Neil Erskine (Chairmaker) is angry about the state of modern western society. Most countries in Europe are drifting to the populist right. Political dialogue is non-existent and toxic when it does occur. Social media is nothing but an echo chamber of prejudices that give vindication to those that spout them. To those on the left, this angst is real. They recognise that history might not be on their side after all. So, how about a dose of grindcore from Glasgow to channel this frustration? Leviathan Carcass ought to be enjoyed by those that love extreme music and can put aside political differences, but does the creator of this music want those with a different political ideology to consume his art?
Thunderous blast beats and Voivod guitar shapes dominate opener, ‘Ratlicker’. The press release describes this music as “a pressure cooker about to explode” – that’s an accurate assessment. The use of low-tuned guitars in combination with murderous drum assaults is not new, but it’s always invigorating. Observe how Erskine varies his musical weapons in ‘Powdered Nostalgia’, alternating between chunky down-picking and nimble-fingered pull-off techniques. ‘Making Nails’ is a reminder that the distorted bass is important in grindcore. The point is this: we’re three songs in and not even at the three-minute mark.
Of course, this fourteen-minute album wants to be remembered for its social commentary, but that’s difficult when everything rages at maximum velocity with no pause for breath. Occasional half-timing passages give you a few seconds of respite, but the ferocity is ubiquitous. One assumes the programming of the drums was quite easy for the faster sections of this music, but Erskine has the good sense to control ‘Dead Optimists’ with differing tempos. Predictably, his vocal approach is one-dimensional. It might sound spontaneous and furious, but you wonder how loud he’s projecting his voice if you separate it from the mix using track-splitter software.
Ironically, ‘Pigfucker’ is the closest this record comes to Pig Destroyer. Its hardcore roots are as apparent as its metallic heritage. One thing we can say is that nothing could be faster or more violent than ‘Micron-Thick Skin’. Grindcore taught us this in 1987, and it’s still the case now. The genre that promotes the idea of pushing limits is sensible enough to know the listener’s endurance levels. Fourteen minutes of white-hot rage is wise. Anything above twenty-five would be more tedious than listening to a French Marxist talk about the oppressive structure of the nuclear family.
You wonder who Erskine has in his sights for ‘Good Art by Shit People’. Keyboard warriors and auto-didact social media influencers are the object of his wrath in ‘Loud, Confident, and Wrong’. But let’s judge this on the merits of the music. There are many of them. Listen to the plectrum technique filing down on the guitar strings in ‘Hagiographers’. Anyone who calls this unmusical noise needs to think again. Likewise, the chord changes in ‘Others’ Interests’ are faster than a high-speed train.
Leviathan Carcass is what it sounds like when you lose control of your chainsaw, but the brains behind Chairmaker would rather use critical thinking than violence. Erskine deserves respect for that, no matter the colour of your politics.
JVB
Verdict
Release Date: 14/11/2025
Record Label: Self-released
Standout tracks: Powdered Nostalgia; Micron-Thick Skin; Others’ Interests
Suggested Further Listening: Bas Rotten – Surge (2021), Nails – Every Bridge Burning (2024), Defigurement – Endbryo (2025)