After 17 years of recording silence, death metal legends Carcass have returned to the studio to track their first new LP since 1996’s Swansong. The record, produced by Colin Richardson, will be released sometime in 2013 through a yet-to-be determined label. Bassist/vocalist Jeff Walker exclusively provides Decibel with a few details.

Please tell us the full recording lineup.

“Bill Steer (guitars), Jeff Walker (bass/vocals), Daniel Wilding (drums). For live we’ll obviously add another guitarist—we have someone in mind but we are not interested in a ‘name’ player.”

In a previous email correspondence, you mentioned that this record is a mix of all five Carcass LPs.

“It is and it isn’t—we’ve taken stylistic cues from all the albums because it’s in our blood, but it’s no rehash or mess of ideas. I think it sounds almost like the missing link between the third and forth albums but with some groove in there. I’ve jokingly christened some parts ‘Trad Blast’ and some ‘Death Sleaze’… don’t think for a minute this is just some nostalgic throwback album—we’re setting up another 17 years of ideas for other bands to copy and clean up on [laughs].”

Does that mean we’ll be hearing some death metal vocals out of Bill for the first time since Necroticism?

“Yes, already in the can. It’s more along the lines of how I envisioned him backing me up on Heartwork. That said, my own vocals have a hell of a lot more range than they did in the past solely down to the luxury of having time to record them—I did all the vox for Heartwork in two days and it shows! Also, (hopefully) Ken [Owen] will make an appearance—we just need to tidy a few loose ends before the mix.”

Why do this now over four years after the initial Carcass reunion?

“Good timing, eh? Twenty-five years we first recorded Reek of Putrefaction. The incentive was off Bill. I’d verbally expressed an interest in doing something but I needed Bill to have the desire and hunger again and that’s exactly what has happened. He recalled watching Dan Wilding play on tour with us in 2008 and something about him struck a chord and he wanted to work with him. There was something about him that kind of reminded him of Ken, on a personal level as much as his playing. We’ve done this recording firstly for ourselves—there’s no label backing even as you read this—in fact me and Bill have spent a small fortune out of our pocket to see this through—it’s more of an artistic/personal statement than anything.”

Photo by Tim Tronckoe