My city was abuzz with all the Primary Elections hoopla and as I compose my narrative about this exciting tour it seems as though both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton had won their respective parties in my state. While I never get political here on the site, I can say that the next few months are going to be quite interesting. Now onto the awesome task at hand which is the announcement that both Carcass and Crowbar will be touring together and bringing along Ghoul and Night Demon. Check out the poster, the full press copy and dates and count the moments until I opine on this for you a little deeper. Here we go.
The Press Release:
Following a successful assault on our shores alongside label mates SLAYER and TESTAMENT, disinterred British metal icons CARCASS, will return to North America for a headlining tour this summer.! Joining them are southern metal heavy weights CROWBAR, horror thrashers GHOUL, and Los Angeles based metal act NIGHT DEMON.
The Tour Dates:
07/16/16: Chicago, IL – Chicago Open Air Festival
07/17/16: Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater
07/19/16: Denver, CO – Bluebird Theatre
07/20/16: Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
07/22/16: Sacramento, CA – Ace Of Spades
07/23/16: Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory
07/24/16: Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy Theater
07/25/16: Phoenix, AZ – Club Red
07/26/16: El Paso, TX – Tricky Falls
07/27/16: Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater
07/29/16: Memphis, TN – New Daisy Theatre
07/30/16: Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom
07/31/16: Columbus, OH – Park Street Saloon
08/01/16: Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Sound Stage
08/02/16: Richmond, VA – Broadberry
08/03/16: Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts
08/04/16: New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre
08/05/16: New Haven, CT – Toad’s Place
08/06/16: Montreal, QC – Heavy MTL Festival (Carcass only)
CARCASS released Surgical Steel in September 2013 and came in at #41 on the US Billboard Top 200 Chart, just narrowly avoiding the dreaded “top 40 band” moniker. Even with their impressive back catalogue, Surgical Steel has given the band their highest charting and possibly most critically acclaimed record to date.
Surgical Steel was produced by Colin Richardson (NAPALM DEATH, BOLT THROWER, GOREFEST,CANNIBAL CORPSE, SINISTER, RODRIGO Y GABRIELA) and mixed/mastered by Andy Sneap(MEGADETH, ACCEPT, EXODUS, TESTAMENT). Joining guitarist Bill Steer and bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker in the band’s current incarnation are new drummer Dan Wilding (ABORTED, TRIGGER THE BLOODSHED) and guitarist Ben Ash (PIG IRON, DESOLATION, LIQUEFIED SKELETON). Original sticksman Ken Owen contributed guest vocals as well.
CARCASS has released several classic albums over the years, including Decibel Magazine “Hall of Fame” inductees Heartwork and Necroticism – Descanting the Insalubrious, and their influence has changed the face of extreme metal with every consecutive release. Whether it was inventing gore-grind (i.e. Reek of Putrefaction, Symphonies of Sickness) or creating the template for melodic death metal (i.e. Heartwork), CARCASS has always made records by which bars were set and rules were broken. Upon the band’s dismantling in 1996, fans mourned the loss of the seminal act and longed that the group would return again one day. In 2007, the metal world got its wish as CARCASS reformed to play several sold-out reunion shows around the globe. Once again re-motivated to administer a shot of cynicism and infectious riffs into the arm of a sickly metal scene, founding members Bill Steer and Jeff Walker began writing what would become the latest output of their highly influential career, Surgical Steel. Only the choicest of cuts were made, and blood sweat and tears were shed to bring us a record worthy of theCARCASS legacy. In short, Surgical Steel is just what the doctor ordered.
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PiercingMetal Thoughts: A lot of us missed the last time Carcass came around because that run with Slayer hit some regions that were not usually stops on a bands run. This was great for those fans who surely deserved a visit. Now it’s time for the Metal Masses to enjoy a proper Carcass headlining set which is really how they are meant to be enjoyed. I’ve nothing but Metal love for the sludgetastic sonics of Crowbar and have to say that I have been interested in Ghoul and Night Demon for a little while. Ghoul look like a bunch of masked serial killers from he photos and Night Demon is a group that friends have been raving about and I trust their words. This three week tour is hitting a lot of stops so I will suggest that the interested get their tickets early because Carcass always sells out when they are in town. I’m going to be there raising the horns when they hit the Gramercy Theatre as the run closes up. What do you readers think about this one? Will you be there? Let me know in the comments below.
Official Websites:
Carcass: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialCarcass/
Crowbar: https://www.facebook.com/crowbarmusic/
Ghoul: http://www.creepsylvania.com/
Night Demon: http://www.nightdemon.net/