Written and photos by Neal Cribb
On April 18, 2025, Emo’s Austin was engulfed in a maelstrom of sound as Napalm Death headlined the Savage Imperial Death March Part II tour. Sharing the stage with sludge metal stalwarts Melvins, doom trio Weedeater, and experimental project Dark Sky Burial, the evening was a testament to the enduring power and diversity of extreme music.
Napalm Death’s set was a masterclass in grindcore intensity. Frontman Barney Greenway, ever the agitator, delivered politically charged diatribes between songs, channeling the band’s four-decade legacy into a 60-minute onslaught that left no room for respite. The crowd responded with unrelenting energy, erupting into waves of crowd surfing and moshing, signifying the raw energy that defines the genre.
The night’s lineup was a curated journey through the spectrum of heavy music. Melvins’ dual-drummer setup, featuring Dale Crover and Coady Willis, added a thunderous depth to their sludge-infused set. Weedeater’s performance was a swampy, groove-laden affair, while Dark Sky Burial’s avant-garde soundscapes provided an eerie prelude to the chaos that followed. Together, these acts transformed Emo’s into a crucible of sonic extremity, reaffirming Austin’s status as a haven for the heavy and the loud.
