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Carcass (band)
Encyclopedia
Carcass are an extreme metal
band from England
, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen
, due to health reasons.
Although widely regarded as pioneers of the grindcore
genre, their early work was also tagged as splatter death metal, hardgore, and goregrind
; on account of their morbid lyrics and gruesome album covers. However, they also became one of the pioneers in the subgenre known as melodic death metal
with their 1993 album Heartwork
.
band by guitarist Bill Steer
together with drummer Ken Owen
in 1985 under the name Disattack. After releasing a demo entitled A Bomb Drops ... in 1986, Paul (bassist) and Andrew Pek (vocalist) of Disattack left the band and were replaced by vocalist Sanjiv and bassist Jeff Walker
, formerly guitarist and vocalist of the Electro Hippies
. At about the same time, Bill Steer joined Napalm Death
(replacing Justin Broadrick
) and recorded the second side of what became Napalm Death's first album, Scum. Walker also designed the cover art for Scum.
Disattack then changed its name to Carcass. In April 1987, they recorded the Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment demo, the only Carcass recording featuring vocalist Sanjiv, who left shortly after. Walker, Steer and Owens shared vocal duties for the debut album, which was done in only four days. Despite the primitive production values of Carcass' debut Reek of Putrefaction
, which the band was very displeased with, it became a favorite of Radio 1
legend John Peel
. Due to his interest, they were asked to participate in their first Peel Session in 1989, where they debuted new material for their second album. The Peel Session was released as an EP with the band members adopting pseudonyms: K. Grumegargler, J. Offalmangler, and W.G. Thorax Embalmer. Also that year, Steer and Walker appeared as members of Lister's fictional band Smeg and the Heads in an episode of Red Dwarf
.
, the second album, which contained a much improved production quality (courtesy of Colin Richardson), featured more death metal
structures, longer songs with more slow passages and guitar solos. The second half of the tour in support of Symphonies of Sickness saw the addition of second lead guitarist Michael Amott
, whose previous work included Carnage
. Amott was to become a permanent member, playing on the second Peel Session and contributing material towards their third album.
Necroticism - Descanting the Insalubrious
showed even more intricate composition and further improved production. Despite the addition of Amott to the ranks, Steer still handled all rhythm guitar duties, despite the album credits, with Amott only contributing leads. Carcass again supported the album with heavy touring, and were part of the Earache 'Gods of Grind' tour with Cathedral
, Entombed
and Confessor
in both Europe and the United States.
The Tools of the Trade
EP was released in 1992 to coincide with the "Gods of Grind" tour.
, was released in late 1993. It was considered a radical change by many fans, which eliminated Steer's deeper vocals and the clinically gory lyrics. Again, Steer handled all rhythm guitar duties to help gain consistency between the many layered guitars that built Carcass' best production to date. Song structures, whilst still containing musically complex parts, were simpler, in some cases using the verse/chorus/verse formula.
After the release of Heartwork, Carcass signed a worldwide deal with Columbia Records
, who hoped for commercial success, even suggesting that Jeff Walker learn how to sing. Some credit Carcass with being a very early founding influence for not just one, but two genres of metal – grindcore
, and melodic death metal
. Michael Amott left the band right after Heartwork was recorded, and was for a while replaced by Mike Hickey, who was later replaced by Carlo Regadas.
During the summer of 1994, Walker remixed the track "Inside Out" for a Die Krupps
remix album, although the version stayed fairly true to the original with the exception of Owen's drum samples from Heartwork replacing the Die Krupps original, and additional mixing from Walker and Colin Richardson at Parr Street studios (where Heartwork was recorded).
Carcass now set about writing songs for their major label debut. During the December 1994 UK tour Carcass showcased two songs from their current writing sessions – "Edge of Darkness" and "Firmhand", both showing a more straight forward song writing approach than on previous efforts. Around this time, "Edge of Darkness" was recorded for the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show sessions – a session which could be found on later compilation albums.
By late 1994, 17 songs were ready and the band set about using their $200,000 advance to record the album, again with Colin Richardson, at Rockfield studios in Monmouth, South Wales in early 1995. During the 6-week recording schedule the record label began to withdraw support, stating that Carcass were not ready to record, and needed to write more songs. This advice was ignored, as was the suggestion to have Terry Date
remix the album, and the band continued. At the time, Jeff Walker stated in an interview with the UK's Metal Hammer Magazine that the album was taking more of a classic rock approach, with drums, bass and twin guitars à la Thin Lizzy, in comparison to earlier "multi-layered guitar" productions. This has since been put down to Bill Steer's unwillingness to perform the time consuming guitar layering (as once again Steer performed all rhythm guitar) through losing interest in the metal genre.
