Carcass released their fourth album, “Heartwork”, on October 18, 1993 via Earache — and wrote history: it is considered the point where melodic death metal became a coherent idea, and Metal Hammer called it “the defining statement of the genre.” Pitchfork described it as “the masterpiece of Carcass’s middle period” and “perhaps the best example of an extreme metal band touching the polish and style of mainstream rock without losing its raw power.”
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
For fans of: At the Gates, In Flames, Napalm Death
The listen
Leaving behind the medical dictionaries of their early records, Carcass turned their lyrics to more abstract ground and their music to more melodic, structured compositions. “Buried Dreams” opens with one of the genre’s most recognizable riffs, “Heartwork” continues with masterful solos from Bill Steer and Michael Amott, and “Blind Bleeding the Blind” closes the record at a duration of eight minutes with an otherworldly atmosphere.
The sound was described as “Megadeth flushed down the toilet” — cold, massive and full of memorable hooks. Ken Owen’s drumming is strangely unsteady in the best possible way, giving it a distinctive character. “This Mortal Coil,” “Carnal Forge” and “No Love Lost” continue with undiminished intensity.
“Heartwork” sold over 81,000 copies, became their only major-label release (Columbia in the US) and is widely considered one of the best death metal albums of all time — for some, indeed, the best British extreme metal album of the ’90s. As AllMusic wrote: it is one of those rare albums that dissect and rebuild their form so carefully that the new members seem to have always been there.
Tracklist
1. Buried Dreams
2. Carnal Forge
3. No Love Lost
4. Heartwork
5. Embodiment
6. This Mortal Coil
7. Arbeit Macht Fleisch
8. Blind Bleeding the Blind
See also
Carcass: Postponing their shows in Australia · Napalm Death in Sofia
