Cancer - Death Shall Rise
1991 Restless

Track Listing:
1.  Hung, Drawn, and Quartered
2.  Tasteless Incest
3.  Burning Casket
4.  Death Shall Rise
5.  Back From The Dead
6.  Gruesome Tasks
7.  Corpse Fire
8.  Internal Decay

Line-Up:
Vocals:  John Walker
Lead Guitar:  James Murphy
Guitar:  John Walker
Bass:  Ian Buchanan
Drums:  Carl Stokes
Guest Vocals:  Glen Benton

Website:  www.cancerfuckincancer.co.uk

Shev's Rating:  B-
Average Rating:  B-

Shev's Review:
Cancer has had a most interesting career.  With "Death Shall Rise" making Cancer exceedingly popular at the time of it's release, this is really the only Cancer album worth buying.  "Death Shall Rise" is their second full-length after the horrid "To The Gory End", but they could never seem to find their pace afterwards.  This could have something to do with anything between the production by big name Scott Burns to the small guest appearance of Deicide's Glen Benton to the addition of legendary guitarist James Murphy to the recording of the album at Morrisound.

Cancer have actually done nothing new as far as the death metal scene is concerned.  Think three quarters Malevolent Creation mixed with one quarter Bolt Thrower and there you have Cancer's sound.  Session guitarist James Murphy obviously adds a touch of class, and John Walker's vocals are superlative to say the least.  The main thing going against this release, other than the fact the track listing literally follows a hit/miss/hit/miss structure, is that it follows the early 90's death metal formula to a "T".  Could be a bad thing, could be a good thing...but the intensity on "Death Shall Rise", regardless of the drumming being a bit sharp, steals the show.  If one is going to buy something by Cancer, without a doubt it has to be this release.

Song summaries include...

1. Hung, Drawn, And Quartered - Quality eerie intro leading into some explosive drumming.  Glen Benton lending his vocals along side John Walker goes over very well.  By far Cancer's paramount and most memorable song.  A+
2. Tasteless Incest - At almost five minutes long, this song is way too drawn out from such an annoying riff.  The aggressive parts are unpretentious exercises in banality, leaving the most interesting parts of the song to the slow sludgy debris.  D
3. Burning Casket - Great song plodding along like a war machine with short bursts of intense speed.  Awe-inspiring 25 second solo and at the two minute mark.  A-
4. Death Shall Rise - Generic death metal song complete with standard issue drumming through most of it.  Regardless, has some very intense drumming during the chorus, but no reason for close to six minutes of this.  C-
5. Back From The Dead - Total Bolt Thrower worship!  A-
6. Gruesome Tasks - Another forgettable, basic tune with the exception of the double bass.  Even the 30 second guitar solo is lifeless, and undeniably not up to what James Murphy is capable of.  Not bad, just way too average.  C
7. Corpse Fire - Riffs can be stolen, drum beats and be copied, and vocals can be mimicked...but you can't replicate the intensity in this two and a half minute onslaught.  A
8. Internal Decay - Drums compliment the lyrics in pure awfulness and unoriginality.  Guitars make the song, especially with a remarkable solo around the 4:00 mark.  Weighing it at just under six minutes, they should have called this song "Nyquil".  Good night.  D-

Shev's Rating:  B-

Also be sure to read:
Death - Spiritual Healing Quick Review by Horatio (James Murphy)
Obituary - Cause Of Death by Horatio (James Murphy)