ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

The Victoria and Albert Museum has cancelled an “experimental” concert by a death metal rock band amid fears that the high decibel levels could destroy some of its most treasured artefacts, including Ming vases and priceless sculptures.

Napalm Death, who boast that the volume of their gigs is so high that fans are sometimes physically sick, were due to perform in the august surroundings this Friday as part of a collaboration with the museum’s in-house artist Keith Harrison.

The British band planned to play inside a specially-constructed ceramic sculpture with the idea that the piece would explode under the force of hits such as Order of the Leech and Fear, Emptiness, Despair.

But the free concert has now been cancelled for health and safety reasons.

In a statement, the museum said: “A safety inspection has revealed concerns that the high level of decibels would damage the historic fabric of the building.

“The V&A is committed to an exciting programme but the safety of our visitors and our building remains our priority.”

Napalm Death’s lead singer Mark Greenway said he was disappointed by the decision but admitted that organisers had perhaps not realised quite how loud the band was before booking them.

“They started asking the sound guy nervously ‘what will the volume be like?’ and he was like:’What can I tell you? They make a lot of noise.’” he said.

“Apparently there was some suspended china thing around the stage. Obviously if we cranked the music out and it detached from the ceiling, that would be embarrassing.”

The collaboration was designed to be a comment on poverty, with Mr Harrison making sculptures of tower blocks from the band’s home city of Birmingham which would explode as they played, reflecting the breaking down of inequalities.

The V&A are now working with the band to find a new venue.