Album of the Week – Viscera – Carcinogenesis

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40 minutes of technical bludgeoning death metal is on offer with this tasty second offering from Viscera, a fast rising collaboration between former members of Heart of a Coward, Martyr Defiled, Nervecell and Abhorrent Decimation.

With the blistering delivery of metalcore and deathcore blended with old school death metal, as well as some angular Djent-esque time changes, Viscera are as heavy as hell…. but they’re also unafraid to throw in harmonies, which at times create a semi-power metal vibe, such as on “Rats with Wings”, (an ode to a pigeon?). Although fans shouldn’t panic because it’s only brief and adds, rather than detracts, from the song (which melts faces, incidentally).

Carcinogenesis opens with a symphonic build-up, creating dramatic tension with its choral voices, and it’s a classic way to begin; with battering blast-beats, wailing riffs and guttural roars cascading like an avalanche.

In fact, there’s little respite through the whole album, which brutalises at 100mph for much of its duration. “Layers of Skin” particularly thunders with an aggression that many can only dream about, such is the savagery of its delivery.

Viscera’s approach is to meld as many influences as possible into one giant ball of carnage, line it up and then let loose. And it works on every level. There are plenty of notable influences here, from KSE to Meshuggah, At the Gates to Pantera, the latter showing itself on the chunky breakdowns found across the album.

There’s nothing to dislike about Carcinogenesis. The band have pulled a storming second album out of the pit, and pushed it high into the stratosphere, and if you like your metal to be technical – and combined with an aural assault that’ll leave you breathless – then Viscera’s latest album really should be on your radar! 8/10

Viscera‘s Carcinogenesis was released on March 3rd, 2023 via Unique Leader Records