Although their first release was in 2020, Carnal Savagery's roots go way back to the early 90's via Cromlech, so their old school sound is not just in loving tribute. Definitely keeping to Swedish tradition, the HM-2 is on full blast here, and Graveworms, Cadavers, Coffins and Bones feels like opening a vintage record and putting it on the deck for the first time. Thick and chugging, the savage slabs on display take that old school ethos and clean it up (just a tad) to fit modern standards and recording techniques. However, outside of that cleanliness, there is dirt and grime galore to be had with the distortion, riffs, and vile vocals. The artwork, song titles, and lyrics all reflect a simpler, gorier moment in death metal and offer a nice respite from our current lives to take a brief spin back in time. From the opening salvo of "Nailed to the Cross," Carnal Savagery set their sights on pummeling and do so with aplomb. Very reminiscent of Dismember's Like An Everflowing Stream, the buzzsaws are strong and very upfront in the mix, showing exactly what the focus of the album is and for good reason. The riffs are tight and heavy, but still have their share of acrobatics, but not overwhelmingly so, allowing the boys to keep their product sleek and efficient. Propulsive drumming keeps everything moving along nicely, if not a bit metronomic. Deep growls belt out the tales of death and dismemberment, and fill in the mix nicely. All in all, fans of Swedish death metal will know full well what they're getting themselves into with Carnal Savagery, and they're getting quite a nice treat with Graveworms, Cadavers, Coffins and Bones. 

 

Being their second release in 2024, one would have reason to think that the material may not be up to snuff, as coming up with that much music is very hard to do. However, Carnal Savagery have turned on the jets with their latest and have put out a fantastic, fast, frenetic death metal album in Graveworms, Cadavers, Coffins and Bones. A skillful revitalization of old school Swedish death, the sixth LP by Carnal Savagery is highly recommended. While it hits heavy right from the first note, the album ups the ante and improves with each successive spin.