****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
This is a great collection of new tracks. Most fans of the band will by now know that this mini EP is just a collection of 4 tracks that didn’t make the cut for the new album we are waiting for but because the band promised fans the album last year and even though this was obviously postponed due to the difficulties that arose from the pandemic, the band wanted to still give us at least something to hold us over. I’ve read a lot of reviews on Sputnik that were very unfavorable saying how lackluster these songs were and so on. I couldn’t disagree more. First of all if we go into the tracks knowing that they are leftovers then obviously they are the “worst” of the upcoming tracks we will get from the band. Even with this in mind I was highly impressed with the compositions here, the performances and the sound quality. For me, these tracks checked all 3 boxes that I looked for. The new lineup of the band sounds very tight like the old classic 4 piece incarnation of the band we love from “Necroticism” “Heartwork” era Carcass with Mike Ammot, Ken Owen, Jeff Walker and Bill Steer (my favorite ever Death Metal guitarist/songwriter). Obviously only the 2 original members still remain (Bill and Jeff) but thankfully this is the most important pair to the band since the very beginning (sorry Ken, I love all your work and miss your drumming dearly!). Bill never disappoints and creates great songs here with awesome melodic yet heavy riffs and signature solos. Jeff provides his always necessary snarling vocals and his grotesque, funny and poignant lyrics. The thing that was really wonderfully surprising was the sound/production. I wasn’t sure how the album would sound since it’s been a while since “Surgical Steel” and this will be the first album I believe that we haven’t had produced or at least assisted by Colin Richardson who was always a big factor in making sure the records had that immediate and forceful drum punch and guitar tone. I can’t remember if “Reek Of Putrefaction” was a different producer but that was never one of my favorite albums from the band mostly because it sounds like muffled trash, so I very much doubt Colin had a hand in it. Anyways, the two reasons I was skeptical about how the album would sound was like I said before the time since the last album, which obviously had no effect on the band members because Bill’s songwriting here is classic Carcass through and through. It’s that wonderful brutal yet just enough melodic sound that they created on “Necroticism” and evolved with ever since (However I still believe that if they had just kept the inclusion of Bill’s deep vocals that would occasionally compliment Jeff’s raspy vocals then the band would be perfect). The second reason I was skeptical was the change in producer but honestly whoever they brought in to record these songs did an incredible job. It is very reminiscent of Colin and Andy Sneap’s work on “Surgical Steel” which I absolutely loved and this gives me a ton of excitement for the actual album, especially if these are “throw away” tracks! Carcass served up these tracks just like I like my meat, well done!
