Melvins/Napalm Death - Savage Imperial Death March (Ipecac release)

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Since the album first came out on AmRep, I've noticed it's garnered a fair bit interest from news outlets and the more general, non-Melvins fan music enthusiast. Significantly more so than the usual Melvins record would. I guess this is all down to the Napalm Death inclusion. So in a way I'm not too surprised that Ipecac were eager to put it out on their label. For myself though, I don't feel like this release was all that great. Rip The God is a fine song of course. Easily my favourite from the lot. It sounds like a very typical Buzz written track that could have been on any of the albums since (A)SA. But some of the rest of the record I find a bit of a chore to listen to. Which is pretty damning for something that is 32 minutes! So I'm hoping the two newer tracks offer up something that improves my overall opinion of the record. Awful Handwriting in title alone sounds like a total Buzz song, the other so Napalm Death it's obvious. It'll be good to have this thing more readily available, but deep down I was hoping the Void Manes Throbbing Gristle record would get the Ipecac treatment more than this.

[GiveMe45]

I was lazy today.  I had both the black and the limited to 600 blue variants in my cart earlier today, but I didn't hit the purchase button until tonight, and the blue one was already sold out.  Oh well.  I'm thinking there will be a special edition for record store day.

[black stallion]

I honestly still just can't believe the album cover. It's fucking horrendous. I know there are some I like more than others but I never thought I would consider one to be THIS bad! It's shocking to me. Embarrassing for the band. No joke, it might actually be one of the worst album covers I've ever seen.

I thought you just throw all your CD liners and artwork into the trash anyway?

 

[black stallion]

I think the song titles are the same, they just added 'Awful Handwriting' and 'Comparison is the thief of joy' (new songs) to the new release.

interesting, i should buy it then. Hope new songs are proper solid songs instead of fillers! i don't know about the cover, i mean it's just weird, it's melvins 

[Bigval]

The pre-order of this Ipecac reissue is selling like hot cakes currently #3 on Bandcamp's best selling/all categories chart.

Arrives April 10, 2026.

https://melvinsofficial.bandcamp.com/album/savage-imperial-death-march

[Dumpster D]

It's the Army of God damn Napalm death Posers out there buying it out...This thing will be in demand for the rest of time and space.

It works, and it's a goldmine.

The names are hefty...I mean NAPALM DEATH, and MELVINS are arguably two of the greatest band names ever possible.

Can we Just lock this topic down and wait until hell freezes over to get a physical copy or what?

[Dumpster D]

PS. The artwork is cool.

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I'm coming a round (a tiny bit) on the cover art. I'm getting "used" to it but I still think it's a shocker. I'm a bit on the wall whether I'll actually buy this one. But that's not down to the artwork. I just don't find it that compelling of a record. Hopefully the 2 new songs bump it up a bit quality wise.

[JUDY]

Who did the artwork? It doesn't strike me as a Mackie.

Edit: Ooop. It is a Mackie-O

I was trying to figure out, who is the person in the original photo? If there is one? A reverse image gave me nothing.  Is it screens, digital, mixed media or AI? Sincerely curious here.

Computer? Combine Theda Bara, Princess Ozma, Sheeva, and Cleopatra. Oh, and by the way... don't forget to Hail Satan !!!

[Chief Ten Beers]

Who did the artwork? It doesn't strike me as a Mackie.

Edit: Ooop. It is a Mackie-O

I was trying to figure out, who is the person in the original photo? If there is one? A reverse image gave me nothing.  Is it screens, digital, mixed media or AI? Sincerely curious here.

Computer? Combine Theda Bara, Princess Ozma, Sheeva, and Cleopatra. Oh, and by the way... don't forget to Hail Satan !!!

 At first, after having the AmRep CD/LP for months, I was like "this new artwork sucks, blahh". But, this is totally Mackie, and I sort of get it after staring at it - "...to see if I still liked it... I do think it's good!"
 My guess is it's some stock photo from way back when that Mackie/Buzz liked and saved to use on a future project, as they've done on the letter press LPs.

[JUDY]

But, this is totally Mackie, and I sort of get it after staring at it - "...to see if I still liked it... I do think it's good!"

Oh, I totally agree, and thought the same thing. I guess it just took a minute to register...
I do like it!

Hmmm...I bet she's got a pile of old-timey antique store photos. Maybe it's someone's long lost forgotten gramma? It just struck me as a familiar face for some reason. I'd love to ask her about the process. To me, it looks like a mixed-medium photo + collage + stamps with a mayyybbbeee probable digital polish But obviously that's just a guess.

The album art looks to be inspired by the art of Johnathon Reiner? His 'Totem 4 – Astrea' looks like a mashup of the old Ozma+Bullhead covers.

Super Princess Ozma vibes

I didn't even see or notice the commentary on page 1 until now
:  silly doozy face palm  :  or I just failed to register it, cuz me brain hertz.

[Colonel Cheese]

The crown has a bullhead cornucopia thing going on there.

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I would imagine most of us have already heard this but for anyone who hasn't.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTkunWV4jbc

[Nizamark]

dig

[glen]

dig

X2