NAPALM DEATH Vocalist Defies Death Metal Stereotype

Jake Stump of the Charleston Daily Mail recently conducted an interview with NAPALM DEATH frontman Mark "Barney" Greenway. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

On the Monsters of Mayhem tour that also features HATEBREED, EXODUS and THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER:

"It's a mixed bag of different styles. Hopefully, we'll benefit and our music will reach a lot more people."

On veering from producing short, punk-flavored songs in more recent years and has progressing into a technical, death metal band:

"You want to do more than a couple of albums with one-second songs. You'll run out of ideas. We still incorporate the same frenzied approach, but have more textured songs. At the same time, you don't want to make your songs too long. If you go beyond a certain length, it loses its feeling."

On the new album, "Smear Campaign", which comes out next week:

"This is the most single-issue album we've done. It tackles religion from the aspect of free thought. Sure, it's been in a lot of albums, but we went a little deeper than that. It's causing more problems than solving problems, and as a freethinker, I see it's driving wedges between people.

"I believe in a more peaceful world, and it really confounds me that people can't trust themselves."

On supporting animal rights and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals:

"I've been a vegetarian since I was 14, so it's natural for me. It's a personal choice and a healthy choice."

On limiting his alcohol consumption:

"I don't drink on tour. It just doesn't make me feel great. I might have a couple of drinks at home, but beyond that, I tend to actually not like it."

On his music collection:

"I've got Motown in my music and some ambient stuff. I'm a music fan. Even if your view of music isn't wide in the first place, it will be once you're in a band and on the road."

Read the entire interview at www.dailymail.com.