It is interesting to see how a band who has not released new material for a significant period of time – twenty-four years in the case of Midlands (UK) Death Metallers Cancer  – will react to the task. As we know, Carcass, the test case, was an overwhelming success as Surgical Steel (Nuclear Blast) refined their previous styles into a singular, focused direction of travel with added bite. Subsequently, At The Gates also returned with a show of strength, albeit with a more reflective tone to this year’s output; once again, an alteration to previous ideas was the way forward for that troupe. Both acts showed deference to their seminal works, choosing not to take them head-on, referring to their past with respect, while carving a newer niche.Continue reading →