During the Swansong recording sessions, Carcass were asked to remix a Björk
track - "Isobel
". This wasn't a remix as such but more of a re-recording with only Björk's vocals remaining. All rhythm guitars were handled by Steer, and the track saw light of day in March 1996 on Björk's "Hyperballad" single.
. The move back to Earache was dubbed by Walker as "the second great rock and roll swindle" as they had effectively been paid twice for the same album.
Swansong featured twelve of the seventeen tracks put to tape during the recording sessions. This last official album incorporated more melodic elements (such as "Tomorrow Belongs to Nobody" and "Rock the Vote") and some doom metal
elements (such as "Don't Believe a Word").
Kerrang! reported in June 1995 that prior to Swansongs release, Carcass would be releasing an EP featuring two tracks from what would be Swansong and three songs from the sessions that would not make the final LP. However, this EP was never released, most likely due to the lack of record company support for newly recorded material.
Walker has since stated in interviews that all seventeen songs should have been included in a double album, and that some songs omitted from Swansong were actually stronger than some of Swansongs actual content.
Carcass also remixed Killing Joke
's "Democracy" (by re-recording the music, but keeping the original vocals), although this time Regadas performed all guitar duties, as it is thought Steer had quit the band by early 1996. The Carcass "Rooster Mix" was made available on Killing Joke's Democracy, and if it were not for the vocals, would not be out of place on Swansong.
Around the time of Swansongs release, Carcass informed the press that they were ending the band without even a farewell tour, but most fans had guessed this may be the case via the album title.
The album sold well, staying near the top of the 'Indie Rock Chart' in the UK for several months above bands such as Placebo
despite having no touring support from the band. It is rumoured that the band were offered several lucrative tours in 1995, such as supporting Iron Maiden on their "X-Factour 95" tour, which had the album been released as expected in 1995, could have improved the band's sales and longevity.
A posthumous compilation, Wake up and Smell the... Carcass
was released in October 1996 to collect together Carcass' rarer material, including unreleased material, songs only available on EPs and compilations, and live tracks.
An accompanying video was released a few weeks after the Wake Up CD with little knowledge from the band or their management. The video, later released on DVD, featured five of the band's promotional videos, a show from the Grindcrusher 1989 tour (as a three piece) and a show from the 1992 Gods of Grind tour. Sound on the two live shows is poor, particularly the latter which Walker has described as "unmixed".
Owen, Walker and Regadas continued with the band Blackstar
, accompanied by former Cathedral
bassist Mark Griffiths, using the second Swansong advance from Earache to fund the recording. Blackstar, later Blackstar Rising, became defunct after drummer Owen suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage. Michael Amott went on to found hard rock
band Spiritual Beggars
and successful Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy
. In the biggest musical departure, Steer joined Firebird
, a Clapton
-esque rock band.
In June 2006, in an interview with Walker, he discussed the possibility of reforming Carcass, but mentioned that it was unlikely that Owen would participate, since he couldn't replicate his former drumming proficiency due to the effects of the cerebral hemorrhage he suffered in 1999.
In September 2007, it was announced by Michael Amott that he was rehearsing with Bill Steer, Jeff Walker and Daniel Erlandsson
(replacing Ken Owen) in secret to rehearse old Carcass songs for a possible reunion tour. The original plans were to play at several festivals during the summer, but they couldn't meet the deadlines.
In October 2007, Carcass were confirmed to play at German heavy metal festival Wacken Open Air
and Finland's Tuska Open Air Metal Festival
in 2008. Carcass later embarked on a reunion tour, beginning on 6 June 2008. Carcass also played at Hellfest Summer Open Air
, Metalcamp
and several other festivals. The band toured Australia and New Zealand in 2008, and then in North America during September and October 2008, followed by the band's first South American tour, playing in Colombia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.
On 15 November 2008, Carcass headlined the Danish Metal Awards held in Amager Bio, Copenhagen, Denmark. This was the only chance for fans to see Carcass in Denmark, since Denmark was not part of the official tour in 2008. Steer also presented the award for Best Danish Debut Album, which went to SCAMP for Mirror Faced Mentality. Carcass surprised the audience by bringing Ken Owen to the stage where he gave a brief drum solo to show how far he had come in recovering from his illness.
Carcass performed an exclusive UK show at the Damnation Festival
in Leeds; Walker hinted at the time that the Damnation performance may have been their last show ever. It was the first time Carcass had played in England
in 14 years.
Carcass also re-released their entire back catalogue with bonus material during 2008 on Earache Records
. When asked if the band were planning on writing and recording a new album, Steer replied:
Carcass continued to play live in 2009, with a North American tour completed in March 2009. Carcass also headlined the Bloodstock Open Air
in Derbyshire, England in August 2009.
