When I saw online recently that the purveyors of the finest filthy death/doom dirges were releasing a new record, you can bet I’ve been buzzing for it. It’s barely been a year since Autopsy dropped their last selection of slaughterhouse songs, so the upcoming record, Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts, came as an unexpected surprise announcement, heightening the hype for it. A horrifically headbanging 40-odd minutes of impending dread awaits, let the critical madness begin!
Opening cacophony “Rabid Funeral” sets the tone making for something of an offal overture, condensing Autopsy styles from the rapid fire deaththrash of the beginning through rocking rhythms and bluesy shred, to the dreadful doom of the second half. What’s striking is the tones overall. Autopsy have always been known for their gnarly soundscapes, but there’s something about the new record that’s particularly nasty. The guitars are scuzzier and the bass is meatier, the 4-string adding some spicy notes to garnish this horrendous hors d’oevre. Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts brings all of Autopsy’s hallmarks from the raucous death punk of first single “Throatsaw” and “Toxic Death Fuk”, to the sludgy doom and horrific harmonies scattered across the snuff tape. The riffs on the whole are simple but infectious, with flourishes of guitar technique and more expansive bass work making the audio strain more potent. The simple chugging, trills and closing bass sequence of “No Mortal Left Alive” and NWOBHM-esque middle of “Marrow Fiend” are particularly headbanging highlights.
Autopsy always have a knack for bringing a sense of frightful fun. There’s something about the almost Neanderthal banging on their weapons, and vocalist Chris Reifert’s mouth-foaming zombie growls and howls that makes for a bloody good time. The band have a knack for bringing in cool rock-style grooves among the blasting noise and morbid doom that adds to the fun factor. Autopsy continue to sound like a band enjoying blending their extreme metal, rock and punk influences to make the sickest racket possible.
Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts is another killer addition to Autopsy’s long list of cult classic horror hits. Though they’re not breaking new ground, the new disc has solid cuts of good old-fashioned Autopsy gore with the nastiest blood-soaked buzzsaw blade sound yet. Autopsy are like an old grindhouse flick in music form – heavy and brutal yet absurdly fun that hooks you back in to experience the intense horror again and again.
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Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts is available via Peaceville this Friday, October 27th.
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