Inverted World

As every student of ’90s death metal knows, CANCER were heavyweights. Their first three albums are all revered classics. Things went a bit peculiar as the decade progressed (although 1995’s “Black Faith” is far better than often advertised),and fizzled out entirely by 1996. Subsequent reunions have led to more new music, but nothing with the same lethal qualities that made “Death Shall Rise” (1991) and “The Sins Of Mankind” (1993) such essential listening for death metal fans 30 years ago.

Back in action since 2013, CANCER have been steadily building to this point and are giving the distinct impression that this time is different. 2018’s “Shadow Gripped” came close to recapturing the magic of the old days, with songs like “Ballcutter” and “Organ Snatcher” reeking of old-school intent. But something has changed between that release and “Inverted World”. Audibly re-engaged with the whole process of being a death metal band, CANCER have not sounded this ferocious or powerful since 1993.

It might be hard for younger generations to fully understand, but death metal didn’t always sound like a computerized carpet-bombing raid. CANCER always had a unique sound, and one of the nastiest, filthiest riffing styles in the underground, informed by thrash as much as death metal. With the important caveat that “Inverted World” is absolutely not an exercise in nostalgia, this is a wholehearted return to the classic death metal songwriting of 30 years ago. With a meaty production that gets the balance right between old-school rawness and contemporary oomph, these songs aspire to be righteous, spiritual sequels to the likes of “Meat Train” and “Hung, Drawn and Quartered”. Mission accomplished.

Now based in Madrid, Spain, singer/guitarist John Walker has assembled a smart and talented group of musicians to continue the CANCER legacy, and while death metal nerds may decry the absence of any other original members, “Inverted World” is so good that it hardly seems to matter. As showcased on explosive first single, “Amputate”, this incarnation of the band is driven by utmost respect for the original lineup, and the desire to get things right is writ large across every song, especially in terms of the foul atmosphere that CANCER once made a trademark.

“Enter the Gates” is a towering start: monstrously heavy and defiantly mid-paced, it hurls down the band’s refreshed blueprint with steely conviction. Both “Until They Died” and “Inverted World” reinforce the slow, heavy and gruesome ethos that served the band so well in the ’90s, but that sounds even more unique and characterful in 2025. CANCER are still prone to bursts of pugnacious velocity, not least on the sneering pummel of “Test Site” and brick-built, belligerent closer “Corrosive”, but they only slam the accelerator down when absolutely necessary. For the rest of the time, these songs are stealthy, grandiose and crushing. “39 Bodies” is bare-bones death metal with a grinding, militaristic gait; “When Killing isn’t Murder” weaves a post-metal haze into its brutish intro, before surfing ahead on greyed-out, evil thrash riffs with noble amounts of swing and swagger; and “Jesus for Eugenics” is as crazed and disturbing as its title suggests, the tasteful acoustic guitars of its intro dissolving into a slow-burning monument to abominable power, with riffs of a pointedly epic hue, and a vocal from Walker that really seethes.

Old-school fans will rejoice. Newcomers will have their heads ripped off. “Inverted World” is a triumphant return to glory.