Carnal Tomb – Embalmed in Decay (Review)

This is the third album from German death metal band Carnal Tomb.

Embalmed in Decay features 39 minutes of death metal brutality. Carnal Tomb have produced a collection of death metal songs that are well-crafted and demonstrate a keen understanding of the style.

Before I first heard Embalmed in Decay I was ready to complain once more about bands including pointless intros on their albums all of the time, but I was surprised to find that the one here is actually a really good keyboard piece. Still, I wish they had called it something more imaginative than just Intro. Regardless, despite that classy start, we’re then into Carnal Tomb’s old-school death metal. It’s gruesome and dripping with slime and entrails, but it hits that classic death metal spot quite nicely.

The songs are well-written and adhere to the classic style. It falls somewhere between Autopsy and Grave, with a dash of Incantation thrown in for good measure. Delving into a few different paces and making sure that a song-focused approach is taken, the music offers a solid example of the old-school style that’s clearly played by people with a love for what they do.

Amidst the deathly carnage you can find elements of sophistication, recalling the macabre majesty of the intro track. This might manifest in an emotive guitar solo, a moment of atmospheric depth, or an instrumental section that’s particularly detailed. This reveals Carnal Tomb’s vision; brutality and heaviness are obviously the main goals, but they enrich this with a high level of skill and the thoughtful application of finesse that helps to bring out the band’s own personality and character.

Embalmed in Decay is a solid and enjoyable slab of old-school heaviness, one that has a good deal of treasures to unearth across its duration.

Highly recommended for fans of classic death metal.