Napalm Death have become the first grindcore band ever to perform on NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series, according to NME. The UK group brought a high-intensity eight-song set to the celebrated live series instead of the usual stripped-back approach.
Frontman Barney Greenway and the band powered through songs including “Instinct Of Survival,” “Strong-Arm” and “Everyday Pox” in just under 20 minutes. They closed with “You Suffer,” the song recognized by Guinness World Records as the shortest commercially released track ever, at under two seconds.
Greenway said the appearance on Tiny Desk felt surprising, but the band did not plan to soften its performance for the format. He said they hoped listeners would take something from the set, even if it was only an understanding of “musical abrasion being pushed to the nth degree.”
NPR Music producer and writer Lars Gotrich said it was important to have Napalm Death as the first grindcore act on Tiny Desk, describing them as the “founding fathers” of the style. He said the band represents both extreme music and what it means to be human in a difficult time.
