One of the founders of grindcore, also contributing heavily to the extreme spectrum of metal and punk. Many consider Repulsion the true founders and legends of grindcore, but this is debatable because technically Napalm Death formed before them.

Originally, on their first few demos, Napalm Death were a hardcore punk band going under different names such as Political Unrest, Civil Defence but most of the band names were relating to political/social things. However, they decided to stick with Napalm Death because it was "different" and best described how they felt. This new form of punk rock began to incorporate extreme metal influences, and eventually would evolve into grindcore.

Their main source of inspiration originally came from bands like Discharge, Siege and D.R.I..

According to Albert Mudrian (founding editor-in-chief of Decibel Magazine), Mick Harris first coined the term "grindcore", although this is debatable. Also, Harris is credited with coining the term "blast beat" as well when describing his unique style of drumming (at the time). Countless metal bands have been heavily influenced by this style since.

For years the band was considered to be one of the most extreme bands ever. They were notorious during their grindcore days for selling out shows at the infamous Mermaid Club in Birmingham. They gave light to the club and created a huge metal/punk movement with their music in the UK. Such shows that were played at the Mermaid Club were with the likes of other grind and punk bands like Heresy, Extreme Noise Terror, Dirge, Ripcord and even had the chance to open for one of their main influences, Discharge.

Lee Dorrian was the "grindcore"-era vocalist for Napalm Death. He left the band later on the upcoming third full-length release because the band wanted to pursue a more death metal-influenced style. He later went on to form doom/stoner legends Cathedral. Because of this, Mark "Barney" Greenway was recruited from Benediction because he was their roadie while playing shows in the UK and had always been a long time fan of the group.

Napalm Death were one of the first signed bands on the legendary death/grind label Earache ("Scum" being the third album to be released on the label - MOSH3.)

With the inception of the album 'From Enslavement to Obliteration' in 1988, Napalm Death had, against all expectations, broken into the mainstream by debuting at Number 1 on the UK Indie charts, scoring the label's first NME front cover and radio sessions with noted BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, who had typically supported the sound from its inception.

Lee Dorian was once asked to play with hardcore punkers Icons of Filth, which would've been his first band. He ended up buying a bass guitar to fill in the position but the band broke up when he was ready to join.

Original members of Napalm Death Nik Bullen, Mick Harris and Justin K. Broadrick later reunited to form the industrial dub act Scorn. Mick Harris currently runs this act solo.

Long running guitarist Jesse Pintado died August 27, 2006 of a diabetic coma in a Holland Hospital.

Further details about Napalm Death can be found in the book "Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal and Grindcore".

Additional discography:
And, Like Sheep, We Have All Gone Astray, demo tape released by Obituary Tapes in October 1982. 15 tracks. Complete track listing is unknown but the release includes the tracks "Rival Fractions", "Pollution", "Call This Aborted?", "Traditional Society", "Punk Is a Rotting Corpse", "Confined", "The Room with the Shuttered Window", and "The Doomsday Cometh".

The cassette received an 'official' release through the Obituary Tapes label run by Mick Slaughter of Obituary fanzine (Kent, England). The tape was issued on a C40 cassette with a cover by Nicholas Bullen, and was sold via mail order and reviewed in a number of fanzines.

The title of the recording (created by Miles Ratledge) is a paraphrase of a phrase from the text The Holy Bible of the Christian religion (Isaiah 53:6).

“Call This Aborted?” is a re-worked version of the song 'Napalm' which appeared on the 1st demo by the group. The re-worked song features new lyrics.

"Punk Is a Rotting Corpse" was the first song written by the group in December 1981.

"The Room with the Shuttered Window" was a freeform improvisation recorded in one take with no rehearsal. The title of the song is derived from the story 'The Shuttered Room' by August Derleth which was inspired by a fragment written by H.P. Lovecraft.

"The Doomsday Cometh" was inspired by a line from a poem written by the singer of the Anarchist punk group Naked which appeared in Enigma fanzine - Issue 3.

Current
Shane Embury Bass (1987-present)
See also: Absolute Power, Bent Sea, Brujeria, Insidious Disease, Liquid Graveyard, Lock Up, Menace, Venomous Concept, War of the Second Dragon, ex-Azagthoth, ex-Blood from the Soul, ex-Intestinal Infestation, ex-Meathook Seed, ex-Unseen Terror, ex-Warhammer, Hicks Kinison, Mutation, Tronos, ex-Anaal Nathrakh (live), ex-Drop Dead, ex-Malformed Earthborn
Mitch Harris Guitars, Vocals (1989-present)
See also: Absolute Power, Defecation, Menace, Righteous Pigs, ex-Meathook Seed, ex-Goatlord (live), ex-Regurgitation
Mark "Barney" Greenway Vocals (1989-1996, 1997-present)
See also: ex-Colostomy, ex-Benediction, ex-Extreme Noise Terror
Danny Herrera Drums (1991-present)
See also: Venomous Concept, ex-Anaal Nathrakh (live)

