Metalcatto
Cancer needs no introduction. It’s been here since the dawn of Metal, and with a name like that, it really limits my ability to make sick jokes—more limited than your insurance coverage (laughs in European!). Anyway, the OG is known for being what I like to call a “missing link” band—as in, it feels like the evolutionary step between Thrash and Death Metal. It’s impossible to forget classics like To the Gory End or Death Shall Rise, but how does Inverted World compare to those? Stay with me to find out!
First of all, I’m not just going to compare Inverted World to the classics (I lied!)—it’s been 35 years, and there wasn’t even public internet when those albums came out. That said, this record is evil—or well, it does its best to sound like it. Despite having relatively slow riffs for either a Death Metal or even a Thrash Metal album, it drips with malevolence. It really feels like a godless statement of twisted morals and principles. And that’s good—most older bands tend to mellow out and get a bit corny with time, so it’s nice that Cancer still feels extreme in spirit.
There’s nothing weird here: the drums do a solid job, the vocals are aggressive and impressively enunciated (to the point I questioned if this even qualified as Death Metal), and the riffs—especially the intro of each track—are undeniably engaging. Oh, and the bass is there. There’s a strong sense of familiarity in everything you’ll hear, which isn’t necessarily bad. Just imagine an older band with a slightly more polished sound and you’ll get the idea. Thankfully, it’s not too polished. But that leads me to a few things worth keeping in mind when approaching Inverted World.
I started the album with genuine enthusiasm. However, as each track progressed, I found myself zoning out more and more (and yes, I sleep well—this isn’t cognitive decline!). Eventually, I realized the album is a bit too predictable. Nothing’s terrible, but nothing really blew me away either. It felt like a nice boiled egg—just without any salt. And for you dungeon dwellers out there, this is full of places you’ve already been. We’re not exactly drowning in originality today—sorry, kids!
If you want a safe listen, then Cancer has what you need. There’s nothing repulsive here—it’s not impenetrable Disso-Death or rancid Black Metal recorded in someone’s basement. But for those of us looking for something spicier or riskier, we’ll be left with a bit of a bland taste in our mouths. Still, Cancer is a classic band that has given us some amazing albums in the past, so maybe we shouldn’t be too harsh in this new era of content saturation. This is a good album for people who want Death Metal without intense blasting (not sure what’s wrong with them, but hey, they have the right to exist—I guess). Cheers!
Label: Peaceville Records
Release date: April 25, 2025
Website: https://www.facebook.com/goryend/
Country: UK
Score: A respectable 2.7/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 