CANCER
I remember buying Cancer's second album, 'Death Shall Rise', shortly after it was released, from Our Price in the high street (*dons rose-tinted specs*). I remember it so vividly only because I took it back for a refund a few days later. I hadn't yet arrived at the stage where I understood death metal. I was still fresh into thrash, and so I hadn't yet developed an ear for it. I did, however, try again and buy 'Black Faith' a few years later. 'Black Faith' was a disappointing album (much like 'Swansong' by Carcass was); it seemed like a desperate bid for survival in a genre that was struggling with its identity. And then, I guess, they disappeared. I didn't mourn for them, and I didn't particularly miss them in later years. But, with the recent vogue for established acts going back to their roots and with Carcass having already made a triumphant return from the dead, I'm actually surprised it's taken Cancer this long to stage their comeback.
One thing that's for sure, listening to this album - Cancer have slipped back into death metal territory relatively easily. While opener 'Down the Steps' is something of a groove/thrash song, second track 'Garotte' is prime old-school death metal. That's not to say that this is nothing more than a legacy act trading on former glories. There's a bit of bite to this. You can tell that whatever drove Cancer in the early days hasn't been softened by riches or tamed by a jaded weariness that goes with longer-running bands. If we assume 'Black Faith' was merely a major-label misstep, then this is a logical progression from 'Death Shall Rise'. Albeit with a modern-ish production, ably handled by the legendary Simon Efemey. What is perhaps most obviously missing is the inventive guitar soloing of James Murphy. Anders Nyström from Katatonia steps in on 'Ballcutter' (yes, 'Ballcutter'), but solos elsewhere are pretty functional; this is a band sorely in need of a second guitarist. The lyrics are also a little bit cliché and/or childish in places. With much of metal having realised that real life has enough horror to comment on these days, it's a little disappointing to hear songs about cutting your sack open. Still, 'Shadow Gripped' survives more on its riffs than its observations; 'The Infocidal' being a great example of death metal's knack for writing something catchy (even the lead in this song is pretty cool). The song writing in this regard is pretty damn close to perfection.
Cancer have taken us back to the 90s with this album and, despite its flaws, I still really enjoyed it. It's not fresh or ground-breaking, but it does exactly what you'd expect a Cancer album to do; with none of the horrible 'Black Faith'-style posturing to modern tastes. Therefore, I do have a good feeling about Cancer's return, and I hope their follow-up will prove even more effective.
One thing that's for sure, listening to this album - Cancer have slipped back into death metal territory relatively easily. While opener 'Down the Steps' is something of a groove/thrash song, second track 'Garotte' is prime old-school death metal. That's not to say that this is nothing more than a legacy act trading on former glories. There's a bit of bite to this. You can tell that whatever drove Cancer in the early days hasn't been softened by riches or tamed by a jaded weariness that goes with longer-running bands. If we assume 'Black Faith' was merely a major-label misstep, then this is a logical progression from 'Death Shall Rise'. Albeit with a modern-ish production, ably handled by the legendary Simon Efemey. What is perhaps most obviously missing is the inventive guitar soloing of James Murphy. Anders Nyström from Katatonia steps in on 'Ballcutter' (yes, 'Ballcutter'), but solos elsewhere are pretty functional; this is a band sorely in need of a second guitarist. The lyrics are also a little bit cliché and/or childish in places. With much of metal having realised that real life has enough horror to comment on these days, it's a little disappointing to hear songs about cutting your sack open. Still, 'Shadow Gripped' survives more on its riffs than its observations; 'The Infocidal' being a great example of death metal's knack for writing something catchy (even the lead in this song is pretty cool). The song writing in this regard is pretty damn close to perfection.
Cancer have taken us back to the 90s with this album and, despite its flaws, I still really enjoyed it. It's not fresh or ground-breaking, but it does exactly what you'd expect a Cancer album to do; with none of the horrible 'Black Faith'-style posturing to modern tastes. Therefore, I do have a good feeling about Cancer's return, and I hope their follow-up will prove even more effective.
LABEL:
FORMAT:
Peaceville
Album
SHADOW GRIPPED
Review by Steve Cowan
RUNNING TIME:
43:57
RELEASE DATE:
2nd November 2018
TRACK LISTING
1) Dowm the Steps
2) Garrotte
3) Ballcutter
4) Organ Snatcher
5) The Infocidal
6) Half Man Half Beast
7) Crimes So Vile
8) Thou Shalt Kill
9) Shadow Gripped
10) Disposer
2) Garrotte
3) Ballcutter
4) Organ Snatcher
5) The Infocidal
6) Half Man Half Beast
7) Crimes So Vile
8) Thou Shalt Kill
9) Shadow Gripped
10) Disposer
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
UK
"One thing that's for sure, listening to this album - Cancer have slipped back into death metal territory relatively easily...That's not to say that this is nothing more than a legacy act trading on former glories. There's a bit of bite to this."