In August 2010, Carcass headlined Vagos Open Air
in Vagos
, Portugal
, and Jalometalli Metal Music Festival
held in Oulu
, Finland
. At Hellfest 2010, they performed the Necroticism album in its entirety.
Note: the band was inactive from 1996 to 2007
01. Genital Grinder
02. Regurgitation of Giblets
03. Festerday
04. Limb From Limb
05. Rotten to the Gore
06. Excreted Alive
07. Malignant Defecation
08. Fermenting Innards
09. Necro-Cannibal Bloodfeast
10. Psychopathologist
11. Die in Pain
12. Pungent Excrutiation
13. Face Meltaaargh
01. Reek of Putrefacation
02. Slash Dementia
03. Embryonic Necropsy and Devourment
04. Cadaveric Incubator of Endoparasites
05. Ruptured in Purulence
06. Crepitating Bowel Erosion
01. Blind Bleeding the Blind
02. Buried Dreams
03. Carnal Forge
04. Death Certificate
05. Deliverance
06. Doctrinal Expletives
07. Heartwork
08. No Love Lost
09. This Mortal Coil
10. Arbeit Macht Fleisch
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
band from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen
Ken Owen
Ken Owen is an English drummer. He was born in Billinge, and grew up in Gayton, Merseyside. He is best known as one of the founding members of Carcass, for which he also handled some of the vocals. After the band broke up in 1995, he started Blackstar, along with two other Carcass members...
, due to health reasons.
Although widely regarded as pioneers of the grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
genre, their early work was also tagged as splatter death metal, hardgore, and goregrind
Goregrind
-History:Despite the early impact of albums such as Repulsion's Horrified and Impetigo's Ultimo Mondo Cannibale, the origins of the genre really lie with the British band Carcass, who began their career in the late 1980s...
; on account of their morbid lyrics and gruesome album covers. However, they also became one of the pioneers in the subgenre known as melodic death metal
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
with their 1993 album Heartwork
Heartwork
Heartwork is the fourth album by metal band Carcass, released through Earache Records in 1993. The album was recorded at Parr Street Studios, Liverpool between May 18 and June 21, 1993....
.
Early Days (1985-1989)
Carcass was formed as a D-beatD-beat
D-beat is a style of hardcore punk developed in the early 1980s by imitators of Discharge, for whom the genre is named. Discharge may have themselves inherited the beat from Motörhead. The first such group was The Varukers.The vocal content of D-beat tends towards shouted slogans...
band by guitarist Bill Steer
Bill Steer
Bill Steer is an English guitar player, and a founder of British Metal band Carcass...
together with drummer Ken Owen
Ken Owen
Ken Owen is an English drummer. He was born in Billinge, and grew up in Gayton, Merseyside. He is best known as one of the founding members of Carcass, for which he also handled some of the vocals. After the band broke up in 1995, he started Blackstar, along with two other Carcass members...
in 1985 under the name Disattack. After releasing a demo entitled A Bomb Drops ... in 1986, Paul (bassist) and Andrew Pek (vocalist) of Disattack left the band and were replaced by vocalist Sanjiv and bassist Jeff Walker
Jeffrey Walker
Jeffrey Walker is a bass guitarist and vocalist from Windle, St Helens, UK. He is best known for his work with the death metal / grindcore band Carcass for which he is also the main lyricist. Before Carcass, he played in the punk band the Electro Hippies. After the demise of Carcass, he went on to...
, formerly guitarist and vocalist of the Electro Hippies
Electro Hippies
Electro Hippies was a crust punk/thrashcore band formed in St Helens/Wigan, United Kingdom, in 1985.Though they were short-lived and underground through their career, their music influenced many future crust, hardcore punk, and grindcore bands. The band relied heavily on low bass end sounds to...
. At about the same time, Bill Steer joined Napalm Death
Napalm Death
Napalm Death are a death metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1981. While none of its original members remain in the group, the lineup of vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway, bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch Harris and drummer Danny Herrera has remained consistent for most of the band's ...
(replacing Justin Broadrick
Justin Broadrick
Justin Karl Michael Broadrick is a British singer, songwriter, guitarist and drummer. He is best known as a founding member of the band Godflesh, one of the first bands to combine elements of extreme metal and industrial music.-Biography:Broadrick was born in the council estates of inner...
) and recorded the second side of what became Napalm Death's first album, Scum. Walker also designed the cover art for Scum.
