Cancer | Inverted World | Peaceville Records

 

Cancer formed in 1988 in Telford, England, quickly becoming a vital name in the early death metal scene with their debut, “To The Gory End,” in 1990. Known for their unfiltered and uncompromising approach, they carved out a legacy that remains influential over three decades later. After a series of classic releases, turbulent line-up changes, a hiatus, and a return in 2018 with “Shadow Gripped,” Cancer now marks their 35th anniversary with “Inverted World,” their seventh studio album. Helmed by founding guitarist and vocalist John Walker, the current incarnation of the band brings renewed focus and venom, balancing historical ferocity with present-day grit.

“Inverted World” is a grim and direct album, steeped in visions of societal collapse, psychological control, and historical violence. With its ten compact tracks, the album moves with immediacy, stripping back any excess in favor of direct punishment and unsettling realism. Its tone is relentlessly serious, taking on topics that range from imperial horror in “Amputate” to twisted belief systems in “Jesus For Eugenics” and the psychological breakdown of control structures in the title track, “Inverted World.” There is no room here for metaphorical escapism; this is pure confrontation.

Musically, the album is anchored in Cancer’s classic death metal roots. The guitar work remains thick and incisive, but instead of chasing technicality or modern extremity, it opts for efficiency and physical weight. John Walker’s vocals maintain their grizzled authority, never overly processed or theatrical—just grim, grainy, and hostile. The drumming is precise and dry, fitting the barren atmosphere the band builds across tracks like “Test Site” and “Covert Operations.” Bass work stays tight in the pocket, serving the compositions without crowding them.

Mixed by V. Santura, the album bears a dense, overcast production. It’s not clean or expansive but compressed and suffocating—perfect for its lyrical themes. Recorded at The Empty Hall Studio, the album feels geographically and emotionally isolated, a reflection of the post-lockdown world that inspired its creation. There’s a feeling of decay and disillusionment in every track, most notably “When Killing Isn’t Murder,” where the bleak message aligns perfectly with the crude, trudging riffwork.

The conceptual framework leans heavily into corruption, religious distortion, and institutional violence—real-world horrors that mirror the band’s stark aesthetic. The closer “Corrosive” ties the past with the present by revisiting the true-crime theme Cancer fans might recall from earlier eras. The link between classic subject matter and modern sound forms the spine of “Inverted World”. This is not an album that reinvents or reaches for reinvention—it doesn’t need to. It’s more of a warning, a chronicle of our age from a band old enough to see the cycle repeating and sharp enough to document it. “Inverted World” doesn’t try to decorate its messages; it brings them to the surface like a scar reopening.

Score: 8.7