Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: grindcore
Song Meaning of “Think Tank Trials” by Napalm Death
Think Tank Trials is an aggressive and uncompromising track from Napalm Death, a pioneering grindcore band from England. It reflects on the way corporate greed and ideological warfare undermine the global community, with lyrics that express immense frustration and indignation. The song begins with the chorus, “Trapped in think tanks, nothing here to gain,” reflecting the inevitability and futility of getting caught in the intellectual traps set by special interest groups.
The verses invoke a dire picture of the world, with dark imagery of pollution and economic enslavement that provokes the listener to question the moral imperative of those in power. “Slaves to pollution, restricted from our freedom of choice? As corporate entrepreneurs get wealthier by the hour.” The song’s play on words speaks to the social inequality that characterizes a capitalist society, with the think tanks representing the forced ideals and choices imposed by those in power.
The song’s aggressive energy and pounding guitar riffs call to mind a revolution, with the chorus “Trapped in think tanks, change must occur!” serving as the mantra to an uprising against the suppression of freedom of thought. By the end, the message of the song becomes clear: those who oppress the people in the name of wealth must be held accountable for the world’s suffering.