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CARCASS
Surgical Steel

Nuclear Blast (2013)
Rating: 8/10

And so here it is, the glorious (or should that read gore-ious!) return of Scouse sickos Carcass. It was only a matter of time before these UK cult metallers returned to the fray after leaving behind a fantastic back catalogue which bridged the gap between infected grindcore and metallic, clinical death metal. I have to say that I never expected Carcass to return to their blood clotted roots, and so the sound of Surgical Steel is no real surprise then.

When one considers that it’s been 17 years since their last album, 1996’s Swansong, this new 11-track affair isn’t too far removed from the murky ground that bridged the gap between that particular opus and 1993’s Heartwork.

It’s only natural and evolutionary that Carcass were not going to regress back to those gore-encrusted days of the first two albums – Reek Of Putrefaction (1988) and Symphonies Of Sickness (1989) – although there is a hint of 1991’s Necroticism – Descanting The Insalubrious as the band literally vomit out a hideous array of thrash-soaked riffs that were born in the early 90s.

With the album opener ‘1985’ being nothing more than a brief mournful guitar whine, we’re soon choking on the rancid noise of ‘Thrasher’s Abattoir’, and I’m immediately struck by Daniel Wilding’s drums, which do a hearty job of replacing those boots left by original skin thumper Ken Owen.

Those expecting some kind of visitation to the 80s will be disappointed, because Surgical Steel is very much a thrash record rather than a grisly grindcore opus. This is paraded with the cold steel churn of ‘Cadaver Pouch Conveyor System’, with guitarist Bill Steer and company crafting out some interesting, accessible melodies which wouldn’t seem out of place on a Megadeth record. While bassist Jeff Walker’s vocals still spit out that noxious bile, there’s no way of ignoring the modern dynamics on here which enable Carcass to slip between varying extreme metal styles.

‘A Congealed Clot Of Blood’ slows the pace as Walker’s vocals grate alongside that steady rhythm section of devious guitars, which one moment breathe the same air as some of those classic New Wave Of British Heavy Metal bands, before descending into a doomier quagmire from which you can’t escape. It’s here the band effortlessly find the niche between Necroticism’s dank melody and Heartwork’s razor sharp musicianship, offering tight percussion and attractive riffs.

‘The Master Butcher’s Apron’ ups the pace initially, but soon descends into a mediocre chug. Its weight allows it to flow, however, although its talons leave little effect on the skin.

Track six is the oaken sounding ‘Noncompliance To ASTM F 899-12 Standard’, which originally has echoes of Swansong until it hits the right tempo. The composition offers some disjointed structures which at first are about as accessible as a barbed wire tunnel, but the leads again boast that classic metal feel.

This takes us to ‘The Granulating Dark Satanic Mills’ with its mournful chords which step into a rather mediocre thrash melody, again reminding me of Megadeth at their most accessible. In fact, apart from Walker’s recognisable rasps, this track is one of the least effective numbers on the opus. It’s also one which boasts the biggest groove, meaning that at this point the album appears a touch disjointed as it flits between Heartwork and Swansong. And if you thought the Megadeth similarities would have worn off by now, then check out the strains of ‘Unfit For Human Consumption’ which seems to hint at ’Deth classics ‘Wake Up Dead’ and ‘Holy Wars’, especially with that guitar attack.

It’s fair to say that despite some extremely solid numbers, the second part of the opus tends to disappoint, with the lukewarm ‘316 L Grade Surgical Steel’ and initial album teaser ‘Captive Bolt Pistol’ appearing as rather formulaic by today’s standards. That’s not to say that Surgical Steel is a poor album – far from it. I can see this being a grower, but after seven listens I expected this to literally remove my scalp, extract my brain, and pop my eyeballs out. There’s no doubting the musicianship, but the fact that this record seems to linger more in the realms of Heartwork and, at times, early to mid 90s thrash, has surprised me a little.

However, album closer ‘Mount Of Execution’ has a really epic feel to it, aided by the crisp production of Colin Richardson and Andy Sneap’s mixing prowess.

In a sense, the return of Carcass lives up to that cutting title and cold, grey album artwork, and it’s certainly a record that will please those who were so let down by the band’s initial farewell. I’m sure that many will become overly excited about this release, but whether this compact composition is enough we’ll have to wait and see.

Surgical Steel is a dry, witty record that celebrates the talent of Jeff Walker who seems to have stashed up all manner of ideas over the years since Swansong. I could’ve really turned this into a rambling review, but instead would rather let the music do the talking. My overall mark may disappoint some, but for me this opus is not as masterful as Necroticism, although it’s not afraid to nod to it either. Bring on the next appointment.

Neil Arnold

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