Cancer
This band emerged from Telford, Shropshire, and quickly established themselves as the UK's leading death metal exponents. TO THE GORY END saw the trio of John Walker (vocals/guitar), Ian Buchanan (bass) and Carl Stokes (drums) adopt a traditional death metal sound with suitably gory and offensive imagery, but the addition of American guitarist James Murphy (ex-Death/Obituary) expanded both Cancer's live sound and their approach to songwriting. The Scott Burns- produced DEATH SHALL RISE showed considerable progression, but Murphy's continued residence in the USA proved impractical and he departed to form Disincarnate. Barry Savage (b. Barry White) proved to be an able replacement, adding an individual and less Americanized edge to the Cancer sound. The new maturity in evidence on THE SINS OF MANKIND brought not only overdue respect but also a major deal with East West. This made them the first death metal band to sign to a major deal (discounting single territory or distribution contracts afforded Morbid Angel and Carcass). Their first album for East West, BLACK FAITH, was the second to be recorded with Simon Efemy.