Disattack then changed its name to Carcass. In April 1987, they recorded the Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment demo, the only Carcass recording featuring vocalist Sanjiv, who left shortly after. Walker, Steer and Owens shared vocal duties for the debut album, which was done in only four days. Despite the primitive production values of Carcass' debut Reek of Putrefaction
Reek of Putrefaction
Reek of Putrefaction is the debut album by the British extreme metal band Carcass. It was released by Earache Records in 1988.-Background:...
, which the band was very displeased with, it became a favorite of Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
legend John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
. Due to his interest, they were asked to participate in their first Peel Session in 1989, where they debuted new material for their second album. The Peel Session was released as an EP with the band members adopting pseudonyms: K. Grumegargler, J. Offalmangler, and W.G. Thorax Embalmer. Also that year, Steer and Walker appeared as members of Lister's fictional band Smeg and the Heads in an episode of Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
.
Progress (1990-1993)
Symphonies of SicknessSymphonies of Sickness
Symphonies of Sickness is the second album by the British extreme metal band Carcass. It was released through Earache Records in December 1989.The band's style progressed since Reek of Putrefaction...
, the second album, which contained a much improved production quality (courtesy of Colin Richardson), featured more death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
structures, longer songs with more slow passages and guitar solos. The second half of the tour in support of Symphonies of Sickness saw the addition of second lead guitarist Michael Amott
Michael Amott
Michael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...
, whose previous work included Carnage
Carnage (band)
Carnage was a Swedish death metal band whose members later went on to found Dismember, Arch Enemy and the Grindcore band Carcass. The band was formed by Michael Amott and Johan Liiva in 1988. They released only one album before dissolving in 1991.-History:...
. Amott was to become a permanent member, playing on the second Peel Session and contributing material towards their third album.
Necroticism - Descanting the Insalubrious
Necroticism - Descanting the Insalubrious
Necroticism – Descanting the Insalubrious is the third album from the band Carcass, released in 1991 through Earache Records. This album is the first to feature guitarist Michael Amott...
showed even more intricate composition and further improved production. Despite the addition of Amott to the ranks, Steer still handled all rhythm guitar duties, despite the album credits, with Amott only contributing leads. Carcass again supported the album with heavy touring, and were part of the Earache 'Gods of Grind' tour with Cathedral
Cathedral (band)
Cathedral are a doom metal band from Coventry, England. The group forged a link between early doom metal and a 1990s extreme metal aesthetic, making doom slower and heavier. Their debut album, Forest of Equilibrium, is considered a classic of the genre. They later on changed their doom style,...
, Entombed
Entombed (band)
Entombed is a Swedish death metal band which formed in 1987 under the name of Nihilist. Though Entombed began their career as an early pioneer of Scandinavian death metal which initially differed itself from its American counterpart with its distinct guitar tone, by the early 1990s their sound had...
and Confessor
Confessor (band)
Confessor is a doom metal band from North Carolina, USA. By their technically complex interpretation of traditional doom style, they are also well-known name within progressive metal circles...
in both Europe and the United States.
The Tools of the Trade
Tools of the Trade
Tools of the Trade is an EP by Carcass. It was released through Earache Records in 1992 .-Track listing:-Other appearances:The EP is wholly contained on the compilation album Gods of Grind and the limited edition 2008 dualdisc reissue of Necroticism - Descanting the Insalubrious. It also appears on...
EP was released in 1992 to coincide with the "Gods of Grind" tour.
Columbia (1993-1995)
The band's fourth album, HeartworkHeartwork
Heartwork is the fourth album by metal band Carcass, released through Earache Records in 1993. The album was recorded at Parr Street Studios, Liverpool between May 18 and June 21, 1993....
, was released in late 1993. It was considered a radical change by many fans, which eliminated Steer's deeper vocals and the clinically gory lyrics. Again, Steer handled all rhythm guitar duties to help gain consistency between the many layered guitars that built Carcass' best production to date. Song structures, whilst still containing musically complex parts, were simpler, in some cases using the verse/chorus/verse formula.
After the release of Heartwork, Carcass signed a worldwide deal with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, who hoped for commercial success, even suggesting that Jeff Walker learn how to sing. Some credit Carcass with being a very early founding influence for not just one, but two genres of metal – grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
, and melodic death metal
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
. Michael Amott left the band right after Heartwork was recorded, and was for a while replaced by Mike Hickey, who was later replaced by Carlo Regadas.
During the summer of 1994, Walker remixed the track "Inside Out" for a Die Krupps
Die Krupps
Die Krupps is a German industrial rock/EBM band, formed in 1980 by Jürgen Engler and Bernward Malaka in Düsseldorf.-History:Their initial sound throughout the 1980s combined synthesizers with metallic percussion...
remix album, although the version stayed fairly true to the original with the exception of Owen's drum samples from Heartwork replacing the Die Krupps original, and additional mixing from Walker and Colin Richardson at Parr Street studios (where Heartwork was recorded).
