Review Summary: A mortal hellride on earth.
“Macabre Eternal” may be one of the best comebacks we have ever witnessed in death metal history. Autopsy’s landmark name as one of the forefathers of the genre, as well as the perpetrators who kick started its audacious tendency to go slower, was rather shunned by the scene back when the band committed an unspeakable act in 1995. Still, the gods of extreme music made sure not only that there would be a return, but also that it would provide a well-deserved cleansing. After “Macabre Eternal”, three more albums were released just up to the first half of the 10’s and then came the silence, until last year. “Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts”, the band’s 9th full length album to date, comes out barely 12 months after the emphatic “Morbidity Triumphant”. Are we maybe going into a period of hyper-productivity for Autopsy again?
In case you haven’t been living under a rock, it is impossible to be unfamiliar with this sound, especially if you’re into this kind of music. When reading this specific album title, Autopsy also incidentally give an excellent reply to whoever asks what this band is about, and if you’re already a fan, get ready to be pleased and entertained exactly as much as you would anticipate from such a work. “Ashes, Organs…” barges in with a boisterous attitude, it’s marvelously filthy, considerably memorable and a hell of a fun ride to listen to, reflecting the band’s good form and what they do best. Needless to say, the driving factor of the record lies in its death metal core, yet doom metal is, as always, treated with decorum and respect by Autopsy, who nail down some of the best slower-paced sections I have heard from them in the recent years. And even though we’re not far from “Morbidity Triumphant” temporally, this new album is by no means a replicate, as the band included a couple of extra tricks they held in their sleeves, which make things not as predictable as you think.
Autopsy are masters of gear shifting, and tempos oscillate like crazy in “Ashes, Organs…”. At one moment you’re dragged by the neck through a moderately paced, pummeling riff section, then a punk-ish, fast paced circus with wacky soloing kicks in, before you get slammed by more traditional death metal, and the roller coaster continues. At times, Autopsy will also halt time by going at a ridiculous snail speed, yet it’s all so well placed together, catchy, and undeniably enjoyable to go through. Chris Reifert’s voice is one of a kind and he hasn’t lost his touch at all when it comes to delivering these unique, gnarly vocals, which include growls, screams, but also coughing and spitting, all fitting perfectly to the tracks. Elements of punk, heavy metal, thrash metal and especially more traditional doom metal (e.g. in “Well of Entrails”, the self-titled track and “Coagulation”) contribute to a result that is quite recognizable for Autopsy, but also refreshed enough and enhanced in terms of flow and variety compared to “Morbidity Triumphant”.
The album opens with two bombastic tracks, “Rabid Funeral” and “Throatsaw”, which are intended as instant attention grabbers, and it works. The shorter pieces such as “Toxic Death Fuk” and “Lobotomizing Gods” have you thinking if Autopsy still have adolescent energy in them, the grimy melodies in “Bones to the Wolves” and “Marrow Fiend” will make you want to wash your hands, and “Death Is the Answer” is pissed off, a bit thrashy but only at first, before reminding you who are the lords of the doom / death metal kingdom. Last but not least, “Ashes, Organs…” has such a pleasing bass work, with a wonderful, organic production that leaves it space to breathe, as it does for the rest of the instruments. In other words, we’re talking about a non-stop, top-notch banger.
There’s not a lot of bands that have been around for so long, and despite the fact that Autopsy took a rather big break in the middle of their career (if that word even makes sense here), it’s still impressive to see originators of our beloved music, pushing forth with such great material. Apart from Cannibal Corpse, Incantation and Obituary, here’s another amazing album from a historic band that makes the year’s death metal selection almost unreal. You should know exactly what to ask for before going into “Ashes, Organs…” and thankfully, there is no space for disappointment.
