Welcome to Retro-Reviews, a space where I indulge in my own nostalgic reveries, reminiscing about a time that never truly existed, but one that I’ve crafted through various random albums that hold significance for me. Whether good or bad, one thing is certain: remembering can be a bittersweet journey.
It’s 1993. The Oslo Accords are signed (peace is nothing but a dream today), the EU formally starts existing, Jurassic Park is released, and the Chicago Bulls are at the peak of their power. Oh right! The underground Metal scene is thriving, an awesome year for those of you who hate polished production, with releases from Darkthrone, Immortal, Sepultura, but today we’re going to talk about perhaps the most stylistically defiant of all: Carcass – Heartwork. Is this senior citizen a product of my nostalgia, or does it still hold up? Don’t go anywhere.
This one is special! It makes my heart beat fast (ha ha ha…). I won’t lie to you. My bias for this album is bigger than the one you have for your politics. So, don’t expect me to sound balanced and fair as I usually do, because this is one of the best Metal albums of all time *screams like a four-year-old*. I’m not going to hide my excitement; if anything, I’m going to try to infect you with it.
To begin with, it’s not nostalgia, since I wasn’t there when it came out, but I do understand the context of the band and the sub-genre. You see, before Heartwork, Carcass was so unpolished that you were right to wonder if they even knew how to play the instruments you were attacked with. Plus, the production of their previous work was as True kvlt as possible. Even the lyrics were an absolute teen fest. Heartwork is the answer many of us dream to have, but usually, bands die too soon to give us. What would happen if this talented bunch reached the next level in every way? Well, it turns out they would redefine the niche of Death Metal and MeloDeath with an alarming ease.
Carcass’ style here is unique. Nobody then could mix the most eschatological aggression with an understanding of melody that was so rare in those days of extreme metal. It’s the missing link between the Florida sound, British Grindcore, and what later would be the Gothenburg sound. Heartwork had everything to represent all of those styles in one go! Obviously, you’ll get all the cool riffs in the world. Carcass is one of the masters of it, but not because they’re the most brutal, but because they strike the best balance and accessibility. Almost any Metalhead, even the ones who hate Carcass (stop it! Get some help!), can hear a Heartwork riff and say, “That’s trash! But it’s well-written trash.”
So, by being well-paced and action-driven, Heartwork easily passes the test of time. The only thing that could tell you it’s an “old” album is the lack of more modern production milestones, but even then, it sounds more organic than half of the Death Metal bands I get in my mailbox daily. It’s an album so ahead of its time that you can still put it on and not feel like you’re time-traveling, since we’re still catching up with it.
This album continues to teach us the art of the riff and how to reach the perfect point between heaviness, melody, virtuosity, depth, and entertainment. All that without a single drop of arrogance. Carcass shows humble beginnings, but admirable ambition. It is a testament that we should never discard our ancestors. Now, go and hug your grandparents, before time is up…
Let’s all thank sleepy.mammal, the artist and reader who gave us this suggestion.
Label: Earcache Records
Release date: 18 October, 1993
Website: https://carcass.bandcamp.com/album/heartwork
Country: UK (Liverpool, lad!)
Score: It’s freaking perfect, enough said!
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