Reek of Putrefaction
Carcass · 1988
39 min · 22 tracks · death metal
An unrelenting barrage of guttural growls and chaotic instrumentation creates a visceral soundscape of horror and decay.
Top tracks — play these first
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Genital Grinder — The opening track immediately establishes the album's abrasive sound and thematic focus on grotesque imagery, setting a disturbing tone for what's to come.
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Regurgitation of Giblets — With its frenetic pace and visceral lyrics, this track exemplifies the raw energy and chaotic structure that define the band's early style.
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Foeticide — This song encapsulates Carcass's fusion of grindcore aggression with intricate musicianship, illustrating their innovative approach to songwriting.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album's aggressive structure and graphic themes define its distinct place in grindcore and goregrind.
What we noticed
- The album features short, aggressive tracks averaging around two minutes each, creating a relentless pace throughout.
- Each song is characterized by rapid tempo changes and abrupt transitions, often shifting from blast beats to slower, sludgy riffs.
- The vocal style consists of guttural growls layered over chaotic instrumentation, with minimal melodic elements present.
- Lyrical themes focus on graphic imagery related to decay and horror, aligning with the overall sound aesthetic.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- short, intense listening bursts
- chaotic energy and aggression
- relentless sonic onslaught
- immersive visceral experiences
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Reek of Putrefaction is Carcass's debut album, released in 1988 when the band was still establishing its identity within the burgeoning grindcore scene. The album set the stage for their later evolution into melodic death metal, showcasing a raw intensity that would influence countless acts in the genre.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Entombed· At the Gates· Napalm Death
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Genital Grinder 1:32
- 2 Regurgitation of Giblets 1:24
- 3 Maggot Colony 1:37
- 4 Pyosisified (Rotten to the Gore) 2:55
- 5 Carbonized Eye Sockets 1:11
- 6 Frenzied Detruncation 0:59
- 7 Vomited Anal Tract 1:45
- 8 Festerday 0:22
- 9 Fermenting Innards 2:35
- 10 Excreted Alive 1:21
- 11 Suppuration 2:19
- 12 Foeticide 2:46
- 13 Microwaved Uterogestation 1:24
- 14 Feast on Dismembered Carnage 1:27
- 15 Splattered Cavities 1:54
- 16 Psychopathologist 1:18
- 17 Burnt to a Crisp 2:43
- 18 Pungent Excruciation 2:31
- 19 Manifestation of Verrucose Urethra 1:02
- 20 Oxidised Razor Masticator 3:12
- 21 Mucopurulence Excretor 1:09
- 22 Malignant Defecation 2:15
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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