Carcass Family Tree
This is a project aimed at making it easy to see who inspired the bands you love or even hate. For this I try not to use any influences that the band don’t claim themselves. There will be a focus on predecessors but successors will be added as they site the band. These trees become more and more interactive as new bands are added, allowing you to click any band that has a tree and jump to it.
We want our lists to be better. If you know something that belongs on this list, let us know. When in doubt we will leave it out, so we need reliable sources.
Carcass have evolved their sound over the years. Their first album is seen as a grindcore, more specifically goregrind album. Bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker said he’s never considered them grindcore and that what people call grindcore is just bad quality death metal. They went into more pure death metal direction and emerged out the other side as pioneers of melodic death metal. They would even do what is considered a Death ‘n’ Roll album with much more traditional and classic influences. The core line up consists of bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker, although Sanjiv was the vocalist for the first demo. On guitar, Bill Steers, formally of Napalm Death, and on drums Ken Owen. Michael Amott joined as lead guitarist for two albums and Carlo Regadas took his place for one album. Ken Owen suffered a brain hemorrhage in 1999 leaving him unable to drum for the band although he has remained close with them. Since that time they have released one album with Daniel Wilding on drums.
Writing has been primarily done by the core line up of the band, Jeff, Bill, and Ken with Daniel taking on Ken’s role on the most recent album. Michael and Carlo both co-wrote on some songs during their time with the band.
Vinnie Moore
Greg Howe
Bill said he was influenced by a lot of NWOBHM and that Jeff came more from punk.
Bill pulled influence from bands like The Sweet and Slade in his other band Gentleman’s Pistols, but he hasn’t named them as an influence used in Carcass. With his other band Firebird he said he pulled influence from Rory Gallagher, and Jimi Hendrix. As a kid he said some of the first music he got into was Deep Purple, Rory Gallagher, Led Zeppelin, and Jethro Tull. He says he let these more traditional and rock influence come out on Swansong. When asked about Bathory, Bill said he liked the first two albums but overall thought they were overrated. When asked about mainstream thrash, he said he liked Exodus and Slayer. He also said he liked the first coupe heavy Pantera albums.
Jeff said early on he was listening to classic rock before getting into punk and later more into metal. He said he also likes some folk.
Jeff attributes Carcass’s sound change to… “Growing older, branching out musically...we couldn't listen to Repulsion etc. all our lives!!! Having said that, the main reason for the 'change' over all the albums is probably due to an ever changing writing situation. Reek was written equally between me, Bill and Ken, tho' Ken probably wrote more riffs and me more lyrics, Symphonies was mostly Ken's riffs/my lyrics, Necroticism was Ken/Bill and Mike Amott who had joined the band/my lyrics, Heartwork was just Bill/Mike's riffs/my lyrics and finally Swansong was mostly Bill's riffs, with a few songs written by me/Carlo Regadas who had joined/my lyrics again.”
In a 1995 interview with Jeff, when asked about what he currently liked he stated “All sorts, from the Four Horsemen, to The Clash, to Mott The Hoople, to Iron Monkey, to Spiritual Beggars, etc. I like other stuff besides guitar stuff...”
Ken had a big part in the band, but I’m unsure of his influences.
Phase Two and Beyond
Phase two dives into new influence brought to the band by members beyond the original core line up.
Michael said he grew up with his mom listening to jazz and classical and that classical music makes up his earliest memories. He says he also got into some punk and hardcore but didn’t name specific bands.
Carlo said he came from “NWOBHM, classic ’80s metal and shred, punk and hardcore. I’ve never moved on and stayed stuck in that magical window from 1985-1992.” I haven’t found him name any specifics.
Daniel named influences as: Travis Barker, Andols Herrick, Joey Jordison, Lars Ulrich and Dave Grohl. He named favorites as “Dirk Verbeuren, Gil Sharone, Brann Dailor, Kevin Talley, Kai Hahto, Taylor Hawkins, Benny Grebb and John Boecklin.”
Bands influenced by Carcass!
As this project advances, bands will be added here… there are many!
Sources:
https://www.moshville.co.uk/interview/2015/10/interview-bill-steer-of-carcass/
https://echoesanddust.com/2015/10/interview-bill-steer-from-gentlemans-pistols/
https://www.vice.com/en/article/64yqvm/carcass-guitarist-bill-steer-discusses-scottish-seperatism-yorkshire-swagger-and-his-rock-band-gentlemans-pistols
https://crypticrock.com/interview-bill-steer-of-carcass/
http://www.goddamnbastard.org/carcass/interviews/nucleargore.html
http://guitariste-metal.fr/interview-with-bill-steer-carcass-firebird/
https://www.invisibleoranges.com/interview-bill-steer-firebird-carcass/
https://www.yellmagazine.com/2014/04/04/carcass-bill-steer-interview-surgical-steel-decibel-tour/
https://crypticrock.com/interview-jeff-walker-of-carcass/
https://www.westword.com/music/carcass-bassist-jeff-walker-every-bass-player-is-just-a-failed-guitar-player-5684861
https://www.invisibleoranges.com/interview-jeff-walker-of-carcass/
http://www.goddamnbastard.org/carcass/interviews/mindrot.html
http://www.radiometal.com/article/jeff-walker-isn%E2%80%99t-done-gnawing-on-his-good-old-carcass,120610
https://exclaim.ca/music/article/carcass_jeff_walker
https://www.wikimetal.com.br/interview-with-michael-amott-arch-enemy/
https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2018/07/09/carlo-regadas-monstrance-ex-carcass-overcomes-necrotized-organs-cheats-death/
https://sickdrummermagazine.com/the-drummers/death-grind/daniel-wilding/
https://crypticrock.com/interview-michael-amott-of-arch-enemy-2/
https://search.blabbermouth.net/news/arch-enemy-guitarist-is-looking-forward-to-carcass-reunion/
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/arch-enemy-guitarist-nobody-really-sounds-like-us/
https://www.ghostcultmag.com/guitar-gods-michael-amott-talks-hero-worship/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bel-35SlR7v/