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.
Vocalist Mark 'Barney' Greenway describes the album best:
“The phrase sticking in my mind when I started thinking about the lyrical direction for this album was 'the other'. You could recognise 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 centrepiece, which of course is a commonly recognised symbol of peace and cooperation. The dove has been mauled very violently by a sterilising 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”.
Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism is out now via Century Media Records / Sony Music Australia.
TOP TRACKS WE'RE LOVING
Zig Zag - 'Do Better'
Konduku - 'Cipres'
Molly Tuttle - 'Mirrored Heart'
Shoeb Ahmad - '#8.5 (by Alaska Orchestra)'
Nubiyan Twist - '24-7'
This Is The Kit - 'Coming To Get You Nowhere'
sleepmakeswaves - 'pyramids'
Outtatime - 'Moments'
Blues Pills - 'Rhythm In The Blood'
