Carnivore

The Profile

Carnivore are an American thrash/crossover band from Brooklyn, New York, formed by Peter Steele. They released two studio albums—Carnivore (1985) and Retaliation (1987)—on Roadracer/Roadrunner, notorious for post‑apocalyptic themes and black humor. Steele later founded Type O Negative.

Formed in Brooklyn by Peter Steele; signed to Roadracer (Roadrunner). Studio albums: Carnivore (1985) and Retaliation (1987). Lyrical themes include nuclear war, religion, and tongue‑in‑cheek machismo; live imagery referenced “thermonuclear warriors.” Active 1982–1987 with a 2006–2010 reunion.

Reviews celebrate Carnivore’s feral thrash with hardcore bite, tracing Peter Steele’s pre-Type O Negative roots. The 1985 debut is a nuclear-wasteland concept laced with black humor. Retaliation (1987) pushes faster, rougher, and more hardcore. Production is raw; attitude is unapologetically extreme. Consensus: aggressive, fun, and distinctly Steele.