Grindcore is an extreme fusion genre of heavy metal and hardcore punk that originated in the mid-1980s, drawing inspiration from abrasive-sounding musical styles, such as thrashcore, crust punk, hardcore punk, extreme metal, and industrial. Grindcore is considered a more noise-filled style of hardcore punk while using hardcore's trademark characteristics such as heavily distorted, down-tuned guitars, grinding overdriven bass, high-speed tempo, blast beats, and vocals which consist of growls, shouts and high-pitched shrieks. Early groups like Napalm Death are credited with laying the groundwork for the style. It is most prevalent today in North America and Europe, with popular contributors such as Brutal Truth and Nasum. Lyrical themes range from a primary focus on social and political concerns, to gory subject matter and black humor.
Obituary is an American death metal band formed in Tampa, Florida, in 1984. They were one of the fundamental acts in the development of death metal music, and are one of the most successful death metal bands of all time. Obituary has released eleven studio albums, and with the exception of a six-year hiatus from 1997 to 2003, they continue to perform live.
Napalm Death are an English grindcore band formed in Meriden, West Midlands in 1981. None of the band's original members have been in the group since 1986, but since Utopia Banished (1992), the lineup of bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch Harris, drummer Danny Herrera and lead vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway has remained consistent through most of the band's career. From 1989 to 2004, Napalm Death were a five-piece band after they added Jesse Pintado as the replacement of one-time guitarist Bill Steer. Following Pintado's departure, the band reverted to a four-piece.
Harmony Corruption is the third studio album by British grindcore band Napalm Death, released in 1990 on Earache Records.
Shane Thomas Embury is a British bassist and a member of the grindcore and death metal band Napalm Death since 1987—the longest-serving member of the band.
Utopia Banished is the fourth studio album by the British grindcore band Napalm Death. The album was released in 1992 by Earache Records. It is the first album featuring Danny Herrera on drums following the departure of Mick Harris. Metal Hammer put it on the list of the 20 best metal album of 1992.
Noise for Music's Sake is a double-disc compilation by British band Napalm Death. It was released on 8 July 2003 on Earache Records. This album is a retrospective of the band's entire career. The first disc is a best-of compilation; the second disc contains rarities. The booklet includes 20 pages with interviews of band members Shane Embury and Mark "Barney" Greenway. It also includes a guide to all the songs from the second disc, and a complete "Family Tree" detailing every person who was ever in the band.
Unseen Terror was a British extreme metal band formed by Mitch Dickinson (Heresy) and Shane Embury, and played extreme metal with a technical edge along with elements of hardcore punk. Their most notable feat took place in March 1988, when they recorded tracks for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 program.
Fear, Emptiness, Despair is the fifth studio album by British grindcore band Napalm Death, released on 31 May 1994. Napalm Death's inclusion on the Mortal Kombat soundtrack brought significant exposure to the band and this album, alongside the fact that the band's label Earache had formed a partnership with Columbia Records which allowed the album to disseminate to a wider audience. RAW magazine listed Fear, Emptiness, Despair as one of the essential album of the 1990s.
Inside the Torn Apart is the seventh studio album by British extreme metal band Napalm Death. It was released by Earache in June 1997 on double vinyl, regular CD, digipak CD and MC.
Breed to Breathe is an EP by English extreme metal band Napalm Death, released in 1997 through Earache on CD.
Heretic is the seventh studio album by the Florida death metal band Morbid Angel. This would be their last under Earache Records, as the band decided not to renew its contract, and also the last to feature Pete Sandoval and with Steve Tucker until his return on 2017's Kingdoms Disdained.
The End Complete is the third album by American death metal band Obituary. It was released on April 21, 1992. This album marked the return of guitarist Allen West who performed on the debut album.
Frozen in Time is the sixth album by American death metal band Obituary. It was released on July 12, 2005, and was the band's first album in eight years since 1997's Back from the Dead, and the last to feature guitarist Allen West.
Slowly We Rot is the debut studio album by American death metal band Obituary, released on June 14, 1989. It is the only Obituary release to feature bassist Daniel Tucker. Lead guitarist Allen West would leave soon after but returned for the third album The End Complete (1992). It was re-released on January 27, 1997, by Roadrunner Records with remastered audio and liner notes. Despite being recorded in standard tuning and with Fender Stratocasters, it is considered to be one of the band's heavier efforts. The remainder of the band's output has been recorded in D tuning. A live version of the album, Slowly We Rot: Live & Rotting, was recorded in October 2020 and released in August 2022 by Relapse Records.
Cause of Death is the second album by American death metal band Obituary. It was released on September 19, 1990. Cause of Death is considered a classic album in the history of death metal. The artwork was done by artist Michael Whelan. It is their first release with longtime member Frank Watkins on bass, and also their first and only album with guitarist James Murphy, previously of the group Death. Murphy did not contribute to the songwriting as the riffs he showed to the band would end up appearing on Disincarnate's Dreams of the Carrion Kind.
Mitchell Harris is an American guitarist. He started his career in the Las Vegas, Nevada grindcore band Righteous Pigs. He did a side project with Mick Harris – then the drummer of grindcore band Napalm Death – called Defecation. Shortly thereafter, he left Righteous Pigs and permanently joined Napalm Death in 1989, firstly appearing on the Harmony Corruption album. He is still with them, playing guitar and back-up vocals.
The Best of Obituary is a compilation album by death metal band Obituary, released in 2008.
Darkest Day is the eighth studio album by the American death metal band Obituary. It was released on June 30, 2009, through Candlelight Records. Darkest Day is the final Obituary album to feature both longtime bassist Frank Watkins, who had played in the band since Cause of Death (1990), and guitarist Ralph Santolla.
Meathook Seed was an industrial metal music project formed in 1992 by the Napalm Death guitarist, Mitch Harris. Two Meathook Seed albums were released.
