Live Review: Carcass - The Asylum, Birmingham
9th June 2023
Support: Conjurer, Unto Others
Words: Cat Finch
Photos: Tim Finch
A two week full tour of the UK stopping at all corners of the country has been a thing of the past in recent years, bands instead preferring to run 4 or 5 dates in the UK’s major markets instead. But this spring Carcass have gone old school with a fourteen date run across the country in the lead up to their Download Festival performance.
The Razor’s Edge head to the sold out Birmingham show for the bands final date of the fourteen town/city run in the city’s Asylum venue.
Opening up the evening are darling’s of the UK extreme scene, Conjurer. Coming from nothing, through Bloodstock’s Metal 2 The Masses competition to now be signed to the massive Nuclear Blast Records and landing some of the biggest tours around.
Their exposure to such experiences has honed their skills, transforming them into an unwavering force of musical prowess. Despite the intricate nature of their tunes, they never fail to deliver a relentless onslaught of raw power, charging through intense tracks like 'Retch', 'Choke', and 'Basilisk'.
Next up is Unto Others, who seem a strange band to bill alongside Carcass and Conjurer, but that doesn’t stop most of the crowd singing along with the band throughout.
Their style mixes that of Killing Joke with Type O Negative… but played on speed. Those gothic drone filled vocals sooth the ears and the dark riffs fill the room. Kicking off with ‘Heroin’ it’s a magical forty five minute set that takes us through the likes of ‘Jackie’, ‘Can You Hear The Rain’, ‘When Will God’s Work Be Done’ and ‘Dragon, Why Do You Cry?’.
If heavy gothic music is your thing, Unto. Others are the next big band in that area for sure.
The main draw for the sold out venue on this very humid evening is of course Scouse death/grind masters Carcass, one could say they are best death metal band to ever appear in an episode of Red Dwarf (one for those of you of a certain age).
From the moment they burst onto the stage with ‘Buried Dreams’, it was evident that this would be a night to remember. ‘Kelly's Meat Emporium’ followed, a relentless onslaught of aggressive riffs and thunderous drums that electrified the crowd. ‘Incarnated Solvent Abuse’ only further intensified the atmosphere, as fans eagerly revelled in the twisted beauty of the song's grotesque imagery.
The fusion of ‘Tomorrow Belongs to Nobody’ and ‘Death Certificate, a dynamic medley that flawlessly combined crushing heaviness with intricate melodies. Returning to the first half of their career, Carcass unleashed a furious onslaught with the ‘Black Star / Keep On Rotting in the Free World’ medley, inciting a frenzy of head banging and moshing. The relentless assault continued with ‘The Scythe's Remorseless Swing’, an unrelenting track that left no room for respite.
The cameo appearance of Ken Owen has the crowd in the sweaty venue in awe of the legendary drummer. His health may not allow him to drum any more but his humour remains. He thanks the crowd for supporting Carcass over the years, in between telling us to “FUCK OFF” which brought a smile to the faces of all in attendance.
For the encore, Carcass resurrected the crowd's energy with ‘Exhume to Consume’, a fan-favourite that ignited a riotous response. The intensity continued to escalate with ‘Tools of the Trade’ and as the final notes of ‘316L Grade Surgical Steel’ reverberated through the venue, it was evident that Carcass had delivered something special with this tour ending performance.
Photo credits: Tim Finch Photography
