A second track has now been unveiled from the upcoming expanded eight-song collaborative release by pioneering grindcore act Napalm Death and influential grunge/sludge outfit The Melvins. The project, titled Savage Imperial Death March, previously surfaced in an earlier form as a tour-only release during a past joint run between the two bands.
The release has since been updated with two additional bonus tracks along with refreshed artwork and packaging, and is scheduled for a broader release on April 10. One of the songs from the record, “Rip The God”, has now been made available digitally, and Napalm Death bassist/vocalist Shane Embury shared the following comments about it:
“The opening Buzz [Osborne, The Melvins vocalist/guitarist] riff begins with that classic timing – a hiccup right at the end of the riff cycle making the riff extra special! Simple yet tricky to remember… it had my head spinning when I played the bass to it – Multiply that head spin with the guitar pedal noise static we all added – God was ripped and drunk on joyful noise…”
Recorded at The Melvins‘ studio in Los Angeles, the sessions saw Buzz Osborne (vocals/guitar) and Dale Crover (drums) writing and recording alongside Napalm Death’s Barney Greenway (vocals), Shane Embury (bass), and John Cooke (guitar).
The first taste of this union, a track titled “Tossing Coins Into The Fountain Of F**k“, premiered on February 10 during SiriusXM’s “Liquid Metal” with host Jose Mangin and is also available for streaming.
For the musicians involved, the project was a labor of love and mutual admiration.
“I have loved The Melvins forever and their outlook on music,” Embury said. “A chance to make an album of eclectic musical madness with them was truly an honor and a whole lot of fun, which surely is the whole point! Let’s do another one soon.”
Osborne echoed that sentiment, highlighting the organic nature of the writing process.
“Napalm Death are one of my favorite bands ever. It was an absolute pleasure and a dream come true to do this collaboration with them. We wrote songs together. I would write a riff and we would learn it and record it right there. They wrote stuff and we would learn it immediately as well. It was truly a 50/50 partnership.”
Greenway reflected on the journey from fan to collaborator:
“Funny how life turns out sometimes… collecting hard-to-find Melvins 7-inches on Bleecker Street in 1989 and then touring twice and doing an album with them within the following 35 years. Had a great time with it all, and nice to work with fellow travelers in The Melvins who also couldn’t care about pandering to ‘demographics.’ I felt myself almost babbling lyrically during the recording, and that alone made for very fun recording times.”
Savage Imperial Death March Track Listing:
- “Tossing Coins Into The Fountain Of F**k”
- “Some Kind Of Antichrist”
- “Awful Handwriting”
- “Nine Days Of Rain”
- “Rip The God”
- “Stealing Horses”
- “Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy”
- “Death Hour”
