Those who have been reading Defenders of the Faith from day one are more than aware of my obsession with Autopsy. They are, as far as I’m concerned, the greatest death metal band of all time; the sheer epitome of the genre, with zero regard for commercial success or musical conformity. They pride themselves on creating metal that’s vile, repulsive, and most importantly, deadly, for only the most ardent underground freaks. Taking this into consideration, you’re probably asking yourself: Joe, doesn’t this bias disqualify you from reviewing the new Autopsy album? And the answer to that question is, “No dummy. Start your own site.”
I love Iron Maiden, Exodus, and At the Gates too. Yet despite all my fanboy tendencies (Something other metal outlets likely use against me, as if being a fan of the music you cover is a bad thing), I can’t ignore a creative train wreck when I hear one. The problem is simply that many of our favorite veteran bands have “settled” in their sunset years. They’ve settled for lackluster modern production, uninspired songwriting, and predictable arrangements, assuming that as long as they slap their precious names on it, the fans will eat it up. Autopsy is a band who hasn’t settled. Not only that, but they’d kick their own asses if they released anything less brutal than their latest opus, Morbidity Triumphant.
There isn’t a single Autopsy album I dislike (Yes, even Shitfun.) Every album offers its own unique look into the twisted minds of Chris Reifert and company, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t return to Severed Survival (1989) and Mental Funeral (1991) more so than the rest. Morbidity Triumphant sounds like the unholy offspring of both. Right off the bat, the band unleashes unparalleled putridity with “Stab the Brain”, its bludgeoning riffage, frantic leads, and unsettling sense of depravity grabbing the listener by the throat. It’s the classic Autopsy template if I’ve ever heard it, and it’s still executed with aggression and bite on cuts like the hellish “Final Frost” (whose intro sounds eerily like, you guessed it, Celtic Frost), the gnarly “Knife Slice, Axe Chop”, and the punk-fueled aggression of “Maggots in the Mirror”, which wouldn’t sound out of place on an Abscess album.
For those of a darker, doomier, and tormented disposition, Autopsy has you covered too! There’s no way around the fact that this album features more worthwhile Iommi riffs than the last Black Sabbath album. Take for instance “The Voracious One”. This is a prime example of a death metal band incorporating a retro influence (in this case an infectious Sabbath Bloody Sabbath era groove) without compromising their identity and ethos. Heaven forbid that “One” is too “happy” for you, there’s always the knuckle dragging misery of “Flesh Strewn Temple” and “Skin by Skin”, as well as the devastating closer, “Your Eyes Will Turn to Dust”, which is more of a promise than a threat.
35 years since they arose from the underworld, Autopsy remains the undisputed heavyweight champions of death metal, for now and all eternity. While their peers pathetically attempt to “keep up with the times”, cuddling up to flashy deathcore bands and becoming more lazy by the album cycle, Autopsy remains the real deal: Morbid as ever and rightfully triumphant. There’s no gimmicks, trends, or fakery here: Only death.
10 out of 10
Label: Peaceville Records
Genre: Death Metal
For fans of: Death, Asphyx, Molder