Carcass now set about writing songs for their major label debut. During the December 1994 UK tour Carcass showcased two songs from their current writing sessions – "Edge of Darkness" and "Firmhand", both showing a more straight forward song writing approach than on previous efforts. Around this time, "Edge of Darkness" was recorded for the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show sessions – a session which could be found on later compilation albums.
By late 1994, 17 songs were ready and the band set about using their $200,000 advance to record the album, again with Colin Richardson, at Rockfield studios in Monmouth, South Wales in early 1995. During the 6-week recording schedule the record label began to withdraw support, stating that Carcass were not ready to record, and needed to write more songs. This advice was ignored, as was the suggestion to have Terry Date
Terry Date
Terry Date is an American record producer and engineer, specializing in the rock and metal genres...
remix the album, and the band continued. At the time, Jeff Walker stated in an interview with the UK's Metal Hammer Magazine that the album was taking more of a classic rock approach, with drums, bass and twin guitars à la Thin Lizzy, in comparison to earlier "multi-layered guitar" productions. This has since been put down to Bill Steer's unwillingness to perform the time consuming guitar layering (as once again Steer performed all rhythm guitar) through losing interest in the metal genre.
During the Swansong recording sessions, Carcass were asked to remix a Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
track - "Isobel
Isobel
"Isobel" is a song by Icelandic singer Björk. It was released as the second single from her 1995 album Post. The lyrics describe a primitive girl who seems to be a personification of Mother Nature, and who tries to warn the technological world of its potential dangers. The music is underscored by...
". This wasn't a remix as such but more of a re-recording with only Björk's vocals remaining. All rhythm guitars were handled by Steer, and the track saw light of day in March 1996 on Björk's "Hyperballad" single.
Demise
Continuing record company problems with Columbia/Sony caused the album to be delayed from late summer 1995 to June 1996, in which time Carcass moved back to Earache Records, and broke up before even releasing SwansongSwansong
Swansong is the final studio album by the British extreme metal band Carcass. It was released on June 10, 1996 in the UK by Earache Records. It is the only album to feature guitarist Carlo Regadas...
. The move back to Earache was dubbed by Walker as "the second great rock and roll swindle" as they had effectively been paid twice for the same album.
Swansong featured twelve of the seventeen tracks put to tape during the recording sessions. This last official album incorporated more melodic elements (such as "Tomorrow Belongs to Nobody" and "Rock the Vote") and some doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
elements (such as "Don't Believe a Word").
Kerrang! reported in June 1995 that prior to Swansongs release, Carcass would be releasing an EP featuring two tracks from what would be Swansong and three songs from the sessions that would not make the final LP. However, this EP was never released, most likely due to the lack of record company support for newly recorded material.
Walker has since stated in interviews that all seventeen songs should have been included in a double album, and that some songs omitted from Swansong were actually stronger than some of Swansongs actual content.
Carcass also remixed Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
's "Democracy" (by re-recording the music, but keeping the original vocals), although this time Regadas performed all guitar duties, as it is thought Steer had quit the band by early 1996. The Carcass "Rooster Mix" was made available on Killing Joke's Democracy, and if it were not for the vocals, would not be out of place on Swansong.
Around the time of Swansongs release, Carcass informed the press that they were ending the band without even a farewell tour, but most fans had guessed this may be the case via the album title.
The album sold well, staying near the top of the 'Indie Rock Chart' in the UK for several months above bands such as Placebo
Placebo (band)
Placebo are a British rock band from London, England, formed in 1994 by singer and guitarist Brian Molko and bass guitarist Stefan Olsdal. The band was joined by drummer Robert Schultzberg, who was later replaced by Steve Hewitt after conflicts with Molko. Hewitt left the band in October 2007 and...
despite having no touring support from the band. It is rumoured that the band were offered several lucrative tours in 1995, such as supporting Iron Maiden on their "X-Factour 95" tour, which had the album been released as expected in 1995, could have improved the band's sales and longevity.
A posthumous compilation, Wake up and Smell the... Carcass
Wake up and Smell the... Carcass
Wake Up and Smell the... Carcass is a compilation album by the band Carcass, and is also the name of a Video/DVD compilation of the band's songs. The cover is a photo of John F...
was released in October 1996 to collect together Carcass' rarer material, including unreleased material, songs only available on EPs and compilations, and live tracks.
An accompanying video was released a few weeks after the Wake Up CD with little knowledge from the band or their management. The video, later released on DVD, featured five of the band's promotional videos, a show from the Grindcrusher 1989 tour (as a three piece) and a show from the 1992 Gods of Grind tour. Sound on the two live shows is poor, particularly the latter which Walker has described as "unmixed".
