UMUR "The Peel Sessions" is an EP release by UK goregrind/death metal act Carcass. The EP was released through Strange Fruit Records in January 1989. After BBC DJ John Peel discovered "Reek of Putrefaction" (June 1988, Earache Records) and made it has album of the year, he showed great interest in recording a Peel session with Carcass, which came into fruitation on the 13th of December 1988, were Carcass recorded early versions of "Crepitating Bowel Erosion", "Slash Dementia", "Cadaveric Incubator of Endo Parasites", and "Reek of Putrefaction", which were all tracks which would eventually be re-recorded and included on the band´s sophomore full-length studio album "Symphonies of Sickness" (November 1989, Earache Records). The band´s Peel Session was first transmitted on the 2nd of January 1989.

Compared to the predominantly short and blasting tracks featured on "Reek of Putrefaction", it´s audible right away when listening to the material on this recording, that Carcass were evolving at a rapid pace. The material here is much more evolved, complex, and varied, and the tracks are longer too, giving them room and time to evolve. While it´s still a pretty raw and unpolished affair, the development is impressive considering the short amount of time which had transpired since the band formed in early 1987. So if you want to hear early drafts of four of the tracks which would eventually appear on "Symphonies of Sickness" this "Peel Sessions" EP is worth a listen. To the more casual fan the versions of the tracks featured on "Symphonies of Sickness" will most likely suffice. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.