-cardiacs-cover-available/|title=Napalm Death To Release Special 'Roadburn' Festival EP; Charity CARDIACS Cover Available|work=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|date=2 April 2014|access-date=6 August 2014}}</ref> The band announced on 5 November 2014, via Facebook that due to an illness in the family, Mitch Harris would be taking a hiatus from the band, to be replaced by various guitarists on their tour.{{citation needed|date=January 2015}} Napalm Death's fifteenth studio album, ''[[Apex Predator – Easy Meat]]'', was released on 26 January 2015.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}} On 4 July, a Nepal Charity Event track from the Apex Predator sessions called "Earth Wire" was released on their page.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

===''Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism'' (2017–present)===
In August 2017, it was announced that Napalm Death entered the studio to begin recording their sixteenth studio album for an early 2018 release.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/napalm-death-begins-recording-new-album-2/|title=Napalm Death Begins Recording New Album|work=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|access-date=22 August 2017}}</ref> In September, frontman [[Barney Greenway|Mark "Barney" Greenway]] spoke to Australia's ''Sticks for Stones'' condemning the announcement and stated that no material was being worked on at the moment but was in the "preliminary stages". He then said that it would not be released until later next year.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/no-new-napalm-death-album-before-late-2018-says-barney-greenway/|title=No New Napalm Death Album Before Late 2018, Says Barney Greenway |work=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|access-date=17 September 2017}}</ref> In an interview at [[Download Festival]] in June 2018, Greenway confirmed that guitarist [[Mitch Harris]] would appear on the new album, which was not expected to be released until 2019, but did not know if he would tour with them again.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/barney-greenway-says-mitch-harris-has-already-played-guitar-on-napalm-deaths-next-album/|title=Barney Greenway Says Mitch Harris Has Already Played Guitar on Napalm Death's Next Album|work=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|date=8 June 2018|access-date=13 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/napalm-death-frontman-isnt-sure-if-mitch-harris-will-tour-again-with-the-band/|title=Napalm Death Frontman Isn't Sure If Mitch Harris Will Tour Again with the Band|work=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|date=12 June 2018|access-date=13 June 2018}}</ref> Bassist [[Shane Embury]] confirmed in a March 2019 interview with Extreme Metal Festival News that Harris "did come over and record guitars on the new record" and Greenway has "nearly recorded all his vocal parts". He added, however, that the album would not be released before early 2020.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/napalm-deaths-new-album-wont-be-released-before-early-2020/|title=Napalm Death's New Album Won't Be Released Before Early 2020|work=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|access-date=27 March 2019|date=26 March 2019}}</ref>

Napalm Death (along with [[Lamb of God (band)|Lamb of God]], [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]], and [[Testament (band)|Testament]]) opened for [[Slayer]] on their [[Slayer Farewell Tour|final North American tour]] in the summer of 2018.<ref>{{cite web|title=Skayer Announces Second North American Leg Of 'Final' Tour|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/slayer-announces-second-north-american-leg-of-final-tour/|work=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|date=5 March 2018|access-date=5 March 2018}}</ref> In October 2019, Shane Embury announced that he would be unable to join the band during their North American Tour. Vernon Blake was announced as substitute live bassist.

An EP titled ''Logic Ravaged by Brute Force'' was released on 7 February 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kerrang.com/the-news/napalm-death-announce-logic-ravaged-by-brute-force-ep/|title=Napalm Death Announce Logic Ravaged By Brute Force EP|website=Kerrang!|date=17 January 2020 }}</ref> The band released their sixteenth studio album, ''[[Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism]]'', in September 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2020/01/17/napalm-death-to-release-logic-ravaged-by-brute-force-ep-digitally/|title=Napalm Death To Release 'Logic Ravaged by Brute Force' EP, Digitally|date=17 January 2020|website=Decibel Magazine}}</ref>