Behold the masters of gore! They are the ones who’ve been cursed in hell! Deaths, diseases, rapes, death row inmates, bodies dissolving in acid, and everyone abandoned to their fate—all brought forth through this twisted cycle of horror in a sickening musical form, converging perfectly in To The Gory End, a classic that defines the flawless brutality of old school Death Metal. Every theme, line, and riff in this album invades your brain as you sleep, summoning nightmares and turning any pleasant dream into a living terror. As one of the releases that helped Death Metal slowly tear away from its Thrash roots and find its own path, To The Gory End stands proudly among albums that etched names like Morbid Angel, Obituary, Pestilence, Autopsy, and Bolt Thrower in golden letters into the death metal family tree—along with Cancer themselves, of course.
What kind of a place is this island called England, where Heavy Metal was in decline at the time, yet bands like Napalm Death, Carcass, Bolt Thrower, Benediction, and Cancer began laying down the rules of Death Metal? Naturally, it wasn’t for everyone to nourish Thrash roots with Old School Death Metal seeds and ignite that fuse. It’s not something that will happen again either.
The trio of John Walker, Ian Buchanan, and Carl Stokes must’ve had some truly disturbed thoughts—or serious psychological problems—to have come up with something like this by 1990. Because crafting such a lethal record for their debut is an astonishing feat. Sudden breakpoints rattle your brain, the guitar tone grates your nerves, the Thrash-tinged enticing riffs become addictive, the thunderous drums blast like a shotgun in your skull, and the blood-spitting vocals echo through your very bones. There’s a raw edge to the guitar solos that somehow remains pleasing to the ear.
Musically, you could say it carries some Florida-style Obituary influence. In fact, John Tardy makes a guest appearance doing backing vocals on the track “Die Die.” Since Walker’s vocals aren't overly brutal, the overall tone resembles the early days of Floridian Death Metal. He almost spits the words out letter by letter, and more importantly, these vile vocals match perfectly with the music, maintaining balance and steering clear of blandness. The vocals often lower into a haunting tone, further setting Cancer apart from others.
The songs are structured in a straightforward way—possibly the simplest arrangements imaginable—and generally stick to a mid-tempo pace. Normally with debut albums, you expect the production to be lacking, but that’s not the case here. The album offers a solid production, allowing each instrument to be heard clearly even in this filthy and disgusting atmosphere. When it comes to riffs, they are certainly engaging and firmly rooted in the purity of classic Death Metal tradition. Don’t expect relentless blasts from the drums, but Carl definitely hits hard and delivers some amazing double-bass segments.
As for the cover—well, everything’s out in the open. It was even banned in certain countries, clearly showing the extreme level this band was operating on.
Tracklist:
Blood Bath
C.F.C. (Cancer Fucking Cancer)
Witch Hunt
Into The Acid
Imminent Catastrophy
To The Gory End
Body Count
Sentenced To The Gallows
Die Die
Tracks like “Blood Bath,” “Cancer Fucking Cancer,” “Witch Hunt,” “Into the Acid,” and the title track “To The Gory End” stand out as especially intense moments—but ultimately, this whole album is a masterpiece. It begins with a bloodbath, literally. “Blood Bath” opens with pounding drums and slams your head right away, followed by a vicious scream. The vocalist sometimes shifts into whisper-like mutterings dripping with venom, or he overwhelms you with savage growls. The drums mesh excellently with the gloomy, suffocating vibe of the music, and when Carl speeds up, the atmosphere becomes downright devastating. His occasional threatening fills add a brutal touch.
“C.F.C. (Cancer Fucking Cancer)” blends the dread of death sentences with despair. It's packed with some of the heaviest riffs on the record. It starts with rising drum patterns, locks into a faster tempo, then slows down for a memorable chorus riff—before diving back into the motor-like pace. The lyrics are completely deranged, discussing rotting digestive systems, chemical injections, laboratory toxins, and infectious diseases—all leading the way to death.
A major highlight, “Witch Hunt” crushes you from the very beginning with its manic speed and hammer-like drum work. As it progresses, it jumps back and forth between mid-tempo and sudden attacks, creating a whiplash-inducing listening experience. Just under three minutes, this song’s combination of aggression and dynamics will blow your mind.
Need something even more death-ridden? Look no further than “Into The Acid.” Every inch of your skin is melting with acid, your flesh is decaying, and your so-called friends have abandoned you. Death is welcoming you with bloody hands. These lyrics are bone-chilling... and then it gets worse: yellowed eyes, burning skin, limbs decaying in agony, a vomiting digestive system, and rotting bones—pure gore. The clarity and quality of this track especially stand out, and the mid-paced Thrash riffs amplify that power. The short yet energetic solo toward the end adds an old-school flair.
“Imminent Catastrophy” brings strength and energy to the forefront. Following the scraping intro guitars, the music moves within a controlled tension between calm and aggression. Vocals drop deeper into growls, and in the middle, an agonizing solo makes its entrance. Carl Stokes’s powerful drumming maintains the dynamism of the music throughout. Lyrically, this one takes a chaotic, dangerous view of the world and humanity’s future.
The title track “To The Gory End” starts with an eerie keyboard intro—surprising for a band like this—but it sets a grim, sorrowful tone. After about 30 seconds, Tim Lewis’s keys give way to a 10/10 riff, and then the song charges forward with machine-gun intensity. The most glorious parts are when the pace shifts into full-blown assault mode, while the vocals drop lower in tone. This track mixes both satanic and gore themes in its lyrics.
“Body Count” begins with a bombardment. One of the higher-quality tracks, and in my opinion, it openly shows Obituary’s influence. The double bass devastates, and while the short solo isn’t particularly flashy, it still adds a needed punch. Stokes once again proves he’s a monster behind the kit.
“Sentenced To The Gallows” is more psychological. It’s about a man awaiting execution, reflecting on his past and wondering what awaits beyond death. The standout feature here is the intro—a combination of guitars, drums, and a Sitar-like synth section that lasts over 40 seconds and gives the song a unique, attention-grabbing character.
The closing track “Die Die” features Obituary’s John Tardy on backing vocals—just as mentioned earlier—and his pairing with John Walker creates a fantastic vocal combo during the chorus. Lyrically, this is one of the most aggressive pieces: bodies filled with hatred, spirits expelled, burning in hell, innocent victims murdered, holy laws shattered—and all culminating in the battle cry “Die Die” after each verse.
For those of you who’ve strayed from Death Metal’s roots: stop spending all your time with trendy melodic or symphonic bands and dive into this realm at least once. Do something different for yourself today. Discover Cancer, or others like them. Witness how Death Metal was born, feel its real crushing weight, and let it punch you in the head like a sledgehammer. If your body can build an immunity to Cancer’s sickening and suffocating sound from these death corridors, then everything else will follow naturally.