New York at its filthiest glory. The middle of the 80s, plenty of anger, escapism and dismay, thoughts of a world coming apart between east and west. What a better playground to write music that answers to the same themes? We could have asked Peter Steele, if he was alive, but regretfully died seven years ago. Peter Steele, Petrus Thomas Ratajczyk, or by his early stage name, Lord Petrus Steele, is famously known as the founder of the Gothic / Doom Metal iconic band, TYPE O NEGATIVE. However, before story of TYPE O began, Steele and two of his buddies had another band running, playing a kind of music that might hint of the debut TYPE O NEGATIVE album, yet in the same breath, with a sort of a much gruesome mindset.

CARNIVORE started out in 1982 and had five years of Speed / Punk / Thrash Metal inflammation before closing up shop. "Carnivore", the band's debut, was released back in 1985, via Roadrunner Records and created the basis for the upcoming monster that eroded the world near the end of the decade. Metalville Records rehashed the old release, along with three demos that gave a good hint of what would eventually become the sophomore "Retaliation" album, dating 1987. Don't expect anything but a special art of brutality and the righteously given freedom of speech, even if repulsive at times.

In my bill, CARNIVORE may be one of the best examples of a sheer onslaught in the convergence of Punk and Thrash Metal, or let's be honest and call it Speed Metal, just in this case. Along with the fantastic speed performance, there is a fine mixture of the simple power chords riffery that are loosen Punk driven along with digestion of pure Heavy Metal straightforwardness assembly. Whether through the pussy eater "Carnivore" or the wicked anti-religious bastard "God Is Dead" and continues on with the demo for epochal "S.M.D", which I am positive that you will figure out the initials fast, the aggression is uncanny, even for the anger within Punk.

If you were looking for hooking solos, you are in the wrong spot, as what those were mainly to provide a shell of indifference, a sort of an out of context, at least for some of the songs. CARNIVORE is about the charring rhythm and the message of the defying lyrics. However, there are songs that may surprise with atmospheric vibes, a kind of coolness right before going out shooting again. In addition, there are various signatures to the bleak BLACK SABBATH sense. Songs such as the male dominant party "Male Supremacy", the sensitive "Sex and Violence" and mankind's demise of "Thermonuclear Warrior", these were the first steps of TYPE O NEGATIVE right there, a profound gloominess in a dreary world soon to come.

"Carnivore" is a kind of admittance in mankind's defeat to its own problems, slowly rotting into its own existence without a chance to flee from a bitter fate. Steele, as he did with TYPE O NEGATIVE, wrote as shockingly as he can. Delivering messages of abused sex, total obliteration and going against the cloth. No doubt one of the classics of its era.