Carcass
The Heartwork Ep

I have already written elsewhere that the discographic return of Carcass three years ago did not satisfy me: "Surgical Steel," released in the fall of 2013, is a well-made work by serious and competent professionals. But to my ears, it sounds too predictable, all too evident. In other words, a half disappointment.

I remember the masters of Death Metal being different; and so today I return to their masterpiece "Heartwork" which set the musical coordinates for a myriad of bands born after them. I will deal with an EP of only three tracks recorded in their Liverpool in September 1993; Michael Amott, the six-string demon with his unique and Ultra-Heavy riffs, had just left the band. Three remained: Jeff, Bill, and Ken, who are the founding members of the group. They rely once again on the very trusted Colin Richardson in the control room; and on Earache Records as the distributing label.

A perfect combination for a work that is even more so: lethal sounds, overflowing execution speed, unheard-of violence but always completely under the control of the proud musicians. Only three songs with a crystal-clear production (a term that seems out of place considering the extreme genre proposed by the English: but that's exactly right!!).

"Heartwork" is wisely placed at the opening of the work: it begins with an atomic explosion, one of their best songs where the melodic component takes over. But we are still talking about Death Metal, with Jeff's vocal lines being so excoriated and virulent as to make your hair stand on end (not mine anymore, unfortunately). The guitars weave infinite plots; surgical, corrosive riffs and technically screaming demonically. Ken on drums once again confirms himself as a phenomenon, combining hallucinogenic execution speed with murderous time changes. Exemplary four minutes and thirty-two seconds: the square of the circle. One of the peaks of all sound extremism.

After such a whirlwind start, it is reasonable to expect even the slightest drop from the band; the almost mirror "This Is Your Life" and "Rot'n'Roll" are still two other sonic bombs with a high potential for auditory damage. There are all the characteristics that make Carcass's sound recognizable from the very first notes of the tracks: continuous, endless time changes. Hard & Heavy progressions that then give way to sudden instrumental accelerations of immense power. Listening to the sadistic finale of "Rot'n'Roll" is worth more than any other of my useless words. Colossal.

January 30, 1994: I am at the Rainbow in Milan to see the English in action. It's the tour of the record: the walls of the venue trembled. Blood and sweat.

A gate: I owed you this, boy!!!

Ad Maiora.