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)
Necessary Evil
Napalm Death Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Terminate, to remove
Falling fast
at the end of a chain thoughts collect
Execute. A degree. I defect.
What's it worth?
Meet your needs. Devilish deeds
Reconcile. Understood. Contemplate.
Desecrate. To denounce. Detonate.
Tentative. To reject. Overdue.
Final stage. To complete. Follow through.
Far too late.
Absolute hate' this Hell
An empty shell.
Desolate cells.
A necessary evil' bargaining pleas
Held at ransom' Or souls diseased
A necessary evil' the dominant role'
There's no escape' You crossed the solitary line
The lyrics to Napalm Death's song Necessary Evil express intense feelings of anger, disillusionment, and despair in the face of overwhelming corruption and destruction. The lines "I dissolve to a dream of the past/Terminate, to remove/Falling fast" suggest a sense of disillusionment with the present and a desire to escape into memories of a simpler time. However, this dream is quickly shattered by the reality of the world around them.
The singer then goes on to describe the thoughts that are collecting at the end of a chain, waiting to be executed. The lines "What's it worth?/Sacrifice the earth/It bleeds/Meet your needs/Devilish deeds" suggest a sense of frustration with the way that human greed is destroying the planet, and the willingness of some to engage in immoral actions to satisfy their desires.
The lyrics then turn to the idea of reconciliation and contemplation, before rejecting these ideals in favor of detonation and destruction. The lines "Tentative/To reject/Overdue/Final stage/To complete/Follow through" express a feeling of urgency and a desire to take action to stop the destruction that is happening around them. However, it seems that it may be too late, as the singer describes a world consumed by hate and destroyed beyond repair.
Line by Line Meaning
I dissolve to a dream of the past
I escape reality and reminisce about the past
Terminate, to remove
End something or someone to get rid of it
Falling fast
Quickly losing control
At the end of a chain thoughts collect
Thoughts come together and lead to a final decision
Execute. A degree. I defect.
Act on a set plan with precision, but switch sides and turn against something
What's it worth?
Is it valuable enough to warrant the price?
Sacrifice the earth' It bleeds.
Harm the environment and it will suffer
Meet your needs. Devilish deeds
Do immoral things to satisfy your desires
Reconcile. Understood. Contemplate.
Make amends, agree, and think it through
Desecrate. To denounce. Detonate.
Violate, condemn, and explode
Tentative. To reject. Overdue.
Uncertain, refuse, and late
Final stage. To complete. Follow through.
Last step, finish, and see it to the end
Far too late.
It's already happened and can't be undone
Absolute hate' this Hell
Utter disdain and loathing for the situation
An empty shell. Desolate cells.
Numb and lifeless, with no hope or escape
A necessary evil' bargaining pleas
Doing something bad but needed, while trying to negotiate for a better outcome
Held at ransom' Or souls diseased
Held hostage or manipulated, with corrupt souls
A necessary evil' the dominant role'
Being forced to play a bad part because it's the only option
There's no escape' You crossed the solitary line
You can't get away and have gone too far into the dangerous territory
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MITCHELL HARRIS, SHANE THOMAS EMBURY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind