History of Lesotho demonstration outside the royal palace in early August 1998 and in an unprecedented level of violence, looting, casualties, and destruction of property. In early September, junior members of the armed services mutinied. The Government of Lesotho requested that a SADC task force intervene to prevent a military coup and restore stability to the country. To this end, Operation Boleas, consisting of South African and (later) Botswana troops, entered Lesotho on September 22, 1998 to put down the mutiny and restore the democratically elected government. The army mutineers were brought before a court-martial. After stability returned to Lesotho, the SADC task
Surrounded by Thieves song was "an epic that rolls like sinister thunder across the landscape." O'Neill noted that there was "not much variation" on the album but added that variety isn't necessary "when you get locked into a groove this good." Isaiah Violante, writing for Pitchfork, gave a similarly positive review of 8.8 out of 10. Violante praised the album's "nihilistic theme and all-encompassing walls of drone." He went on to praise the band for being able to "only operate according to its own whims" while also making "organic and monstrous music." Surrounded by Thieves Surrounded by Thieves is the second studio album