Rot and roll snarls with sinister intent as Carcass brings their North American Putrefaction Tour to Elevation in Grand Rapids.
On a balmy September night, Elevation in Grand Rapids became an asylum of distortion and rage. Metalheads from across Michigan crowded into the venue, beers in hand, denim and leather bristling with patches, radiating with anticipation for a bill that promised to punish and please. The lineup was a masterful study in brutality with Hedonist, Necrot, Brujeria, and finally, the masters of deathly dissection, Carcass.
The evening opened with Hedonist, who had traveled all the way from Victoria, BC, to unleash a ferocious set steeped in the spirit of Dismember and Entombed. Their brand of old-school death metal reeked of bone grinding guitars, relentlessly driven drums, throat-punching bass, and guttural vocals that summoned the dead from Scandinavian graveyards. This was pure unfiltered death metal delivered with menacing conviction. A reminder of how the roots of the genre still hold massive power. The crowd responded in kind, fists raised, heads whipping in unison, Michigan embracing the Canadians as if they were locals.
Oakland’s Necrot followed with a set of skull-splintering death metal. Taking the cue from bands such as Malevolent Creation and Autopsy, Necrot turns every riff and every beat into a weapon. They locked in and delivered with brute force. The bass growled with vicious intent, guitars churned like heavy machinery, and the drums punched without mercy. Swept up by this metal storm, the pit surged in violent joy. The music consumed the room like a firestorm, leaving no space to breathe. Tearing like a pitbull on a fresh kill was Brujeria. These masked rebels of rage unleashed their chaotic fusion of grind, death, and hardcore with wrath.. The riffs flew fast and murderous, the vocals spat with venom, and though most of the crowd didn’t know every Spanish phrase hurled from the stage, they understood the fury. Voices howled in defiance, and the pit spun in a tsunami of terror. Offering a break from the intensity, Brujeria asked the crowd two questions: Do you like marijuana and Who has some? Joints flew to the stage, and the band celebrated the offering with a final blast of sonic devastation. All of this led to the inevitable arrival of Carcass, the finest butchers in death metal. Starting off with “Unfit for Human Consumption” off 2013’s Surgical Steel album, their set moved seamlessly through eras. From the grind-driven chaos of their earliest work to the melodic brilliance of Heartwork and the razor-sharp ferocity of Torn Arteries: Every note was delivered with devastating precision.Bill Steer and James Blackford bookended the stage with smashing riffs and searing solos. Jeff Walker held his bass high like a halberd as he snarled with malevolence. His piercing gaze reinforced the vitriolic lyrics. Serene within this melee of death metal was drummer Dan Wilding. While he showed no mercy to his drum kit, his smiling face belied the savage attack of the drums.
As the evening drew to a close, Jeff coaxed Dan into a short and rambunctious drum solo before turning the spotlight on James, who delivered a dazzling guitar compliment. Jeff gave the nod to Bill, who declined the offer with a smile. This signaled Dan, who kicked into the meaty melodic medley of “Ruptured in Purulence/Heartwork.” The cherry on top of this perfect evening of Carcass masterpieces was “Die In Pain.” From their first demo, this tune was a short, sharp shot to the eye socket.
In the world of death metal, Carcass reigns supreme. What makes Carcass transcendent is their ability to blend brutality with beauty. The riffs are crushing, the drums unrelenting, but woven through it all is a melodic sensibility that elevates the carnage. Their performance was an affirmation of their place at the heart of death metal’s legacy. For those who packed into Elevation in Grand Rapids, this was a cathartic experience. Through the metal music of Carcass, we find the strength to grind on another day.
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