The first time I heard this album, I had no idea what to think of it. I was looking for something heavier than Guns N' Roses and Metallica, when I happened upon the “Heartwork” single on Claire Sturgess' Radio One Rock Show. When I finally got my hands on the entire album and listened to it, I was shocked and confused because I'd never heard anything so fast or brutal before.
After repeated listens, however, the album turned out to be a classic. The brutally produced guitars churn out riff after complex riff, some fast, some mid – paced. The drumming of Ken Owen provides a very solid backing for the guitars, his double bass being particularly vicious on the title track and also on “Death Certificate” and “Embodiment”. On tracks such as “Buried Dreams” and “No Love Lost” he shows his talent for more syncopated, choppy drum rhythms which compliment the music perfectly.
What Carcass demonstrates impressively on this album is the ability to incorporate incredible guitar solos into brutal death metal. Not many death metal bands have been able to do this as successfully as Carcass, except for maybe Deicide and of course the mighty Death. The solos contained here are nothing short of breathtaking. Tracks such as “Buried Dreams”, “No Love Lost”, “Arbeit Macht Fleisch”, “Doctrinal Expletives” and the lick trade – off on “Blind Bleeding the Blind” show why Bill Steer and Michael Amott will always be highly regarded musicians in the metal scene. The solos reek of professionalism and employ fluidity similar to that of In Flames, rendering them highly catchy and impressive to boot.
The vocals don't veer too much from the well trodden path of deathly growls, but Jeff Walker utilises a more raspy voice which is the ideal accompaniment to the brutality of the music. Walkers' lyrics are highly intelligent and futuristic and would provide a perfect soundtrack for the Terminator films. If you've seen the video for “Heartwork”, you'll know what I mean. He has a vocabulary that anyone would be proud to possess. His bass work does everything it should by rumbling along with the guitars to produce 42 minutes of the best music ever put to disc. A mention must also go to Colin Richardson for the full and meaty production. There isn't a better way to get into Death Metal than picking up a copy of “Heartwork”. Incredible.
RUNNING TIME: 41.55
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: Buried Dreams, Heartwork, Carnal Forge, Doctrinal Expletives, Death Certificate.
OTHER RECOMMENDED ALBUMS IN THE GENRE:
Epoch of Unlight – Caught In The Unlight. (The End records) www.theendrecords.com
Hypnos – The Revenge Ride. (Morbid records) www.morbidrecords.de
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