Metal Reviews

Reactivated British extreme metal legends CARCASS are rumored to be putting the finishing touches on their first studio album in 17 years with acclaimed producer Colin Richardson (FEAR FACTORY, MACHINE HEAD, NAPALM DEATH, SLIPKNOT, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE). The band has yet to secure a label home for the effort, which is expected in early 2013.

Guitarist Michael Amott and drummer Daniel Erlandsson, who have been touring with CARCASS since the band's reunion was announced in 2007, are no longer involved with the group due to scheduling conflicts with their main band, ARCH ENEMY. Joining guitarist Bill Steer and bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker in the studio for the new CD recording sessions was drummer Matthias Voigt of German death metal and hardcore fusionists HEAVEN SHALL BURN.

CARCASS is in the process of booking a number of live shows for 2013, including appearances at next year's Maryland Deathfest and Chile's Metal Fest.

In a May 2012 interview with Metal Forces, Amott said about CARCASS' future plans, "I'm not working with CARCASS at the moment. From what I hear they're working on something new, but it's not with me. I'm not included in it. I don't know. I don't comment. [laughs] I don't really know what they're working on, so it's not really for me to say, but whatever it is I wish them well, of course. I had a great time doing the reunion shows; we played a lot of shows in 2008, 2009, 2010, and I had a fantastic time at those shows. I'm a very busy guy as well, so I could see why I wouldn't be included. I've pretty much got a full-time thing going on with ARCH ENEMY, and I'm with SPIRITUAL BEGGARS on top of that. It's very difficult for me to fit in a third band with touring and everything."

CARCASS' last album, 1996's "Swansong", was re-released in July 2008 via Earache Records. The reissue came fully remastered on a DualDisc (combined CD and DVD) in a deluxe digipak with extra artwork and a free sticker sheet featuring exclusive CARCASS designs, and included part 5 of a mini-documentary series entitled "The Pathologist's Report" as bonus video material, plus an exclusive bonus track, "Deathrider Da". The documentary consisted of interviews, filmed in London and Liverpool at the end of 2007, featuring the members of CARCASS — drummer Ken Owen (who is not involved in the band's current reunion because he suffered a near-fatal brain hemorrhage in February 1999 and has had some rather serious health problems since then), Steer, Walker and Amott — who met up for the first time in ten years and were filmed discussing in-depth the story behind the band's development from their gore-soaked grind beginnings to the more refined, melodic moments of their later output.

Um, fuck yes.

That is all.

Oh, don't be like that. If they skew a little more extreme than the last couple of Carcass albums, it could be seriously amazing. Hell, even if they don't it'll be interesting at least.

Never liked 'em.

And you call yourself krieg.

Never have I ever.

Gut reaction: urgh. Walker has said before that new Carcass would sound like Arch Enemy, and as much as I like AE (not terribly, they're alright) I don't want new Carcass considering what a hash Morbid Angel made of it. They're all probably into gangnam style and that now.

[/pessimist]

You'd probably like it if you liked the newest Blowpeth

Gut reaction: urgh. Walker has said before that new Carcass would sound like Arch Enemy, and as much as I like AE (not terribly, they're alright) I don't want new Carcass considering what a hash Morbid Angel made of it. They're all probably into gangnam style and that now.

[/pessimist]

Never have I ever.

As BLABBERMOUTH.NET first reported last week, reactivated British extreme metal legends CARCASS are putting the finishing touches on their first studio album in 17 years with acclaimed producer Colin Richardson (FEAR FACTORY, MACHINE HEAD, NAPALM DEATH, SLIPKNOT, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE). The band has yet to secure a label home for the effort, which is expected in early 2013.

Guitarist Michael Amott and drummer Daniel Erlandsson, who have been touring with CARCASS since the band's reunion was announced in 2007, are no longer involved with the group due to scheduling conflicts with their main band, ARCH ENEMY. Joining guitarist Bill Steer and bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker in the studio for the new CD recording sessions is drummer Daniel Wilding of TRIGGER THE BLOODSHED. "For live, we'll obviously add another guitarist — we have someone in mind but we are not interested in a 'name' player," Walker tells Decibel magazine.

Regarding the sound of the forthcoming CARCASS album, Walker states: "We've taken stylistic cues from all the albums because it's in our blood, but it's no rehash or mess of ideas. I think it sounds almost like the missing link between the third and forth albums but with some groove in there. I've jokingly christened some parts 'trad blast' and some 'death sleaze'… don't think for a minute this is just some nostalgic throwback album — we're setting up another 17 years of ideas for other bands to copy and clean up on. [laughs]"

Asked if this means we'll be hearing some death metal vocals out of Bill for the first time since "Necroticism", Walker tells Decibel, "Yes, already in the can. It's more along the lines of how I envisioned him backing me up on 'Heartwork'. That said, my own vocals have a hell of a lot more range than they did in the past solely down to the luxury of having time to record them — I did all the vox for 'Heartwork' in two days and it shows! Also, (hopefully) [drummer] Ken [Owen] [who is not involved in the band's current reunion because he suffered a near-fatal brain hemorrhage in February 1999 and has had some rather serious health problems since then. — Ed.] will make an appearance — we just need to tidy a few loose ends before the mix."

I think it sounds almost like the missing link between the third and forth albums but with some groove in there. I've jokingly christened some parts 'trad blast' and some 'death sleaze'…

Asked if this means we'll be hearing some death metal vocals out of Bill for the first time since "Necroticism", Walker tells Decibel, "Yes, already in the can."