Carcass (band)
Carcass are an English extreme metal band from Liverpool, formed in 1985. The band have gone through several line-up changes, leaving guitarist Bill Steer and bassist-vocalist Jeff Walker as the only constant members. They broke up in 1996,[2][3][4] but reformed in 2007 without original drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons.[5] To date, the band have released seven studio albums, two compilation albums, four EPs, two demo albums, one video album, and six music videos.
Carcass
Disattack (1985–1986)
Liverpool, England
- Death metal
- melodic death metal
- grindcore (early)
- goregrind (early)[1]
- 1985–1996
- 2007–present
- Bill Steer
- Jeff Walker
- Daniel Wilding
- James Blackford
- Ken Owen
- Sanjiv
- Michael Amott
- Mike Hickey
- Carlo Regadas
- Daniel Erlandsson
- Ben Ash
- Tom Draper
Carcass are regarded as pioneers of the grindcore and melodic death metal genre.[6][7] They are also described as one of the earliest and most important of the new generation of grindcore and death metal bands.[8] Their early work was also tagged as "splatter death metal",[9] and "hardgore"[10] on account of their morbid lyrics and gruesome album covers. Their fourth album, Heartwork (1993), is considered a landmark in the melodic death metal genre.[6] Carcass were also one of the few death metal acts to sign to a major label, with Columbia Records handling North American distribution for Heartwork, while the album was distributed worldwide by Earache who released all of the band's albums up to and including Swansong (1996).
Influence and cultural references[edit]
Carcass are influenced by death metal and grindcore bands like Death, Repulsion, Master, Morbid Angel, Napalm Death and Macabre, as well as other acts such as Slayer, King Diamond, Cryptic Slaughter, Discharge, Siege, N.Y.C. Mayhem and Diamond Head.[75][76]
Otrebor of black metal band Botanist cites Carcass' use of medical dictionary terms in lyrics and song titles as a precedent for its lyrics and song titles from plant and insect dictionaries.[77] The late Trevor Strnad, who served as the vocalist for The Black Dahlia Murder until his death in 2022, had cited on many occasions that he was primarily influenced by Carcass in vocalizing technique.
Deathcore and metalcore acts Bring Me the Horizon, Whitechapel, All Shall Perish, Killswitch Engage and All That Remains cited Carcass as an influence.[78][79][80][81][82] Canadian pop punk band Sum 41 also cited them as an influence.[83]
In the Red Dwarf episode "Timeslides", Steer and Walker appeared as members of Lister's childhood band, Smeg and the Heads.[84]
During the Friends' episode "The One with the Cheap Wedding Dress", Megan and Phoebe talks about Carcass. Megan told Monica that her fiancé wants them to play at their wedding.[85]