Owen, Walker and Regadas continued with the band Blackstar
Blackstar (band)
Blackstar was a British heavy metal band, formed as a retooling of the band Carcass in 1995 without Bill Steer along with former Cathedral guitarist Mark Griffiths....
, accompanied by former Cathedral
Cathedral (band)
Cathedral are a doom metal band from Coventry, England. The group forged a link between early doom metal and a 1990s extreme metal aesthetic, making doom slower and heavier. Their debut album, Forest of Equilibrium, is considered a classic of the genre. They later on changed their doom style,...
bassist Mark Griffiths, using the second Swansong advance from Earache to fund the recording. Blackstar, later Blackstar Rising, became defunct after drummer Owen suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage. Michael Amott went on to found hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Spiritual Beggars
Spiritual Beggars
Spiritual Beggars is a hard rock/stoner metal band from Halmstad, Sweden, formed by Michael Amott, who is known from Arch Enemy, Carcass and Carnage.- Biography :...
and successful Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy
Arch Enemy (band)
Arch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal band, originally a supergroup, from Halmstad, formed in 1996. Its members were in bands such as Carcass, Armageddon, Carnage, Mercyful Fate, Spiritual Beggars, and Eucharist to name a few. It was founded by Carcass guitarist Michael Amott along with Johan...
. In the biggest musical departure, Steer joined Firebird
Firebird (band)
Firebird is a British blues-rock power trio founded by Bill Steer in 1999. The music style, reminiscent of seventies rock bands such as Cream, is a radical departure from Steer's previous work with grindcore pioneers Napalm Death and death metal band Carcass....
, a Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
-esque rock band.
Reunion (2007 – present)
In September 2007, it was announced by Michael Amott that he was rehearsing with Bill Steer, Jeff Walker and Daniel Erlandsson
Daniel Erlandsson
Daniel John Erlandsson is the drummer in the melodic death metal band Arch Enemy.His early work includes drumming on the In Flames album Subterranean...
(replacing Ken Owen) in secret to rehearse old Carcass songs for a possible reunion tour. The original plans were to play at several festivals during the summer, but they couldn't meet the deadlines.
In October 2007, Carcass were confirmed to play at German heavy metal festival Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
and Finland's Tuska Open Air Metal Festival
Tuska Open Air Metal Festival
Tuska Open Air Metal Festival, shortly Tuska , is the largest music festival dedicated only to metal and related styles of music in the Nordic countries. The history of Tuska began in 1998 and it has grown larger every year. The location of the festival has been in Kaisaniemi park in the middle of...
in 2008. Carcass later embarked on a reunion tour, beginning on 6 June 2008. Carcass also played at Hellfest Summer Open Air
Hellfest Summer Open Air
Hellfest is an annual music festival which takes place in Clisson, France in mid-June. It is held within the Val de Moine sport complex in Clisson, approximately 35 km south-east of the city of Nantes, and approximately 400 km south-west of the nation's capital Paris. Billed as an "extreme music...
, Metalcamp
Metalcamp
Metalcamp is a heavy metal music festival held annually in Slovenia since 2004.-2004:Danzig, Apocalyptica, Hypocrisy, Sentenced, Primal Fear, Katatonia, Dew-Scented, Dead Soul Tribe, Fleshcrawl, Mnemic, Prospect, Belphegor, Ancient, Destruction, Brainstorm, Dark Funeral, Vintersorg, Finntroll,...
and several other festivals. The band toured Australia and New Zealand in 2008, and then in North America during September and October 2008, followed by the band's first South American tour, playing in Colombia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.
On 15 November 2008, Carcass headlined the Danish Metal Awards held in Amager Bio, Copenhagen, Denmark. This was the only chance for fans to see Carcass in Denmark, since Denmark was not part of the official tour in 2008. Steer also presented the award for Best Danish Debut Album, which went to SCAMP for Mirror Faced Mentality. Carcass surprised the audience by bringing Ken Owen to the stage where he gave a brief drum solo to show how far he had come in recovering from his illness.
Carcass performed an exclusive UK show at the Damnation Festival
Damnation Festival
The Damnation Festival is a one day music festival currently held annually at Leeds University, Leeds, England and organised by Gavin McInally. The 2011 edition of the festival will be held on November 5...
in Leeds; Walker hinted at the time that the Damnation performance may have been their last show ever. It was the first time Carcass had played in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 14 years.
Carcass also re-released their entire back catalogue with bonus material during 2008 on Earache Records
Earache Records
Earache Records is a heavy metal-oriented record label based in Nottingham, UK and New York, USA. It helped to pioneer extreme metal by releasing many of the earliest grindcore and death metal records in the period 1988-1994.-History:...
