The List of Carcass Albums in Order of Release Date

Carcass are one of the most influential extreme metal bands to emerge from the UK, and exploring Carcass Albums in Order offers a clear view of how their sound helped shape grindcore and melodic death metal.
Formed in Liverpool in 1985, the band—led consistently by guitarist Bill Steer and bassist-vocalist Jeff Walker—built a reputation for pushing musical and lyrical boundaries. From the raw, gore-soaked brutality of Reek of Putrefaction to the genre-defining precision of Heartwork and the modern ferocity of Torn Arteries, Carcass’s discography reflects constant evolution without losing its core identity. Over the decades, lineup changes, a breakup in the mid-1990s, and a successful reformation have all played a role in shaping their recorded output. In total, Carcass have released seven studio albums, each marking a distinct phase in their career and influence.
This guide to Carcass Albums in Order is designed for fans, metal historians, and new listeners alike, providing a structured way to understand how the band progressed from underground grindcore pioneers to globally respected icons of extreme metal. So, if you are a die heart fan of Carcass Albums then check out here we have list of Carcass albums in order of release so far.
All Carcass Albums Available on: Apple Music
Also See: At the Gates Albums in Order
How many albums does Carcass have?
To date, the Carcass band have released seven studio albums, two compilation albums, five EPs, two demo albums, one video album, and seven music videos.
The List of Carcass Albums in Order of Release Date
Here is the list of Carcass Album in Order of Release Date:
- Reek of Putrefaction — 7 July 1988
- Symphonies of Sickness — 4 December 1989
- Necroticism – Descanting the Insalubrious — 30 October 1991
- Heartwork — 18 October 1993
- Swansong — 10 June 1996
- Surgical Steel — 13 September 2013
- Torn Arteries — 17 September 2021
All Carcass Albums List in Order
1. Reek of Putrefaction (1988)

Tracks:
Side One: Faecal Disarticulation
- Genital Grinder
- Regurgitation of Giblets
- Maggot Colony
- Pyosisified (Rotten to the Gore)
- Carbonized Eyesockets
- Frenzied Detruncation
- Vomited Anal Tract
- Festerday
- Fermenting Innards
- Excreted Alive
- Suppuration
Side Two: Anal Disgorgement
- Foeticide
- Microwaved Uterogestation
- Feast on Dismembered Carnage
- Splattered Cavities
- Psychopathologist
- Burnt to a Crisp
- Pungent Excruciation
- Manifestation of Verrucose Urethra
- Oxidised Razor Masticator
- Mucopurulence Excretor
- Malignant Defecation
Reek of Putrefaction is the groundbreaking debut album by British extreme metal band Carcass, released in July 1988 through Earache Records. Widely regarded as the first true goregrind release, the album pushed grindcore into far more brutal and graphic territory. Recorded in just four days, its raw, muddy production was largely accidental, yet it became part of the album’s infamous identity. Despite the band’s dissatisfaction, the record reached No. 6 on the UK Indie Chart and earned praise from John Peel. Its shocking sound and artwork cemented its cult status and lasting influence on extreme metal.
2. Symphonies of Sickness (1989)

Tracks:
- Reek of Putrefaction
- Exhume to Consume
- Excoriating Abdominal Emanation
- Ruptured in Purulence
- Empathological Necroticism
- Embryonic Necropsy and Devourment
- Swarming Vulgar Mass of Infected Virulency
- Cadaveric Incubator of Endoparasites
- Slash Dementia
- Crepitating Bowel Erosion
Symphonies of Sickness is the second studio album by British extreme metal pioneers Carcass, released on 4 December 1989 through Earache Records. The album represents a major evolution in the band’s sound, blending the raw grindcore aggression of Reek of Putrefaction with more structured and complex death metal elements. Recorded as a three-piece, it features longer songs, heavier production, and all members contributing vocals. Praised for tracks like “Exhume to Consume,” the album is widely regarded as a landmark release that helped define the deathgrind and goregrind subgenres, earning lasting critical acclaim and historical significance.
3. Necroticism – Descanting the Insalubrious (1991)

