Napalm Death is an English grindcore band that was formed in Meriden, West … Read Full Bio ↴Napalm Death is an English grindcore band that was formed in Meriden, West Midlands in 1981. Since 1986, none of the band's original members have remained in the group. However, starting from their album "Utopia Banished" (1992), the lineup of bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch Harris, drummer Danny Herrera, and lead vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway has remained consistent for most of the band's career. From 1989 to 2004, Napalm Death briefly expanded to a five-piece band when Jesse Pintado joined as a replacement for former guitarist Bill Steer. Following Pintado's departure, the band reverted to being a four-piece.

The band is recognized as pioneers of the grindcore genre, blending elements of crust punk and death metal. They are known for their noise-filled sound, characterized by distorted, down-tuned guitars, grinding overdrive bass, high-speed tempo, blast beats, and vocals consisting of incomprehensible growls or high-pitched shrieks. Their songs are exceptionally short, often featuring sociopolitical lyrics. Napalm Death gained substantial influence in the global metal community with the release of their debut album "Scum" in 1987, which was issued by Earache Records. Notably, their track "You Suffer" holds the Guinness World Record for the shortest recorded song, lasting a mere 1.316 seconds.

Over the years, Napalm Death has released sixteen studio albums and is recognized by Nielsen SoundScan as the seventh-best-selling death metal band in the United States.

Studio albums
Scum (1987)
From Enslavement to Obliteration (1988)
Harmony Corruption (1990)
Utopia Banished (1992)
Fear, Emptiness, Despair (1994)
Diatribes (1996)
Inside the Torn Apart (1997)
Words from the Exit Wound (1998)
Enemy of the Music Business (2000)
Order of the Leech (2002)
The Code Is Red...Long Live the Code (2005)
Smear Campaign (2006)
Time Waits for No Slave (2009)
Utilitarian (2012)
Apex Predator - Easy Meat (2015)
Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism (2020)

Birth in Regress
Napalm Death Lyrics

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Feast your eyes on
It reflects on
Can't pertain to
Can't belong to
Vicious cycle
Faultless conflict
Self-preserving
Birth in regress

In the midst of confusion
The warm sound of shelter
Shelve the plans of expansion
The warm sound of shelter

Promising all
Deliver nothing
Dependently reassuring
Come to terms with
Serves no purpose
Self-preserving
Birth in regress

Set in motion
Visual concepts
Sabotage the birth in regress

To subdue the calm before the storm
In it's stillness. In it's stillness
To subdue the calm before the storm
In it's stillness. Desperate measures

To feel so unworthly
To see the apathy
To turn the cold shoulder and stop
To desperate measures

Reversing in circles
A thought unappealing

How long can you maintain enthusiastic faces?
Any way, shape or form

Overall Meaning

The first verse of Napalm Death's "Birth in Regress" seems to address the idea of possession and belonging. The lyrics "Feast your eyes on, It reflects on, Can't pertain to, Can't belong to" suggest that whatever the singer is observing is not something they can possess, even if it may be attractive or appealing to them. This can be interpreted as commentary on consumerism, and the constant cycle of wanting more and more material possessions, but never truly feeling satisfied with what one has.

The following lines, "Vicious cycle, Faultless conflict, Self-preserving, Birth in regress" also point to this idea of being caught in an endless loop of desire and acquisition. The "vicious cycle" can be seen as a reference to the cycle of capitalism, where the pursuit of profit leads to an endless cycle of production and consumption. The idea of a "birth in regress" suggests that this cycle is not progress or growth, but rather a regression or moving backwards.

The chorus talks about finding shelter in the midst of confusion, and how this shelter can be disrupted by plans of expansion. The lyrics "Promising all, Deliver nothing" suggest a sense of disappointment or disillusionment with promises that are not kept. The overall theme of the song seems to be a critique of the destructive effects of consumerism and capitalism, and the importance of finding refuge from these forces.

Line by Line Meaning

Feast your eyes on
Take a good look at

It reflects on
It shows us

Can't pertain to
Does not relate to

Can't belong to
Does not fit in with

Vicious cycle
Repeating pattern of negativity

Faultless conflict
A situation where no one is to blame

Self-preserving
Taking care of oneself

Birth in regress
The birth of something negative

In the midst of confusion
Being lost or unsure

The warm sound of shelter
The comfort of being protected

Shelve the plans of expansion
Put a stop to plans for growth