One year after Morbidity Triumphant, death doom institution Autopsy are back for another helping of ferocious death metal with their tenth full-length Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts.
This is the second album to feature bassist Greg Wilkinson, who also plays with vocalist/drummer Chris Reifert in Static Abyss, a band who released their sophomore LP earlier this year. Wilkinson is the producer on this album as well as on Morbidity Triumphant, which should serve you well if their 2022 return was a favorite.
Opener “Rabid Funeral” is equal parts speed and doom, which is a perfect portrayal of what Autopsy have had to offer since all the way back on the 1991 classic Mental Funeral. “Throatsaw,” “Toxic Death Fuk” and “Lobotomizing Gods” are full speed ahead, pounding drums and violent guitar riffs by Eric Cutler and Danny Coralles with the latter of the three being more doom oriented but their start points waste no time getting into the fracas.
Reifert also uses a cough and shout to add to his maniacal presence behind the mic coupled with his excellent battery work that goes to show him as an unparalleled death metal musician. Crushing doom riffs litter the intro to “Well of Entrails” which will feel like a million years ago by the end of the track, because the pace will have the listener running for their lives by the end as the guitar duo moves up and down the fretboard as Reifert pounds away.
“Marrow Fiend” and “Death Is The Answer” feature excellent guitar solos and Wilkinson’s fat bass juxtaposed against pounding and swinging drums and Refiert’s vocal performance make these a true band effort. “Coagulation” and its slow start allows the band a track to clean up the mess that they made during the album; a fitting end to the eternal misery that surrounds this band’s sound, but not before taking a few more steps towards their furious death metal speed, not to mention a rocking solo that gives life to this death metal as well. Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts is proof positive that Autopsy’s sanguine lust knows no bounds.
(released October 27, 2023 on Peaceville Records)
Heavy Music HQ Rating:
Listen To Autopsy – “Throatsaw”
