What makes Symphonies of Sickness by Carcass notable?

Symphonies of Sickness is significant for its pioneering role in the development of the goregrind subgenre, influencing countless artists with its graphic lyrical content and extreme sound. The album received critical acclaim from major publications, establishing Carcass as a key player in the underground metal movement and paving the way for future explorations into melodic death metal. Released in 1989, Symphonies of Sickness marked Carcass's second studio album, following their debut, Reek of Putrefaction, which had introduced their signature grindcore sound. This record further solidified their position within the death metal and goregrind scenes, showcasing a more refined production and complex musical arrangements that hinted at their later melodic influences.

Who is Symphonies of Sickness for?

Symphonies of Sickness works well if you're into dynamic emotional journeys, intense peaks and valleys and long, immersive listening sessions.

How many songs are on Symphonies of Sickness?

Symphonies of Sickness has 26 tracks, running approximately 76 minutes.

Symphonies of Sickness

Carcass · 1989

76 min · 26 tracks · death metal

An unrelenting barrage of guttural growls and frenetic guitars punctuated by grotesque themes and visceral imagery.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Exhume to Consume — This track exemplifies Carcass's blend of grindcore aggression with intricate song structures, showcasing the band's technical prowess while maintaining raw energy.
→
Empathological Necroticism — The song's complex arrangements and varied tempos highlight the band's evolution from pure grind to a more layered approach, foreshadowing their future work.
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Cadaveric Incubator of Endoparasites — Its relentless pace and grotesque imagery encapsulate the essence of goregrind, making it a defining moment on the album that resonates with fans of extreme music.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

61 /100

Treeline

Higher than 71% of albums we've rated

The album showcases intense compositions and a unique sound that influenced the goregrind subgenre.

What we noticed

The album features a relentless barrage of fast tempos and aggressive guitar riffs, with most tracks clocking in under three minutes.
Vocals are primarily guttural growls, often layered to create a dense wall of sound that complements the chaotic instrumentation.
Lyrical themes revolve around grotesque and graphic imagery, with titles reflecting visceral content that aligns with the music's intensity.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 8/10
Durability 25% of the score: 6/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 8/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 5/10

Influence 6/10

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

dynamic emotional journeys
intense peaks and valleys
long, immersive listening sessions
wave-like pacing experience
relentless auditory assault

Where this album fits

Career context: Released in 1989, Symphonies of Sickness marked Carcass's second studio album, following their debut, Reek of Putrefaction, which had introduced their signature grindcore sound. This record further solidified their position within the death metal and goregrind scenes, showcasing a more refined production and complex musical arrangements that hinted at their later melodic influences.
Stylistic neighbors: Entombed· At the Gates· Napalm Death

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Moments worth listening for

Where the writing does something specific.

Empathological Necroticism

A shift occurs when the narrative voice shifts from detached observation to visceral involvement in the gruesome subject matter.

This transition deepens the listener’s engagement with the narrative, creating an unsettling intimacy that challenges conventional boundaries of lyrical storytelling.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

1 Reek of Putrefaction 4:11
2 Exhume to Consume 3:51
3 Excoriating Abdominal Emanation 4:32
4 Ruptured in Purulence 4:11
5 Empathological Necroticism 5:45
6 Embryonic Necropsy and Devourment 5:13
7 Swarming Vulgar Mass of Infected Virulency 3:10
8 Cadaveric Incubator of Endoparasites 3:24
9 Slash Dementia 3:23
10 Crepitating Bowel Erosion 5:27
11 Genital Grinder 1:25
12 Regurgitation of Giblets 1:22
13 Maggot Colony 1:37
14 Pyosisified (Rotten to the Core) 2:54
15 Vomited Anal Tract 1:43
16 Fermenting Innards 2:33
17 Excreted Alive 1:20
18 Suppuration 2:19
19 Foeticide 2:44
20 Feast on Dismembered Carnage 1:25
21 Splattered Cavities 1:53
22 Psychopathologist 1:17
23 Burnt to a Crisp 2:40
24 Pungent Excruciation 2:30
25 Oxidised Razor Masticator 3:11
26 Malignant Defecation 2:16

What to play next

Listen next

Necroticism – Descanting the Insalubrious

1991

Go back to

Reek of Putrefaction

1988

Full Carcass discography Where to start with Carcass Artists like Carcass

death metal grindcore melodic death metal

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata