Carcass – Despicable
Release Date: 30th October 2020
Label: Nuclear Blast
Bandcamp
Genre: Melodic Death Metal, Death n’ Roll.
FFO: Napalm Death, Entombed, Arch Enemy.
Review By: Paul Cairney
Considering the length of their self-imposed hiatus, Carcass had no right to release an album as strong as Surgical Steel in 2013. When they released Surgical Remission – Surplus Steel in 2014, basically full of songs not on the original album, they showed that they deserved their hard-earned, legendary reputation.
Fast-forward another 6 years and, although they have played numerous festivals in the intervening time, we have not seen any new music released by Carcass. Indeed, this arsehole of a year that is 2020 has still not seen a new album by Carcass, as the release of their 7th album has been delayed. In a glorious shade of derring-do, however, our heroes have decided to release an aperitif to keep us going in our hour of need.
‘Despicable’ is a 4 track EP that certainly whets the appetite as we wait for the new album proper. With 3 of the tracks already released to streaming sites, fans of the band will be fully aware that Carcass are still on top of their game. ‘Under the Scalpel Blade’, ‘The Long and Winding Bier Road’ and ‘The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue’ do not disappoint in any fashion. Unmistakably modern day Carcass, they excite and enthral in equal measure, making you yearn for the delayed album.
The only additional track on the EP is ‘Slaughtered in Soho’, and it is an absolute beast of a song. When you think that this EP is the Surplus Steel of the new album, that is the off-cuts, songs deemed not suitable or perhaps not good enough for the upcoming album, you have to wonder how strong ‘Torn Arteries’ is going to be!
This EP demonstrates that Carcass are masters of their craft!
(4.5 / 5)
