Fear Emptiness Despair

Napalm Death

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 10, 1996)
• Original Release Date: 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Earache Records
• ASIN: B00000583X
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #190,588 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Twist the Knife (Slowly)

2. Hung

3. Remain Nameless

4. Plague Rages

5. More Than Meets the Eye

6. Primed Time

7. State of Mind

8. Armageddon X 7

9. Retching on the Dirt

10. Fasting on Deception

11. Throwaway

12. Truth Drug [*]

13. Living in Denial [*]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Their most accomplished release to date., July 28, 2005

By	J. Sa "pepito77" (Salvador, BRAZIL) - See all my reviews

The early nineties was a great time for Rock music. Hair Metal was - finally - dying, and lots of underground bands were selling huge amount of records, and record company folks were flabbergasted, because they couldn't safely predict who might be the next big hit. Nirvana, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden and in a lesser degreee, Metallica - which already had a huge fanbase - were considered flukes from the suits that worshipped Guns N'Roses, Bon Jovi and Poison.

Company executives went on to hire scouts to 'fish' on underground waters, and maybe hit upon the next Metallica or the next Nirvana. Epic hired Sepultura, Warner Brothers hired Helmet and Biohazard and other bands on the WB roster, like Ministry and Pantera, were doing great.

Company heads then turned attention to a small UK label, Earache. In 1992, after a label frenzy, Earache signed a distribution deal with Columbia in America for its major acts, except Morbid Angel (which signed their own deal with Giant, another american company). The first disc to come out from the new distribution deal was Cathedral, which featured Lee Dorian, ex-Napalm Death grunter. The deal was, initially, mutually beneficial. Earache got more money to invest on tours and more studio time for the bands. In turn, Columbia might get the next Megadeth (Carcass) or the next Nine Inch Nails (Godflesh).

This major label interest in Earache's roster had, like it or not, both a positive and a negative influence on its bands. 1993-1994 was a period which some of the best Death Metal records were released (in my opinion). And many of these bands ended, after the "Corporation Pull-In".

Ok, but... Why take so much time to explain all this?

"Fear, Emptiness, Despair", to me, is undoubtly a product of this period. Instead of 'blast-beat-us-til-death' gimmick - which had already wore thin - ND opted for midpaced songs. To me, it worked. They couldn't get faster than "From Enslavement to Obliteration", and the attempt to get back to their "roots" - "Utopia Banished" (1992) - was midly disappointing. "Fear", however, has more of that "roots" quality - without so much blast-beats. You don't need to be fast to be heavy and brutal.

And I think and ND proved that to themselves, and to me, with this record.

And I hope to all of you, too.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best release from napalm death, March 7, 2001

By	EdIbLeCaNnIbAL-X (Nj) - See all my reviews

this is the most lyrically complex album from napalm death.its got alot of confusing metaphors and similies.its also really heavy and thrashy.there is no release in music history tht can live up to this album.the best tracks are armaggedon x7 and twist the knife (slowly).this is one of the main grindcore albums in history and influenced most grindcore.other good releases by napalm death are inside the exit wound and scum.all thrash and death fans, buy this album as soon as possible, you wont regret it!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the best of the 90's era of Napalm Death albums, April 3, 2006

By	Self Induced (Drexel Hill, PA) - See all my reviews

in my personal opinion, there really is no bad N.D. album. some old-school purists don't really like the stuff they did during the mid to late 90's. I've read that these are their "experimental" albums and that this was the reason why Barney left the band for a few months back in '97 (even the N.D. logo is different on these albums). however, I love all of them. I honestly feel that they never lost any of the power or intensity on any of the albums. Fear Emptiness Despair has all the elements of a great Napalm Death record. it has the blastbeats, the mid-tempo grooves, the in-your-face lyrics, and pretty clear, crisp production on top of all that. it has a really nice balance of straight-up death metal and hardcore punk/grindcore to satisfy all N.D. fans young & old. if you can get your hands on this out of print CD, do not hesitate to snag it!