Carcass were true innovators of not one, but two different styles of metal. Along with their first two being classics of the grind genre,
Heartwork was also one of the first ever melodic death metal albums.
Reek of Putrefaction was where it all started. Despite being primitive,
Reek of Putrefaction is a true classic.
Carcass
Bill Steer - Guitar
Jeff Walker - Vocals/Bass
Ken Owen - Drums
Carlo Regadas - Guitar
It's not hard to imagine what Carcass sound like, without actually hearing them. Really, all one needs to do is look at the song titles, or even the album title. Or perhaps simply the band name itself. But from the moment it starts, Carcass' debut can be summed up in a few words; sickening, disgusting, foul and vomit inducing would suffice. It's very rare for a track on
Reek of Putrefaction to pass the 2 minute mark. Only 1 track passes the 3 minute mark and even then, it's only by a few seconds. The lyrics are disgusting and not to be taken seriously. It does, however, take a special sort of sense of humour to appreciate Carcass' lyrics. The band's sound completely reflects the lyrical content. Despite being so dirty, rough and sickening,
Reek of Putrefaction remains to this day as one of the most fun grind/metal albums ever recorded.
The production of
Reek of Putrefaction is horrible, in a good way. Making everything sound incredibly low and deep, instruments are often blurred into walls of noise. Guitar riffs have to be listned to closely to distinguish the fact that they are actually playing different notes. For the bass, this is impossible. The drumming has excellent production and Ken Owen does a brilliant job. The vocals are probably the most disgusting part of the album. As gutteral as you can get, they belt out the gore lyrics at lightning speeds. The most notable part of the whole thing is the guitar solos, courtesy of Bill Steer. Sounding like they are dripping with blood, they work their way into a few songs, most notably "Vomited Anal Tract". Carcass' debut, while being slightly immature in comparison to their later work, is essential for anyone interested in grind or death metal. While
Symphonies of Sickness and
Heartwork are Carcass' strongest releases,
Reek of Putrefaction remains as a great piece of grind and an essential album.
Pros
Amazing guitar solos
Fun music, despite Carcass seeming like psychos
Cool musicianship
Cons
Production, while fitting, may be offputting
Immature and not very intelligent
Not much variation
Reccomended Tracks
Genital Grinder
Vomited Anal Tract
Psychopathologist
Note,
Reek of Putrefaction had the artwork pictured in this review upon release. It was changed for a while to [url=http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre900/e940/e940960ux2w.jpg]this[/url]. This artwork is the most widely available.
FINAL RATING: 3.5/5
