Carcass is a British extreme metal band from Liverpool, England. Formed in 1986, they are credited as pioneers of grindcore, goregrind, and melodic death metal. They are known for their extremely sophisticated jargon as they describe scenes of intense gore.

Carcass is not only attributed to helping establish grindcore as a legitimate genre, but as their sound shifted to melodic death metal – their fan-dividing album Heartwork is often regarded as one of the greatest metal records of the 1990s. Carcass has gone through several lineup changes, leaving guitarist Bill Steer and bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker as the only constant members. Walker and Steer are both vegetarians.

The band was formed as a school band by guitarist Bill Steer and drummer Ken Owen that soon after disbanded. Steer later joined the D-beat band Disattack. They released a demo entitled A Bomb Drops… in 1986. Disattack’s bass player left the band and was replaced by Jeff Walker of Electro Hippies. Bill Steer joined Napalm Death and recorded the guitars on the second side of Napalm Death’s first studio album, Scum. Walker also designed the cover artwork for Scum. Disattack then changed its name to Carcass and Drummer Ken Owen joined the band. In 1987, they recorded the demo Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment, which is the only Carcass record to feature vocalist Sanjiv.

After signing to Earache Records, the trio released their debut studio album, Reek of Putrefaction in 1988. In 1989, Carcass released their second full-length album, Symphonies of Sickness which featured more death metal structures than earlier grindcore records. In the early 1990s, Carcass became a four-piece, as guitarist Michael Amott of Carnage joined the band. Carcass' third studio album Necroticism – Descanting the Insalubrious was released in 1991. The album showed a predominant death metal sound, improved production, and more guitar solos. An EP entitled Tools of the Trade was released in 1992.

The fourth album, Heartwork was released in England through Earache Records in October 1993 and in the United States in January 1994 through Columbia Records, making it the band’s first major-label release. Heartwork is credited as a landmark album in the melodic death metal genre. Michael Amott left the band after the recording of the album and Carlo Regadas replaced him. Carcass moved back to Earache Records, after the problems with Columbia Records. Carcass disbanded in 1996, before releasing their fifth album, Swansong.

Carcass reformed in 2007, with the lineup consisted of Bill Steer, Jeff Walker, Michael Amott, and drummer Daniel Erlandsson replacing Ken Owen. Owen couldn’t participate due to the effects of the cerebral hemorrhage he suffered in 1999. After performing several tours, Amott and Erlandsson left Carcass in 2012 to focus on Arch Enemy. Drummer Daniel Wilding joined Carcass in 2012. Carcass released a studio album titled Surgical Steel that year. Ken Owen was also brought in to record some background vocals on the album. Guitarist Ben Ash joined the band in 2013. In 2013, Carcass signed to Nuclear Blast. Carcass released the EP Surgical Remission/Surplus Steel in 2014. Ash left the band in 2018. Later, in 2020, Carcass released another EP, called Despicable. In 2021, the band released their seventh studio album, Torn Arteries.

Members

Current

Bill Steer – guitars, backing vocals (1985–1996, 2007–present), co-lead vocals (1985–1992)
Jeff Walker – bass, lead vocals (1985–1996, 2007–present)
Daniel Wilding – drums (2012–present)

Past

Sanjiv Sumner – lead vocals (1986–1987)
Ken Owen – drums (1986–1996)
Michael Amott – guitars (1990–1993, 2007–2012)
Carlo Regadas – guitars (1994–1996)
Daniel Erlandsson – drums (2007–2012)
Ben Ash – guitars (2013–2018)

Touring

Mike Hickey – guitars (1993–1994)
Tom Draper – guitars (2018–present)
‘Nip’ Blackford – guitars (2021–present)