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)
Mass Appeal Madness
Napalm Death Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me, assure me,
I really can't relate with your dishonesty.
Dissention seeking attention,
Yet segregation from the ones' that really cared.
Tell me, assure me,
Cash styled deadhead,
No conscience or opinions.
Material gain bar hapiness means shit.
It means shit.
Mass appeal madness eats your brain.
False influence like a leech,
Sucking dry your veins.
Public eyes see fit your second face.
Freakshow - fooling those who imitate.
Clever marketing to dominate
Screwing those who gave you your big break.
And when the bubble bursts,
Exposing your selfish crap,
You'll cry for sympathy...
We'll just sit back and laugh.
Napalm Death's song Mass Appeal Madness is a commentary on the commercialization and fake personas that are prevalent in the music industry. The lyrics express the disgust of the singers towards the dishonesty, dissension seeking attention, and segregation from those who genuinely care. The song calls out the people who imitate and copy the fake personas created by their idols, jokingly referring to them as a "freakshow." The chorus of the song, "Mass appeal madness eats your brain. False influence like a leech, Sucking dry your veins. Public eyes see fit your second face," highlights how people get easily influenced by the clever marketing of these fake personas, often alienating themselves from their true selves.
Napalm Death takes a jab at the materialistic aspect of the industry, where making money takes precedence over everything else. The lyrics, "Cash styled deadhead, No conscience or opinions. Material gain bar happiness means shit," shows how the industry wants to sell a product and takes advantage of the idol's personas to earn money, ignoring the emotional vulnerability of these idols.
Furthermore, the song takes inspiration from the events that took place during Queen's set at the 1986 Wembley Stadium gig, where Freddie Mercury expressed his displeasure at the commercialization of their music. The song, as a whole, criticizes the industry's commercialization and points out how people need to be more authentic and honest in their approach towards music.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me, assure me,
I need to hear from you and know for sure that what you're telling me is the truth.
I really can't relate with your dishonesty.
I cannot understand why you would be dishonest with me and it makes it hard for us to have a genuine relationship.
Dissention seeking attention,
You only cause conflict to get attention.
Yet segregation from the ones' that really cared.
By causing division, you are pushing away those who truly cared for you.
Cash styled deadhead,
You are obsessed with money and are a mindless follower.
No conscience or opinions.
You lack any sense of morality and don't hold any firm beliefs.
Material gain bar happiness means shit.
Material possessions don't lead to true happiness.
Mass appeal madness eats your brain.
Following the crowd and seeking mass appeal can be detrimental to your mental health.
False influence like a leech,
The negative influence you allow into your life is draining and destructive.
Sucking dry your veins.
This harmful influence is taking all of your energy and resources.
Public eyes see fit your second face.
Your public persona is not a true reflection of who you are.
Freakshow - fooling those who imitate.
You are deceiving those who try to mimic your behavior.
Clever marketing to dominate
You are using clever tactics to assert your dominance over others.
Screwing those who gave you your big break.
You are betraying those who helped you achieve success.
And when the bubble bursts,
When your fake persona crumbles.
Exposing your selfish crap,
Revealing your true motives and selfish intentions.
You'll cry for sympathy...
You will seek sympathy from those you abandoned and betrayed.
We'll just sit back and laugh.
We will watch and derive amusement from your downfall.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Mark Greenway, Mitchell Harris, Shane Embury
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rodrigo Fonseca
Maybe it is the nostalgia takimg hold of me but i still think the metal scene in the 90s was one of the most exciting musical and cultural movements ever. So many good bands, each one with their innovative sound, recordings done on tape... i miss those days.
B Real
Its because metal in the 90s was still genuine. Before the nu-metal fakery!!
Станислав Коробцов
@B Real Согласен с тобой , 80 ,90 е года были именно рассветом и пиком thrash & death metal индустрии !!! 👍👍👍🤘🤘🤘💪💪💪🇺🇸🇨🇦🇬🇧🇩🇪
Cant BanMe
The early to mid 90s were metals creative and artistic peak imo, so many varied and different things going on. The emergence of the "extreme metal" genres that grew from 80s thrash in death, doom/sludge and black metal. All the weird and wackyness of the Alternative metal boom which was an entire world of its own. Pantera on top as the more approaching something like mainstream band. I mean when a band like Pantera is in that role you know it's a ridiculous time.
I hate it when people say the 90s sucked for metal or a article claims its looked on as a low point. What they are referring too there is the nu metal boom or the bigger bands of the 80s like metallica and megadeth exploring a more mainstream sound with mixed results. That's far from the entire story of 90s metal.
Alfredo Salvador Musmeci Fernández
Yeah, the peak of death metal and the decade to destroy barriers
Diablokiller999
Uhm, but this is more Punk than Metal scene :D
Шура Балаганов
Пожалуй, лучшее время их.
Лучший саунд, лучший голос.
Лучший состав. Имхо
thomas barde
Du hast recht 🤟🎸🍻
El Zebbo
Dear Earache Records,
I just wanted to say that I like how you are releasing all these old, classic, partly rare and long forgotten videos recently. This is a great thing and I really appreciate it. Thank you!
Love, El Zebbo
Jakob Wondergem
Carcass