Bedazzled Suits and Boring Politics—How THE MELVINS stole the show while NAPALM DEATH's anti-Trump rants 'bored me to tears'

THE MELVINS' bassist STEVEN MCDONALD performing at The Van Buren in Phoenix, AZ on April 13, 2025. Photographed by Justin de la Cruz.

A blend of sinister synths, sludge, and grindcore took over Downtown Phoenix, as NAPALM DEATH, THE MELVINS, WEEDEATER, and DARK SKY BURIAL played at The Van Buren on April 13th for the second half of their “Savage Imperial Death March" tour. 

Engulfed in green lights and the smell of Jim Beam overpowering the stench of marajuana, WEEDEATER lead singer DAVE COLLINS began his performance with angry hick energy and aggressively low, chugging guitars. The song “God Luck And Good Speed” was the audio equivalent of being sluggishly dragged through the mud by a mad witch. Towards the end of the set, WEEDEATER road crew member BEN JONES took over vocal duties for a few songs before being sent off with an embrace from COLLINS. The sludge doom onslaught continued on with THE MELVINS straight after with songs like “Never Say You’re Sorry” and “Blood Witch.” Sporting a bedazzled white suit, STEVEN MCDONALD embraced the spotlight, posing for the cameras in front of him at almost every opportunity and jumping up in the air like he was in a VAN HALEN music video.

Grinding death being played in a place with crystal chandeliers and oak floors mixed as well as oil and water. NAPALM DEATH vocalist BARNEY GREENWAY moved around the stage like he was the CIRCLE JERKS logo and grabbed his head like he needed ibuprofen at times. The on-stage antics wouldn’t be enough to get the crowd moving as they reacted relatively tame compared to the bands beforehand. It also didn’t help that the crowd thinned out after THE MELVINS and the energy for the pit held on by a thread as there was too much empty space. I found the most entertaining parts of NAPALM DEATH’s set were the moments when they attempted to catch the audience off-guard by playing “You Suffer” twice.

Every time I hear bands complain about politics in the middle of their set, they give the most milquetoast, Reddit-level speeches that make me feel like I’m at Sunday Service, and GREENWAY’s tidbit when complaining about the current United States administration was different only because it bored me to tears so much. I roll my eyes whenever someone on stage believes they’re “sticking it to the man” when the majority of the audience cheers with them. I understand this bit led into them playing “Nazi Punks Fuck Off,” but after hearing the same vanilla, deep-as-a-puddle “Fuck Trump” sentiment from the fifty-billion different bands I’ve seen, the edge becomes completely dull. If NAPALM DEATH truly wanted to shake things up, they should’ve gotten tips from KATHY GRIFFIN. 

Or TREVOR MOORE.