. When asked if the band were planning on writing and recording a new album, Steer replied:
Carcass continued to play live in 2009, with a North American tour completed in March 2009. Carcass also headlined the Bloodstock Open Air
Bloodstock Open Air
Bloodstock Open Air is a heavy metal festival held annually at Catton Hall in Walton-upon-Trent, England, since 2005. Previous line-ups have included bands such as Opeth , Children of Bodom , Nightwish , Cradle of Filth , Testament , Arch Enemy , Europe and Twisted Sister .Originally on one stage...
in Derbyshire, England in August 2009.
In August 2010, Carcass headlined Vagos Open Air
Vagos Open Air
Vagos Open Air is a metal festival held annually in Calvão, Vagos, Portugal since 2009. It is organized by Ophiusa Eventos and Prime Artists firms....
in Vagos
Vagos
Vagos is a municipality in Aveiro District, belonging to Centro Region of Portugal. The district capital which goes by the same name, Aveiro, is the nearest largest city to Vagos....
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, and Jalometalli Metal Music Festival
Jalometalli Metal Music Festival
Jalometalli Metal Music Festival is a heavy metal festival held annually in Finland since 2002. The festival has mainly old school thrash metal and death and black metal bands.-2004:Held on August 20 and August 21 at Kuusisaari in Oulu.August 20:...
held in Oulu
Oulu
Oulu is a city and municipality of inhabitants in the region of Northern Ostrobothnia, in Finland. It is the most populous city in Northern Finland and the sixth most populous city in the country. It is one of the northernmost larger cities in the world....
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. At Hellfest 2010, they performed the Necroticism album in its entirety.
Band members
| (1985–1986) |
|
|---|---|
| (1986–1990) Reek of Putrefaction Reek of Putrefaction Reek of Putrefaction is the debut album by the British extreme metal band Carcass. It was released by Earache Records in 1988.-Background:... Symphonies of Sickness Symphonies of Sickness Symphonies of Sickness is the second album by the British extreme metal band Carcass. It was released through Earache Records in December 1989.The band's style progressed since Reek of Putrefaction... |
Jeffrey Walker Jeffrey Walker is a bass guitarist and vocalist from Windle, St Helens, UK. He is best known for his work with the death metal / grindcore band Carcass for which he is also the main lyricist. Before Carcass, he played in the punk band the Electro Hippies. After the demise of Carcass, he went on to... - vocals, bass guitar |
| (1990–1993) Necroticism - Descanting the Insalubrious Necroticism - Descanting the Insalubrious Necroticism – Descanting the Insalubrious is the third album from the band Carcass, released in 1991 through Earache Records. This album is the first to feature guitarist Michael Amott... |
Michael Amott Michael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott... - lead guitar, studio vocals |
| (1993) Heartwork Heartwork Heartwork is the fourth album by metal band Carcass, released through Earache Records in 1993. The album was recorded at Parr Street Studios, Liverpool between May 18 and June 21, 1993.... |
|
| (1993–1995) additional Heartwork sessions |
|
| (1995-1996) Swansong Swansong Swansong is the final studio album by the British extreme metal band Carcass. It was released on June 10, 1996 in the UK by Earache Records. It is the only album to feature guitarist Carlo Regadas... |
|
| (1996–2007) |
(Inactive) |
| (2007–present) Reunion |
|
Current members
- Bill SteerBill SteerBill Steer is an English guitar player, and a founder of British Metal band Carcass...
- lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, vocals (1985–present) - Jeff WalkerJeffrey WalkerJeffrey Walker is a bass guitarist and vocalist from Windle, St Helens, UK. He is best known for his work with the death metal / grindcore band Carcass for which he is also the main lyricist. Before Carcass, he played in the punk band the Electro Hippies. After the demise of Carcass, he went on to...
- vocals, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1986–present) - Michael AmottMichael AmottMichael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...
- lead guitar (1990–1993, 2007–present) - Daniel ErlandssonDaniel ErlandssonDaniel John Erlandsson is the drummer in the melodic death metal band Arch Enemy.His early work includes drumming on the In Flames album Subterranean...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(2007–present)
Note: the band was inactive from 1996 to 2007
Former members
- Ken OwenKen OwenKen Owen is an English drummer. He was born in Billinge, and grew up in Gayton, Merseyside. He is best known as one of the founding members of Carcass, for which he also handled some of the vocals. After the band broke up in 1995, he started Blackstar, along with two other Carcass members...
