Sludge progenitors Melvins and grind godfathers Napalm Death might be renowned for working at opposite ends of the speed spectrum, but they have plenty in common, not least a history of touring together. Both emerged from unfashionable surroundings in the early-’80s, gradually becoming hugely influential, though they’ve long since escaped the restraints of the genres they helped define. And anyway, Melvins are well established as masters of collaboration, while Napalm have periodically displayed a willingness to dabble in noise rock territory.

As implied by the wording of the credited group names, Savage Imperial Death March cleaves closer to the Melvins’ sonic signature. That said, opener Tossing Coins Into The Fountains Of Fuck boasts the off-kilter attack of Napalm’s weirder late-’90s period. By contrast, Rip The God, all creepy-crawl dynamics and city-levelling riffs, would have fit right in on last year’s Melvins offering Thunderball. Meanwhile, Nine Days Of Rain, a title which could apply to either band’s native lands of the West Midlands or Washington State, tickles post-punk fancies with early Killing Joke vibes.

Weirdness abounds, as you might expect on a record where the credited instrumentation includes “obscene noises”. Awful Handwriting offers curiously funky experimentation, while Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy sets a soprano vocal to menacing synth’n’drums. Both Some Kind Of Antichrist and Death Hour devolve into unsettling abstraction, but experiencing Barney Greenway’s throaty bellow and Buzz Osborne’s melodramatic holler duet on both tunes is an unalloyed pleasure. In fact, hearing the Napalm chaps, usually found dealing in reliably furious material, engaging with the rambunctious hoedown of Stealing Horses, justifies seeking out this album all by itself. It might just be the most fun release in either band’s esteemed catalogues.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Clutch, Torche, Fantômas

Savage Imperial Death March is released April 10 via Ipecac.