Carcass
Heartwork

THE REVIEW

Evolution. What a spectacle. And what a strangeness. Take, for instance, a band named Carcass and follow their evolution: from Grind pioneers to inventors of Melodic Death Metal, passing through ultra-technical Death metal. But it's on the melodic period that I want to linger. Yes, because after 5-6 years spent in the metal music underground, our guys stop being an established niche group, and to do this, they don't resort to cheap pop, no sir: they invent a genre. Maybe saying "invent" is too daring, let's rather say they "codify" a genre that was being developed in Sweden, in Göteborg: Melodic Death Metal. As the name suggests, this genre is a blend of Death metal and typically old-school melodies/harmonies: think Iron Maiden or Judas Priest to get the idea, resulting in something decidedly more pleasant compared to the Death proposed by Immolation and friends.

The year is 1993 and Carcass, after a long tour, return to the studio in May to give life to their undisputed masterpiece, which will bear the name Heartwork (an ambiguous and humor-laden title, in keeping with their style...). The line-up is the historic one featuring the three pillars Steer/Walker/Owen and the Anglo-Swedish guitarist Michael Amott, who in this work will demonstrate all his skill.

The album is permeated by a dreamlike and raging atmosphere, past styles are largely forgotten and for the first time introspective lyrics appear, definitively abandoning gore. From Buried Dreams to the concluding Death Certificate, the message is clear: there may be melody, but this quartet is still capable of unleashing violence like few others. For a masterpiece like Heartwork, it wouldn't be fair to comment on individual songs, all conceived to perfection; I can merely say that tracks like the title track, Carnal Forge, or Arbeit Macht Fleisch will remain imprinted in your mind.

What else to say? Colin Richardson's production work (Sepultura, Napalm Death, Cannibal Corpse...) is sublime, as for the musicians... with Jeff Walker always in the limelight, a superb Ken Owen on the drums and two guitarists like Steer/Amott (the latter increasingly unstoppable), it couldn't help but result in a summation of Melodic Death, essential for that Swedish trilogy of '95 (Slaughter of the Soul; The Gallery; The Jester Race) which will make history. Highly recommended to those who love Carcass but haven't yet been able to appreciate it and to those who want to delve into Melodic Death.