1986 – Carneveil

Release year: 2026
Band URL: https://www.facebook.com/1986uk/

The first album I listened to in 2026 was the debut album from Manchester based 1986. I went in cold with the somewhat vague description that they combine death, sludge and hardcore. It’s one of those musical combinations that can easily devolve into generic guttural growls and unidentifiable riffs, however I went into the album «Carneveil» hoping for the best.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Sometimes when you listen to debuts, you get this distinct feeling of inexperienced wannabe musicians blindly slapping together enough musical components to create a full-length album. However, that was never the case with 1986’s debut. «Carneveil» feels expertly crafted, and threads a needle between musical innovation and strict adherence to genre expectations.

The jambalaya of musical inspiration also works to their benefit. You can certainly tell that the band thrives within both the slow, deliberate musical compositions of death and sludge metal, but they also perfectly encapsulate the chaotic intensity of hardcore. Sometimes those two musical directions feel a bit splintered, like the band couldn’t quite decide whether they wanted to play straight hardcore or death metal, but other times, when the musical styles feel more cohesive, they sound quite unique.

The main downside of the album is that the music on offer is rather forgettable. I’ve listened to the album from start to finish four different times, and yet I could not confidently identify a single track from the album. I know what they’re called, and when I listen, I’ll think “Oh, I like this track”, but once the music stops, it just disappears from memory.

Which is a shame, cause I really like 1986. They have an intense, raw sound that I expect them to perfect in the years to come. So perhaps we should look at «Carneveil» as a statement of intent. A proof of concept, if you will. A band confidently showcasing their style of metal, which will grow and evolve as they themselves grow and evolve.