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)
Walls of Confinement
Napalm Death Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before my eyes I see a wall,
12 000 miles high,
And the same amount wide.
Within that wall are faces of people
To whom I once could relate.
Now communicating seems hard,
When there's an ego barrier to break through.
Opinions of self opinion cloud a new horizon.
The vision a mere illusion.
Biased in conclusion, trapped in seclusion,
To the outside - exclusion.
When an attitude is so biased,
What can you expect to change ?
Banging your head,
But the wall's not moving,
It's enclosing.
Burning so much energy.
Enthusiasm burning.
Is change the ´ real ª obsession ?
Or with a sense of pretention,
Do you merely strive for credible attention ? ? ?
The song Walls of Confinement by Napalm Death is a commentary on the walls of communication that exist between people, stemming from narrow-mindedness and egoism. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a wall 12,000 miles high and the same amount wide, within which lies a sea of faces, people to whom the singer once could relate but now finds it hard to communicate with. The ego barrier is so thick that the people inside are unreachable, trapped in seclusion and exclusion.
The singer observes that opinions of self-opinion cloud a new horizon, leaving a vision a mere illusion. People inside the wall are biased in conclusion, and an attitude so biased does not allow for any real change. The walls are enclosing, and banging one's head against them does nothing, requiring too much energy and enthusiasm, leading to the question- is change the 'real' obsession? Or is it simply a pretentious attempt to strive for credible attention?
The song's message is clear, pointing towards a need for people to break down their walls of self-opinion and open their minds to different points of view, to different ways of thinking, and living. The lyrics also point towards the futility of trying to make any real change without being open-minded, without reaching out to the people on the other side of the wall.
Line by Line Meaning
Before my eyes I see a wall,
I am confronted with an enormous, omnipresent barrier.
12 000 miles high,
This barricade is impossibly tall, towering above all in sight.
And the same amount wide.
It extends for miles in every direction, an unyielding obstruction.
Within that wall are faces of people
Trapped alongside me are others, human beings just like myself.
To whom I once could relate.
At one time, I shared a common understanding with these souls.
Now communicating seems hard,
As time has passed, there is a palpable gap between us that makes exchange difficult.
When there's an ego barrier to break through.
The challenge lies in surmounting the selfishness, pride, and self-centeredness that block us from truly listening to one another.
Opinions of self opinion cloud a new horizon.
Confidence in one's beliefs can obscure possibilities for growth and change.
The vision a mere illusion.
Our hopes for transformation may be unrealistic, unattainable.
Biased in conclusion, trapped in seclusion,
We are stuck in our own limited perspectives, isolated from others and unable to escape our mental confines.
To the outside - exclusion.
Our isolation from the world cuts us off from communal experience.
When an attitude is so biased,
A prejudiced mindset is difficult to overcome.
What can you expect to change ?
It is unrealistic to expect transformation while clinging to narrow-minded beliefs.
Banging your head,
Struggling against the wall requires effort, exertion.
But the wall's not moving,
Despite our efforts, the barricade remains unchanged.
It's enclosing.
The wall continues to close in around us, limiting our possibilities, and confining us.
Burning so much energy.
Attempting to shatter the wall exhausts our reserves of stamina and motivation.
Enthusiasm burning.
Our initial passion to break free diminishes over time.
Is change the ´ real ª obsession ?
Is transformation an all-consuming goal?
Or with a sense of pretention,
Perhaps we are motivated by a false sense of importance.
Do you merely strive for credible attention ? ? ?
Are we more interested in appearing to be transformative than in actually becoming so?
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Shane Embury
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
CaseyC Benn
Damn, this little EP is one of the most brutal sounding grindcore releases ever. I love Harmony Corruption thru Utopia Banished era ND the best... and we all love Scum and FETO's DIY feel. But this little EP is the crowning achievement of the mostly original lineup... take notes grinders.. This is... actually.... how it is done.... I am so bummed Micky will likely never play with ND ever again. His drumming style really made the sound work.
Erik van Doorn
That nasty Bill Steer solo!
der todesking
Yeah it’s amazing, absolutely love it since I first heard it! And it’s not only great but also very memorable.
Mat Demaz
This album fucking tears, man. Holy hell. Crazy vocals for the time.
aujay
0:34 Terrorizer riff or maybe Jesse borrowed that one, eitherway it kills !
Kris Kristos
Bloody hell few years since this listening !!! And the rest hahaha .this and missing link courtesy of Mr John sorry sir peel ..young memories ..have mercy upon an old hey..no older man..... Mentally murdered!!!!!!!!! From birth cheers people in the know?😋
therush420
1:21 Doom stage clear music
Guillaume Neveu
Covid-19 brought me here
Alexander Tomas
Yeah!
Señor Marcelo
Good!