Carcass
Reek Of Putrefaction

THE REVIEW

Reek Of Putrefaction...

Few words for this album destined to change the course of extreme music history. We are in 1988 in England. Already between the early and mid-80s, various bands had already tried to unite the most extreme face of Hardcore Punk bands like Discharge and Dead Kennedys with the darkest and most extreme Metal around at the same time. Among the first godfathers of the so-called Grindcore, we can mention Repulsion with the seminal "Horrified," but the real band destined to give birth to this genre are the English Napalm Death, who in 1987 with "Scum" laid all the foundations for Grindcore. The year after, in the same England, Carcass debut, a band destined to make the history of Grindcore and later become a Death Metal Band with "Necrocitism" and "Heartwork" and then end their career with the insignificant "Swansong" (in my opinion, eh).

"Reek Of Putrefaction" is Carcass's debut, an album oppressive, extreme, and full of insane and macabre atmospheres. Unlike their contemporaries, Napalm Death, Carcass's music is based on slower rhythms (well... if they can be called slow... let's be clear) much more Metal. The influence of the early thrash/death bands is notable. Moreover, unlike the early grind bands, Carcass leave aside protest themes to focus on more surgical and disgusting ones. The lyrics are clear, in fact. They are accurate descriptions of autopsies written in not-too-easy English and above all full of surgical terms. The irony behind each word adds a touch of fun to the lyrics, which nevertheless, in my personal opinion, still remain protest-based, a protest different from other bands of the period, against a healthcare system in crisis. The technique of the three musicians at the time was not the best, but unlike many modern bands, they knew how to handle an instrument. The vocals are one of the strongest points of the album. A growling that I have always considered excellent alternates with the unique screaming of singer/bassist Jeff Walker and the putrid growls typical of Grind/Gore, heavily used by modern bands but still used only in some parts, avoiding making the album monotonous and giving another touch of sarcasm to the album.

The guitar riffing remains very simple, as per the best grind tradition. The drumming alternates not too fast blast beats with punkish parts. The bass blends with the other instruments creating a real sense of chaos, also given by the LP's production—a truly awful production like all the albums of the period but which fortunately increases that sense of decomposition and decay already given by the trio's music. The album opens with "Genital Grinder," an instrumental ride, continues with "Regurgitations Of Giblets" and "Maggot Colony," where we find very strong themes supported by extreme music. The next "Pyosisfield" is notable, with more refined passages than the other songs and is probably among the best tracks of the group. Other songs to pass down to posterity are "Excreted Alive," "Feat On Dismembered Carnage," "Psychopathologist," and the last "Malignant Defecation," pieces where the band successfully combines the various elements of their music, producing truly wonderful songs, among the best of the genre in my opinion.

In Conclusion, "Reek Of Putrefaction" is an album that has made the history of Grindcore. It gave birth to a genre branch called GrindGore, unfortunately too overused today but still undeniably fascinating. Subjectively, I believe this album can receive the highest ratings... History... "Vomiting On Your Bloody GutsIn Your TombSeptic Vomit Of Chyme..... Putrid Offal... Regurgitating the Obstructed Giblets In Your Esophagus Eaten By Worms Trapped In Your Sarcophagus" (Carcass - "Regurgitation Of Giblets")