You can count your lucky stars that Carcass is back. This heavy metal outfit is credited with being at the forefront of two now-major sub-genres of metal, grindcore and melodic death metal. Given their innovation, they are among the elite bands of the 20th century, despite being one of the most highly underrated.
Formed in 1985, and disbanding in 1995, because of internal tensions and label issues, the world really wasn’t ready for Carcass’ brand of heavy metal at the time. Yes, there were other bands in the genre, such as Obituary, Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Possessed, Death, etc., but in an era when thrash metal was as heavy as most listeners were willing to go, these bands largely flew under the radar. Note, too, that the era was also dominated by hair metal, pushing death metal even further below the general public’s consciousness. Complex song structures, death growls, and morbid themes would seem to have proved to be too off-putting for most listeners. No doubt Tipper Gore would have had a field day.
Most Arch Enemy fans are probably aware that Michael Amott joined Carcass in 1990 and returned for the band’s reformation in 2007, along with Arch Enemy drummer Daniel Erlandsson. As awesome as it would be to have them on board for the 2013 release of Carcass’ sixth studio album (and first in 17 years), Surgical Steel, obligations to AE kept them too busy, and they left Carcass in 2012. At the same time, Jeff Walker (vocals/bass) and Bill Steer (guitars) began talking about doing another album and writing songs with the understanding that if it didn’t sound like Carcass or feel right that they’d just drop the idea. Obviously, things worked out. For the album and the current lineup, Walker and Steer brought on drummer Daniel Wilding (Trigger the Bloodshed) and guitarist Ben Ash (Pig Iron, Desolation, and Liquefied Skeleton).
The full concert in the player above is from a 1992 performance while on the Gods of Grind tour. It’s the year before Carcass’ 1993 album Heartwork, which took the band in another direction musically. That new direction was the innovation of melodic death metal, and gave inspiration to any number of Swedish metalers. However, what we’ve included here is a lesson in grind. If you’re feeling particularly brutal, you’ll enjoy it.
Carcass – Gods of Grind (1992) – London – Set List:
01. Inpropagation
02. Corporal Jigsore Quandary
03. Reek of Putrefaction
04. Pedigree Butchery
05. Incarnated Solvent Abuse
06. Carneous Cacoffiny
07. Lavaging Expectorate of Lysergide Composition
08. Exhume to Consume
09. Tools of the Trade
10. Ruptured in Purulence
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Rock Hard \m/