- drums, studio vocals (1985–1996) - Carlo Regadas - lead guitar (1995-1996)
- Mike Hickey - lead guitar (1993-1995)
- Sanjiv - vocals (1985–1986)
Demos
- Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment (1987)
01. Genital Grinder
02. Regurgitation of Giblets
03. Festerday
04. Limb From Limb
05. Rotten to the Gore
06. Excreted Alive
07. Malignant Defecation
08. Fermenting Innards
09. Necro-Cannibal Bloodfeast
10. Psychopathologist
11. Die in Pain
12. Pungent Excrutiation
13. Face Meltaaargh
- Symphonies of Sickness (1988)
01. Reek of Putrefacation
02. Slash Dementia
03. Embryonic Necropsy and Devourment
04. Cadaveric Incubator of Endoparasites
05. Ruptured in Purulence
06. Crepitating Bowel Erosion
- Pre-Heartwork Parr Street Demos (1993)
01. Blind Bleeding the Blind
02. Buried Dreams
03. Carnal Forge
04. Death Certificate
05. Deliverance
06. Doctrinal Expletives
07. Heartwork
08. No Love Lost
09. This Mortal Coil
10. Arbeit Macht Fleisch
Albums
- Reek of PutrefactionReek of PutrefactionReek of Putrefaction is the debut album by the British extreme metal band Carcass. It was released by Earache Records in 1988.-Background:...
(EaracheEarache RecordsEarache Records is a heavy metal-oriented record label based in Nottingham, UK and New York, USA. It helped to pioneer extreme metal by releasing many of the earliest grindcore and death metal records in the period 1988-1994.-History:...
, 1988) - Symphonies of SicknessSymphonies of SicknessSymphonies of Sickness is the second album by the British extreme metal band Carcass. It was released through Earache Records in December 1989.The band's style progressed since Reek of Putrefaction...
(Earache, 1989) - Necroticism – Descanting the Insalubrious (Earache, 1991)
- HeartworkHeartworkHeartwork is the fourth album by metal band Carcass, released through Earache Records in 1993. The album was recorded at Parr Street Studios, Liverpool between May 18 and June 21, 1993....
(Earache, 1993) - SwansongSwansongSwansong is the final studio album by the British extreme metal band Carcass. It was released on June 10, 1996 in the UK by Earache Records. It is the only album to feature guitarist Carlo Regadas...
(Earache, 1996)
EPs
- Pathologic (Earache, 1989)
- The Peel Sessions (Strange Fruit, 1989)
- Live at St. George's Hall (Distorted Harmony, 1990)
- Tools of the TradeTools of the TradeTools of the Trade is an EP by Carcass. It was released through Earache Records in 1992 .-Track listing:-Other appearances:The EP is wholly contained on the compilation album Gods of Grind and the limited edition 2008 dualdisc reissue of Necroticism - Descanting the Insalubrious. It also appears on...
(Earache, (1992) - Gods of Grind (split with Entombed, Cathedral, and Confessor) (Earache, 1992)
- The Heartwork EPThe Heartwork EPThe Heartwork is an EP by Carcass. It was released through Earache Records in 1993 .-Track listing:*The track "Heartwork" appeared afterwards on the album Heartwork.*The tracks "This Is Your Life" and "Rot 'N' Roll" are previously unreleased....
(Earache, 1993)
Compilation albums
- Wake up and Smell the... CarcassWake up and Smell the... CarcassWake Up and Smell the... Carcass is a compilation album by the band Carcass, and is also the name of a Video/DVD compilation of the band's songs. The cover is a photo of John F...
(1996) - Best of CarcassBest of CarcassBest of Carcass is a 2 disc compilation album from the band Carcass. Released on the Japanese label Toy's Factory in 1997.-Disc 1:# "Genital Grinder"# "Regurgitation of Giblets"# "Reek of Putrefaction"# "Exhume to Consume"...
(Japan double-CD) (1998) - Requiems of RevulsionRequiems of RevulsionRequiems of Revulsion is a tribute album of goregrind, death metal, grindcore and deathgrind bands covering Carcass tracks.-Track listing:All songs originally by Carcass.# Regurgitate – "Genital Grinder" – 1:48...
: A Tribute To Carcass (2001) - Choice Cuts (2004)
Videos
- Reek of Putrefaction
- Corporal Jigsore Quandary
- Incarnated Solvent Abuse
- Heartwork
- No Love Lost
- Keep on Rotting in the Free World
- Tools of the Trade
External links
- Carcass at Earache RecordsEarache RecordsEarache Records is a heavy metal-oriented record label based in Nottingham, UK and New York, USA. It helped to pioneer extreme metal by releasing many of the earliest grindcore and death metal records in the period 1988-1994.-History:...