Tracks:
- Inpropagation
- Corporal Jigsore Quandary
- Symposium of Sickness
- Pedigree Butchery
- Incarnated Solvent Abuse
- Carneous Cacoffiny
- Lavaging Expectorate of Lysergide Composition
- Forensic Clinicism / The Sanguine Article
Necroticism – Descanting the Insalubrious is the third studio album by British extreme metal band Carcass, released in October 1991 via Earache Records. Marking the debut of guitarist Michael Amott and the band’s first recording as a four-piece, the album represents a major shift toward a more complex, technical death metal sound. Featuring longer song structures and intricate guitar work, Necroticism blends brutality with progressive ambition. Widely praised by critics, it earned near-universal acclaim and is regarded as a landmark release that helped redefine Carcass’s musical identity and influence extreme metal’s evolution.
4. Heartwork (1993)
Tracks:
- Buried Dreams
- Carnal Forge
- No Love Lost
- Heartwork
- Embodiment
- This Mortal Coil
- Arbeit macht Fleisch
- Blind Bleeding the Blind
- Doctrinal Expletives
- Death Certificate
Heartwork is the fourth studio album by English extreme metal band Carcass and a defining release in melodic death metal. Originally issued in the UK on 18 October 1993 by Earache Records and later in the US by Columbia Records, it marked the band’s only major-label album. Recorded at Parr Street Studios in Liverpool, Heartwork refined Carcass’ brutal sound with sharper songwriting, memorable hooks, and strong melodies influenced by classic British heavy metal. Featuring striking H. R. Giger cover art, the album is widely regarded as Carcass’ breakthrough and a landmark release that reshaped extreme metal in the 1990s.
5. Swansong (1996)

Tracks:
- Keep On Rotting in the Free World
- Tomorrow Belongs to Nobody
- Black Star
- Cross My Heart
- Child’s Play
- Room 101
- Polarized
- Generation Hexed
- Firm Hand
- R**k the Vote
- Don’t Believe a Word
- Go to Hell
Swansong is the fifth studio album by English extreme metal band Carcass, released on 10 June 1996 through Earache Records. Marking a bold stylistic shift, the album moves away from pure death metal toward a groove-driven death ’n’ roll sound. It is the only Carcass release to feature guitarist Carlo Regadas and the final album with founding drummer Ken Owen. Originally planned as a major-label debut with Columbia Records, industry disputes brought the band back to Earache. Despite mixed critical reviews, Swansong later gained cult status and stood as Carcass’s last studio album for 17 years until Surgical Steel (2013).
6. Surgical Steel (2013)

Tracks:
- 1985
- Thrasher’s Abattoir
- Cadaver Pouch Conveyor System
- A Congealed Clot of Blood
- The Master Butcher’s Apron
- Noncompliance to ASTM F899-12 Standard
- The Granulating Dark Satanic Mills
- Unfit for Human Consumption
- 316L Grade Surgical Steel
- Captive Bolt Pistol
- Mount of Execution
Surgical Steel is the sixth full-length album by British extreme metal legends Carcass and marked their powerful studio comeback after a 17-year gap since Swansong (1996). Released in September 2013 via Nuclear Blast, the album introduced drummer Daniel Wilding while longtime member Ken Owen contributed backing vocals. Recorded as a three-piece, Surgical Steel blends Carcass’ classic death metal aggression with sharp melodies and precision riffing. Critically acclaimed, it earned widespread praise and high review scores, charted in multiple countries, and reached the UK Top 50, reaffirming Carcass’ enduring influence in extreme metal.
7. Torn Arteries (2021)

Tracks:
- Torn Arteries
- Dance of Ixtab (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No. 1 in B)
- Eleanor Rigor Mortis
- Under the Scalpel Blade
- The Devil Rides Out
- Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment Limited
- Kelly’s Meat Emporium
- In God We Trust
- Wake Up and Smell the Carcass / Caveat Emptor
- The Scythe’s Remorseless Swing
Torn Arteries is the seventh studio album by English extreme metal legends Carcass, released on 17 September 2021. Named after a teenage demo by former drummer Ken Owen, the album arrived eight years after Surgical Steel, marking the band’s longest gap between releases. Featuring the stable lineup of Jeff Walker, Bill Steer and Daniel Wilding, it was the first Carcass album since Heartwork (1993) with the same lineup returning for multiple records. Delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Torn Arteries earned widespread critical acclaim, topping year-end metal lists and charting strongly worldwide.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, exploring Carcass Albums in Order reveals the remarkable evolution of one of extreme metal’s most influential bands. From the raw goregrind chaos of Reek of Putrefaction to the genre-defining melodic death metal masterpiece Heartwork, and the powerful modern resurgence seen on Surgical Steel and Torn Arteries, Carcass consistently pushed musical boundaries. Despite lineup changes, label shifts, and long hiatuses, Bill Steer and Jeff Walker preserved the band’s identity and creative vision. Understanding Carcass Albums in Order offers fans and newcomers a clear, rewarding journey through the band’s legacy, innovation, and lasting impact on metal history.
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