Artist: Carcass Album: Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious

Year: 1991
Duration: 0:0-1

A Deep Dive into Carcass' Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious

Heavy metal has been around for decades. Each artist and album has their unique style, and the same goes for the British metal band Carcass. Founded in the 80s, Carcass has experimented with different genres of metal, including grindcore, death metal, and melodic death metal. In 1991, they released their third album, Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious, which received critical acclaim and solidified their place in death metal history. In this article, we will dive deep into the album, its style, the best songs, and delve into some of its most innovative aspects, as well as offer a critical review.

Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious is a dark and aggressively technical album that blends elements of extreme metal styles with guitar melodies and complex arrangements. This album is where Carcass solidified their sound, combining grindcore, death metal, and hints of thrash. The album is littered with socially and politically charged lyrical themes, focusing on the horrors of the medical industry, and the dangers of technology.

One of the most innovative parts of Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious is the guitar work. The album features complex and technical guitar riffs that few bands in the genre have ever attempted. The progressive elements in the album are notable, with the precise and intricate transitions between riffs, changes in tempo, and signature time. The bass lines are also impressive, with Ken Owen's drumming providing a steady backbone that holds the music together.

Corporal Jigsore Quandary is one of the best songs of the album, defined by its melodic opening riff and the infectious chorus. Incarnated Solvent Abuse, another musical gem, contains technical excellence and grim lyrics coupled with great solos. Pedigree butchery is another standout with its punchy rhythm and melodic guitar solo. Another song in the album that deserves mention is Inpropagation whose intro features acoustic guitar riffs laced with keyboards, something rarely found among metal releases of that time.

While Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious is a great album, it is also not without flaws. Most of the songs follow a similar structure, so it can be challenging to differentiate between tracks. Additionally, the production quality can be a little rough at times. Even if Carcass intentionally wanted it that way to capture the rawness of their live shows, it doesn't appeal to everyone.

In conclusion, Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious is one of Carcass's most remarkable albums. Released at a time when death metal was still establishing a footing in the music genre, this album was a game-changer. It's an album that has aged like fine wine and has stood the test of time. Its technical guitar playing, efficient drumming, and unique lyrical themes provide a fascinating listen that stands out among its contemporaries. It's not perfect, but what album is? It's a must-listen for metal admirers, and even for those who don't listen to metal, it's an album that should be on everyone's bucket list.