Location: Brooklyn, New York
Country: USA
Genre: Thrash metal
EP: Transmutation
Format: Digital
Label: Apostasy Records (Germany)
Release date: March 27, 2026
Founded in 2017, Carnivore A.D. emerged as a tribute to Peter Steele’s pre-Type O Negative band, Carnivore, an apocalyptic blend of thrash and doom metal. Over the years Carnivore A.D. performed extensively, steadily building a reputation and cultivating a dedicated following from intimate clubs to prominent festivals.
If you recall Carnivore shows at L’Amour Brooklyn and CBGB among other local clubs, they had a unique, distinctive sound that couldn’t be easily imitated. Their dirge-heavy approach to thrash metal, heavily influenced by Black Sabbath and early hardcore punk, featured a thunderous bass tone that contributed to their signature style. This sound bled over into Type O Negative, establishing them as innovators in the evolution of gothic metal.
Carnivore A.D. was conceived by founding member Baron Misuraca and original Carnivore drummer Louie Beataux. Rather than being a mere carbon copy tribute band, it was intended as a heartfelt homage to Peter Steele and guitarist Keith Alexander, both of whom are no longer with us.
Misuraca, having been friends with the band members since the eighties, considered the project a sincere effort to preserve Steele and Alexander’s memories for new generations of metal enthusiasts. His purpose was not only to celebrate their place in thrash history but also to ensure the spirit of Carnivore remains alive and relevant.
On their debut EP "Transmutation," Carnivore A.D. has transitioned from reviving Carnivore’s classic songs for modern audiences to recording original material built on Carnivore’s singular sound. The title alone gives substance to Carnivore’s original concept as Carnivore A.D. is metaphorically mutating into a new form of life, reshaping itself, channeling Steele’s vision of a cataclysmic future ravaged by war, disease and starvation.
That vision, and the idea that mankind can devolve regardless of technological advancement, is enriched by the band’s backgrounds: Misuraca with the goth-metal band Vasaria, guitarist Chuck Lenihan with the crossover band Crumbsuckers and the prog-rock/metal group Psychic Orgy, and drummer Joe Cangelosi with thrash metal bands like Whiplash and Kreator. Together they forge both a tribute that mutates into a post-modern horror the band thinks Steele would appreciate.
"Transmutation" appears to pick up where Carnivore’s album "Retaliation" left off years ago, heralding a new global apocalypse. It opens with piercing feedback and somber, morose chords, with booming bass that suggests humanity is hurtling toward disorder and entropy. It implies humanity is devolving into primal animalistic instincts, heading toward a devastation from which there’s no recovery.
Then we’re treated to the aftermath: a harsh, unforgiving world where laws have disintegrated, the landscape is a toxic, irradiated wasteland, and the rules of survival of the fittest reign supreme. This bleak environment is vividly conveyed through rumbling vocals and barbaric roars over dark, sinister Sabbath vibes and energy from a time when hardcore was raucous and unruly.
While this theme remains consistent, each song is seasoned with varied elements, showcasing precise musicianship, inventive songwriting, meticulous percussion, goth-inspired vocals, and sporadic effects. Together, all this is arranged to create a cohesive conceptual narrative, reminiscent in some respects to Carnivore’s debut album. With momentum and creative vision, this approach sparks curiosity about how Carnivore A.D. might further develop if they continue to produce new material. –Dave Wolff
Lineup:
Baron Misuraca: Vocals, bass
Chuck Lenihan: Guitars
Joe Cangelosi: Drums
Track list:
1. Prologue
2. Transmutation
3. I Stand Alone
4. Social Decomposition
5. Mine Is the Hand
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