Past
Nicholas "Nik Napalm" Bullen Bass (1981-1982, 1986-1987), Vocals (1981-1987)
See also: Alienist, ex-Final, ex-Scorn
Miles "Rat" Ratledge Drums (1981-1985)
Simon "Si O" Ockenheinem Guitars (1981)
Finbar Quinn Bass (1982-1985)
See also: ex-Curfew
Graham "Robbo" Robertson Bass, Guitars (1982-1985)
Daryl "Sid" Fideski Guitars (1982)
Pete "Peanut" Shaw Bass (1985)
Mick Harris Drums (1985-1991)
See also: ex-Intestinal Infestation, Lull, ex-Defecation, ex-Extreme Noise Terror, ex-Unseen Terror, ex-Anorexia, ex-Doom, ex-Drop Dead, ex-Motherfuckers from Mars, ex-Painkiller, ex-Pigface, ex-Scorn, ex-Black Engine (live)
Justin Broadrick Guitars (1985-1987)
See also: Godflesh, Jesu, ex-Fall of Because, Council Estate Electronics, Final, Greymachine, JK Flesh, Pale Sketcher, The Blood of Heroes, White Static Demon, ex-Head of David, ex-Sunn O))) (live), ex-Deathless, ex-Curse of the Golden Vampire, ex-God, ex-Ice, ex-J2, ex-Justin Broadrick, ex-Krackhead, ex-Scorn, ex-Solaris / Solaris BC, ex-Sweet Tooth, ex-Tech Level 2, ex-Techno Animal, ex-The Sidewinder, ex-Youpho
Jim Whitely Bass (1987)
See also: Warprayer, ex-Prophecy of Doom, Dumbstruck, Squandered, ex-Cracked Cop Skulls, ex-Doom, ex-Drop Dead, ex-Filthkick, ex-Filthkick (Legless), ex-Ripcord
Frank Healy Guitars (1987)
See also: Benediction, Sacrilege, ex-Cerebral Fix, ex-Anaal Nathrakh (live)
Bill Steer Guitars (1987-1989)
See also: Carcass, Gentlemans Pistols, ex-Angel Witch (live), ex-Disattack, ex-Firebird
Lee Dorrian Vocals (1987-1989)
See also: ex-Cathedral, ex-Septic Tank, ex-Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine, ex-Armed Revolutionary Faction, ex-Pig Disease
Jesse Pintado Guitars (1989-2004)
(R.I.P. 2006) See also: ex-Brujeria, ex-Lock Up, ex-Terrorizer, ex-Resistant Culture
Phil Vane Vocals (1996-1997)
(R.I.P. 2011) See also: ex-Extreme Noise Terror, ex-Optimum Wound Profile, ex-Victims of War

Current (Live)
John Cooke Bass, Vocals (2012), Guitars (2014-present)
See also: Corrupt Moral Altar, Out for Blood, Vicious Bastard, War of the Second Dragon, ex-The Atrocity Exhibit, ex-Malevolent Creation (live), ex-Venomous Concept (live)

Past (Live)
Rich Militia Vocals
See also: Solstice, ex-Sludgelord, ex-Isen Torr, Solomon Kane, ex-Pagan Altar, ex-Bio-Hazard, ex-Discontrol, ex-Harmony As One, ex-Nailbomb, ex-Sore Throat, ex-Warfear, ex-Wartorn
Jesper Liveröd Bass (2013)
See also: ex-Burst, ex-Nasum

Complete discography

Halloween Demo 1982
Kak Demo 1983
Unpopular Yawns of Middle Class Warfare Demo 1983
Hatred Surge Demo 1985
From Enslavement to Obliteration Demo 1986
Scum Demo 1986
Scum Full-length 1987
The Peel Sessions EP 1987
From Enslavement to Obliteration Full-length 1988
The Curse Single 1988
Napalm Death / S.O.B. Split 1989
The Peel Sessions Compilation 1989
Live EP EP 1989
Mentally Murdered Single 1989
Mentally Murdered EP 1989
Napalm Death / Electro Hippies Split 1989
Harmony Corruption Full-length 1990
Suffer the Children EP 1990
John Zorn / Napalm Death Split 1990
Live Corruption Video 1990
Mass Appeal Madness EP 1991
Death by Manipulation Compilation 1991
Malignant Trait EP 1992
Utopia Banished Full-length 1992
The World Keeps Turning EP EP 1992
Live Corruption Live album 1993
Nazi Punks Fuck Off Single 1993
Hung Single 1994
Fear, Emptiness, Despair Full-length 1994
More Than Meets the Eye Single 1994
Greed Killing EP 1995
Cursed to Tour Split 1996
Diatribes Full-length 1996
In Tongues We Speak Split 1997
Inside the Torn Apart Full-length 1997
Breed to Breathe Split 1997
Bootlegged in Japan Live album 1998
Words from the Exit Wound Full-length 1998
Leaders Not Followers EP 1999
The Complete Radio One Sessions Compilation 2000
Enemy of the Music Business Full-length 2000
The DVD Video 2001
Order of the Leech Full-length 2002
Noise for Music's Sake Compilation 2003
Punishment in Capitals Live album 2003
Punishment in Capitals Video 2003
Leaders Not Followers: Part 2 Compilation 2004
Tsunami Benefit Split 2005
The Code Is Red... Long Live the Code Full-length 2005
Smear Campaign Full-length 2006
Time Waits for No Slave Full-length 2009
Live in Japan - Grind Kaijyu Attack! Split 2009
Death Metal Live Split video 2009
Diatribes / Greed Killing / Bootlegged in Japan Boxed set 2010
Live at Rock City Live album 2010
Inside the Torn Apart / Words from the Exit Wound / Breed to Breathe Boxed set 2010
Legacy Was Yesterday Single 2011
Analysis Paralysis Single 2012
Utilitarian Full-length 2012
Converge / Napalm Death Split 2012
Scum / From Enslavement to Obliteration / Harmony Corruption / Utopia Banished Boxed set 2012
Napalm Death / Insect Warfare Split 2013
Sugar Daddy Live Split Series 9 Split 2013
To Go Off and Things Single 2014
Our Pain Is Their Power EP 2014
Apex Predator - Easy Meat Full-length 2015