Album Review: Napalm Death – Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism

There are a few bands out there who have the years behind them yet are still rising to the challenge and blowing expectations. 2015’s Apex Predator – Easy Meat certainly did that and now five years later Napalm Death are back with another album, Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism’ which carries on the great work that Apex started.

From the shock of the album art, a broken and bloodied white dove, to the lyrical content, this is Napalm Death back making statements to grab. Loud, angry and shouting up for the disenfranchised. Which lets be honest they have been doing this for damn near 30 years.

30 years of Shane Embury Et al writing some hugely infectious music and with Throes Of Joy… they tap into the early tradition of Napalm Death with Mark ‘Barney’ Greenway and his evil baritone shrieks and Danny Herrera being impressive on more than just a drum kit. Check out the opening percussion on ‘A Bellyful of Salt and Spleen’

Throes Of Joy… feels like an album where the band have found themselves musically and allowing outside influences to shape their music. Tracks like ‘Amoral’ and ‘Invigorating Clutch’ with their Killing Joke inspiration. ‘Joie De Ne Pas Vivre’, see Greenway go a bit death metal with his vocals. Then theres also full on metal bangers like album opener “Fuck the Factoid” and ‘Backlash Just Because’ that are chaotic in a very Napalm Death way.

Its when you can hear what each member has brought to the creation of this album. I don’t think I have heard Greenway’s vocals sound this good or heard metal drumming performed with such controlled mayhem like Herrera has pulled off here. Theres still plenty for Mitch Harris and John Cooke to show off with their addictive riffing on tracks like ‘Acting in Gouged Faith’ and ‘Fluxing Of The Muscle’ and the unhinged spikey playing on ‘Backlash Just Because’ The guys are performing out of their skin.

The musicality of the tracks may get lost under the mosh inspiring chaos, yet there is control here. Everything scream, every planet starting bass line and every crashing drum beat is there for a reason. Making noise is easy but making noise thats actually worth listening too is hard. Although Napalm Death make it look rather easy when they drop albums of this quality.

Find out more via the bands Facebook or Website

Pre order the album here

NAPALM DEATH – “Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism”

1. Fuck the Factoid
2. Backlash Just Because
3. That Curse of Being in Thrall
4. Contagion
5. Joie De Ne Pas Vivre
6. Invigorating Clutch
7. Zero Gravitas Chamber
8. Fluxing of the Muscle
9. Amoral
10. Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism
11. Acting in Gouged Faith
12. A Bellyful of Salt and Spleen