It seems like only a few days previous when I saw the gods of gore, CARCASS play live and, in fact, it was.

CARCASS are the main support for Kreator on their Krushers Of The World tour, which ncluded the O2 Academy in Brixton the previous Friday, along with Exodus and Nails.
Needless to say, that was a great night of metal. So good that CARCASS decided to slot a headline gig of their own at Camden’s Underworld, and drag tour mates Nails along with them.

The most surprising thing about this gig is that it is nestled between the Glasgow Kreator show on Sunday the 29th, and Tuesday the 31st in Luxembourg. What was meant to be a rest day for travel became a party stopover… for us punters, anyway.

Word was murmured during Exodus’ set at Brixton that this was happening. So I checked, got a ticket (for only £25!?). Minutes after JEFF WALKER officially announced this gig at the end of the CARCASS set, it was sold out.

And so it comes to the night in question, and it obviously makes sense that they got NAILS to tag along for this one nighter.
Theirs is a history not uncommon with the headliners, and I can only imagine that CARCASS felt the same way while on the road during Kreator’s Krushers Of The World tour.
I will admit that my knowledge of NAILS is casual, but I’ve enjoyed what I’ve heard and was bobsmacked by their set at Brixton. This show was a no-brainer.

By the time I’d gained entry to the Underworld, the place was packed out. I found a gap behind the sound desk for a better view and hunkered down (hence the lack of pictures).
As I said earlier, there is some shared heritage between the two bands. Both started with a raw, crusty grindcore type launch before settling into a chosen niche… and both have a tenacity to work hard and play hard.

At times, seeing and hearing NAILS live is like going back to those early, surly Earache Records days. Made evident with opener, SUFFERING SOUL, as well as CONFORM and SCUM WILL RISE.
With an urgency that maintained a pit happy enough for the new guard of grind and powerviolence provided with, the Californian creators of cruelty kept the CARCASS curmudgeons captivated.

Speaking of which, WIDE OPEN WOUND, MADE TO MAKE YOU FAIL and I CAN’T TURN IT OFF offered us old duffers something to latch onto. The filthy guitars and gurgled bass delivered some almost danceable vibes among the “hit it like you hate it” drums.
As vibrant as they are violent, their vitriolic vents hit the mark by the time the Oxnard ordnance finished later with YOU WILL NEVER BE ONE OF US and UNSILENT DEATH. Ending a set with said marks being indelible.

Between bands, and during the obligatory loo/beer break, I was able to get closer into the thrall. This was the main objective, and I was not going to waste seeing such pioneers of pain and pathology in such a small space without getting up close and personal.

The last time (before the few days prior) I saw CARCASS was in 2023, when the TORN ARTERIES album was still relatively fresh. I felt I needed some catching up and was chomping at the bit.
It would seem that CARCASS had the same idea. Maybe it was the personal ambience of the venue, or I could get closer to the band, but the band looked relaxed and up for a good time, Made unmistakable after the guitar intro of UNFIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION had perpetrated the PA.
JEFF WALKER instantly had the crowd going while BILL STEER got busy loving the groove of his riffage. You don’t often see someone visibly enjoy playing and hearing their music as much as him.

BURIED DREAMS saw JEFF give a lesson in making sinister vocals look effortless while his bass thundered greatly in this basement room.
Much of the first half of the gig was a setlist repeat of the tour with Kreator. INCARNATED SOLVENT ABUSE, NO LOVE LOST and DEATH CERTIFICATE all had their usual place, and were all equally enjoyable to witness live again. Nobody should argue this. Why mess around with what you have practiced and perfected on what was meant to be a day off?

It was after DANCE OF IXTAB that we got the first change, and a stone clad anthem at that.
KEEP ON ROTTING IN THE FREE WORLD is a groove rich stoner ride that always makes the crowd loose and chill.
This proved to be the reason NOT to stray from the trodden path, as a bit of misdrumming during KEEP ON ROTTING.. led to some razor keen banter from JEFF.

The following songs, EMBODIMENT and CARNAL FORGE, taken from CARCASS’ seminal album, Heartwork, and that album did most of the heavy lifting on this night, and rightly so. That album pays the mortgage more than any other so it should get the lion’s share.
Later on, the other addition to the tour set was THIS MORTAL COIL, again from HEARTWORK. It was just the galloping, push for an even more frenzied performance, paid back diligently by the audience.

Things settled into the usual closers of CORPORAL JIGSORE QUANDARY and the obligatory melodic death metal standard HEARTWORK track itself forced more sweat from our fevered brows.

It was at that point when things were to be wound up and finished… but it wasn’t.
We were given one last song before they needed to ensure boarding the ferry into the European mainland. Playing the stupidly rare and stupendously short DIE IN PAIN was worth the entry price alone.

With long standing plans needing fulfilling, that was, in my mind, one of the nights of the year. One that will take a long time recovering from and beating.
With no hesitation can I say that, although Mr. WALKER and STEER well into their fifty’s, age is just a number, an obstacle to break and, with metal shows like this, the Elixir that will ensure and endure.