Carcass is a group of British Death metal formed with Liverpool in 1985 by Jeff Walker and Bill Steer. Between the Goregrind of their the first two albums, Reek off Putrefaction and Symphonies off Sickness , and the “death rock'n'roll” of Swansong , the group knew to make evolve/move its music by always keeping a technical high level (and humorous).

Biography

The group begins in 1985 with Ken Owen with the battery and Sanjiv with the song. The latter leaves the group before the recording of the first album and it is the duet Jeff Walker/Bill Steer which ensures the song for the first two albums.

Michael Amott joined the group as a second guitarist before the recording of Necroticism: Descanting the Insalabrious , album which initiates their musical change while preserving the elements Grindcore their beginnings. Jeff ensures from now on the great majority of the song.

In the fourth album, Heartwork , Carcass takes an orientation definitively more metal, the structures of the pieces are less complex and the thicker sound. This album is probably one if not founder of the style of death metal hones it says Scandinavian which developed then. Mike Amott leaves the group after the recording, reproaching seems it melody turning that took the combo at that time. It is replaced during some time by Mike Hickey.

Carlo Regadas replaces guitarist for the recording of the last album which was to be distributed by a major, Sony. However an artistic dissension pushes the members of Salamander, after one year of waiting, to recover their tracks and it is Earache Records which leaves Swansong .

Bill Steer leaves the group before the exit of the album, the remainder of the group decides to separate. Jeff Walker and Ken Owen quickly formed a new group, Blackstar, group at the point died since 2001 following a Cerebral vascular accident of Ken Owen. Bill Steer is always in activity, playing in Firebird, a group of Blues for which it started again to turn. Mike Amott plays in Spiritual Beggars, group of Stoner, and especially in Arch Enemy, combo of Death founded metal with her brother Christopher Amott in optics to assemble a group which is a continuation of Salamander. In addition, it took part as a mercenary in many albums. Jeff Walker recently left a new disc resumptions of blues and country to the sauce metal, entitled Welcome in salamander country , disc in which took part of many musicians of which Bill Steer, Ken Owen as well as members of Amorphis as well as a former member of Faith No More. In addition, it also took part in the last album of Napalm Death like with the album of a group of Finnish grind, To separate the Flesh from the Bones.

The group Carcass then officially reformed in October 2007 with the advertisement of their participation in the Wacken Open Air of 2008 like with the Hellfest, but without Ken Owen because of its health issues. The group however affirmed that Ken would receive its share of the benefit as a beater although it will not appear on scene.

Topics

The songs of Salamander are originally directed around medical topics, the words often containing technical terms, the whole with a second rather obvious degree. This set of themes led certain journalists to think that a member of the group would be medical student, which is false. Ken Owen studied biology at the school and thus it had access to the set of themes like with the vocabulary. The irony of the history wants that the members of the group are vegetarians before founding Carcass.

Discography

• 1987 : Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment (demonstration)

• 1988: Symphonies Off Sickness (demonstration)
• 1988: Reek off Putrefaction (album)
• 1989: The Peel Sessions (EP)
• 1989: Symphonies Off Sickness (album)
• 1991: Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious (album)
• 1992: Tools Off The Trade (EP)
• 1993: The Heartwork EP (EP)
• 1993: Heartwork (album)
• 1996: Swansong (album)
• 1996: Wake Up And Smell The… Salamander (compilation)
• 1997: Best Off Salamander (compilation)
• 2001: Wake Up And Smell The… Salamander (DVD)
• 2004: Choice Cuts (compilation)

See too

• Interview of Ken Owen going back to 2004

• photographs of the NECROTICISM turn Toulouse France 1992
• Salamander on site Metallian Salamander bio