Customer Reviews

Choice Cuts

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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Wow. The best of the best Carcass has to offer. With songs spanning over their entire career and over their 5 cds. Some of the songs have bad production [mainly the songs from Reek of Putrefaction], but you have to remember when it was released. Tracks 14-17 were taken from a peel session recorded 02.01.89, and tracks 18-21 were taken from a peel session on 02.01.89.
With the best Carcass has to offer from their early days to their melodic last days, what could go wrong? According to this cd, nothing went wrong. This is the 'Best Of' cd Carcass fans have been waiting for. If you dont know who Carcass are, pick this up.

Carcass was a band that played a highly influential role during their existence from the late 80's to the late 90's. Tracks from every album are encountered here, from their badly produced goregrind days during "Reek of Putrefaction" to their well produced classics "Necroticism" (death metal), "Heartwork" (melodic death metal) and "Swansong" (melodic thrash). However, there is more to that than just some songs off their timeless classics. Tracks from singles appear as well ("Tools of the Trade", "This Is Your Life"), along with two Peel Sessions from the years 89 and 90 (a goodie for old school Carcass fans). The booklet is also an interesting read, as it has a 2004 interview with Carcass drummer Ken Owen, and it retrospects their early days, their breakthrough days, and the days after Carcass has called it a day.

If you are a diehard Carcass fan, or even a beginner to their music, I recommend this collection. It's not just Earache's way of getting more cash, nope, it's much more than that.

If you're an all time Carcass fan, like me, you'll surely appreciate this best-of album. This brand new compilation recollects material from all their albums, from their uncompromising debut "Reek of putrefaction" to their latest "controversial" effort "Swansong". But the main dish here are the legendary Peel Sessions, rare and hard to find separately. The "Peel Sessions" are two sessions of live recordings in John Peel's radio Show in Great Britain back in the late 80s and beginning of the 90s.

Carcass' most acclaimed songs are featured in this album. All time classics such as "Exhume to consume", "Corporeal jigsore quandary", "Heartwork" or "Buried dreams", obvious choices when it comes to Carcass' favorites. Personally I'd prefered the song "Reek of putrefaction" from "Symphonies of sickness" instead "Swarming vulgar...", but it's ok anyway, considering that "Reek..." is taken from the Peel Sessions, in a killer live version. But, hey, that's me, and favorites may vary from fan to fan, and one or two songs wouldn't make the difference, because, as I said before, the main character are both Peel Sessions and, however, you won't find "Choice Cuts" songs that all Carcass fans don't already have.

Another positive thing is the booklet and album cover. Returning to their great old times, where everything was bizarre, obscene and grotesque. You can see their old logo in the front cover, and drummer Ken Owen slaughtering his buddies (with some kind of kitchen knife or machete) that are laying down, and whose spilled blood in the wall spell "Choice cuts". Yummy! Very primitive, but somehow showing the band's sense of humour since the beginning. Inside the booklet you have a collage of photos, backstage passes, concert tickets (like the ones from the famous "Gods of grind" tour with Entombed, Cathedral and Confessor), magazine articles, along with an interview with Ken Owen, whom, apparently, has been the mastermind behind this compilation. He talks about everything past present and future, the scene then and today, memories, anecdotes (how he met Jeff and Bill). A very interesting interview in which carcass story is told, well, answered really, by one who has been a part of it since the very start.

Remember that this compilation was supposed to be released a while ago, but it was suspended due to Ken Owen suffering a brain haemorrage and spending a couple of years in the hospital and now being in the recovery stage. Ken was feeling much better and "Choice cuts" now sees the light of day.

The Peel Sessions above mentioned suffered from a bad production, but they're great anyways, especially the second one, recorded an year later with an improved sound quality.

"Choice Cuts" has everything that al fasn will appreciate, reminding you the old times. Perhaps, the last legacy of one of the greatest death metal bands, whose memory and influence will live on.

Carcass are legends of Death Metal. This CD is awesome. I urge anyone seriously interested in Death Metal to buy this. If you don't like this, then don't bother with this genre. But this is great, and with 21 songs too! It even has the John Peel (R.i.P) sessions on there. The production on those last 4 songs are a bit low, but in a way, that makes them even more dirty and grimy and very much like Carcass.

In the booklet you get a pretty long and informative Interview with drummer Ken Owen too. It gives you a rough guide of the bands history for anyone interested, and even talks about Ken Owen's aneurysm he had back in Feb '99. All in all, it's pretty interesting.

If you're a big fan of Carcass, you probably don't need this as it's basically a "Best of.." album. But if you're really desperate for the bonus tracks, and like Carcass back in the early days most, then go ahead and add this to your collection. It's a good CD, and Carcass are very influential to the Grindcore/Death Metal bands of today.

i'm a die hard carcass fan, choise cuts is a collection of some of their great hits, it's a mesmerizing experience, someone who has not heard carcass, just bloody buy it, u'll be headbanging all the way mates. a blast from the past.

Tracks 5 through to 13 are great! Real heavy, real clear. The rest of the songs from the bands earlier grindcore days sadly are s*%t. Regardless this album is crucial to any metallers collection. They were such a good english band.

I was curious about Carcass, so I picked this up. After one listen and a glance at the liner notes, I feel like I know Carcass well enough to dive in. Their styles moved from drones to growling thrash numbers to hard-hitting crowd-pleasers. Carcass is a capable band with a tight history. The addition of the peel sessions gives the uninnitated a view into what an actual album might feel like, and its very exciting music. I can imagine it's a welcome addition for the Carcass fan also. All best-of discs should be like this. A brief history to follow, an lengthy interview with a member (for the fans and the interested), and complete hunks worth of worthy rarities.
Anyone who ever thought about owning a Carcass CD should buy this.

If your a fan of carcass weather you prefer their old grind days or the melodic death metal days... Which both eras were amazing being as carcass are very talented in wherever they do or touch. If your a fan carcass buy it and dont even think about you will not be dissapointed but if your new to grind get it aswell. Best songs ? 1-10 and the rest are amazing too. Buy it!