Description
Cancer – The Sins Of Mankind – Vinyl Record
Cancer’s The Sins of Mankind (1993) is the third studio album by the British death metal band Cancer, and it showcases their blend of traditional death metal with thrash influences. While the band is best known for their earlier works, To the Gory End (1990) and Death Shall Rise (1991), The Sins of Mankind marked a slightly more refined approach to their sound, without losing the brutality that had made them a key part of the early ‘90s death metal scene.
The Sins of Mankind leans heavily into death metal, but it also features noticeable thrash metal influences, particularly in its riffing style and the album’s pacing. Cancer often balanced slower, chugging death metal sections with faster, thrash-infused riffs, creating a dynamic that set them apart from some of the more singularly brutal bands of the time.
Compared to the band’s previous work, this album takes a more straightforward approach, with cleaner production and slightly more structured songwriting. While the aggression and heaviness remain intact, there’s a sense that Cancer was aiming for a more accessible and polished death metal sound.
Key Tracks
“Cloak of Darkness”: The album opens with this track, setting the tone with a powerful mix of mid-paced death metal riffing and faster, thrash-like sections. The song alternates between ominous grooves and bursts of speed, with John Walker’s growling vocals delivering a sense of urgency.
“Electro-Convulsive Therapy”: This track stands out for its unsettling subject matter and dark atmosphere. The song is driven by churning riffs and a pounding rhythm section, highlighting Cancer’s ability to blend heaviness with catchy, memorable hooks.
“Patchwork Destiny”: One of the most intense tracks on the album, “Patchwork Destiny” features rapid-fire riffing and blast beats, showcasing Cancer’s ability to deliver relentless brutality. The song’s faster tempo and technical guitar work are some of the most aggressive moments on the record.
“Tasteless Incest”: A slower, heavier song with crushing, almost doom-like riffs. The oppressive atmosphere and disturbing lyrics make it one of the darker tracks on the album, embodying the band’s penchant for combining grotesque subject matter with brutal musicality.
“Suffer for Our Sins”: The title track is a highlight, blending both the groovy death metal elements and faster, thrash-inspired sections. The song’s lyrics touch on themes of guilt, sin, and punishment, adding to the overall ominous and dark tone of the album.
The lyrics on The Sins of Mankind deal with a mix of dark and often disturbing subject matter, typical of death metal in the early ‘90s. Themes of mental illness, sin, death, and suffering run throughout the album. Tracks like “Electro-Convulsive Therapy” dive into themes of madness and psychological torment, while songs like “Tasteless Incest” focus on more grotesque and shocking content. The title track, ‘Suffer for Our Sins,’ reflects a philosophical edge, dealing with guilt, punishment, and the darker side of human nature. This exploration of mankind’s sins and the consequences of immoral behavior ties the album together thematically, adding a moralistic undertone to its brutal exterior.
The production on The Sins of Mankind is cleaner than Cancer’s earlier records, which had a rawer, more underground feel. Produced by Simon Efemey, who worked with acts like Paradise Lost and Napalm Death, the album has a more polished sound while still retaining the aggressive edge typical of death metal. The guitars have a sharp, punchy tone, and the drums are prominent in the mix, giving the songs a driving, relentless energy. While the cleaner production might have alienated fans who preferred the more raw sound of their first two albums, it also made the music more accessible without sacrificing heaviness.
Cancer was part of the early British death metal scene, alongside bands like Bolt Thrower and Benediction. While not as well-known as their American counterparts like Death, Morbid Angel, or Obituary, Cancer’s blend of death and thrash helped them carve out a niche in the genre.
The Sins of Mankind was released at a time when death metal was evolving. Some bands were becoming more technical or leaning towards brutal, while others began incorporating more melodic or experimental elements. Cancer’s sound on this album sits in the middle, blending thrash’s precision with the heaviness of death metal while keeping the focus on aggressive, straightforward songwriting.
The Sins of Mankind was generally well-received by fans of the band and the death metal scene, though it didn’t quite reach the same level of acclaim as Death Shall Rise, which had the backing of producer Scott Burns and featured James Murphy (of Death, Obituary, Testament) on guitar.
Over time, the album has been recognized as an underrated gem of early ‘90s death metal. Its combination of thrash and death metal, along with its refined production, makes it a standout for fans looking for something that bridges the gap between genres.
The Sins of Mankind is an essential album for fans of old-school death metal, particularly those who enjoy a blend of thrash’s speed and death metal’s heaviness. With its improved production, dynamic riffing, and dark, thematic content, it remains one of Cancer’s standout releases, showcasing their ability to balance brutality with groove and atmosphere. Though it may not have the same level of recognition as some of their contemporaries, The Sins of Mankind holds a place in the early ‘90s death metal landscape as a solid example of the genre’s evolution during that period.
180 Gram Vinyl
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Cloak Of Darkness
Electro-Convulsive Therapy
Patchwork Destiny
Meat Train
Suffer For Our Sins
Pasture Of Delights / At The End
Tribal Bloodshed Part I : The Conquest
Tribal Bloodshed Part II : Under The Flag
