AUTOPSY – MENTAL FUNERAL (CD)

One of the early breed of US death metal acts, Autopsy formed in 1987 in San Francisco and released 4 albums on Peaceville Records – beginning with the classic debut ‘Severed Survival’ in 1989 – before disbanding in 1995, with members going on to form Abscess. Autopsy triumphantly and officially returned from the grave after a 15-year hiatus with the 2010 EP, ‘The Tomb Within’. This was followed by the release of the band’s fifth studio album, ‘Macabre Eternal’ in 2011, to great acclaim, as well as last year’s opus of aural sickness ‘Puncturing the Grotesque’. Autopsy notably features legendary drummer Chris Reifert, who began his recording career with US metal greats, Death, before taking on the unusual duty of handling both drums and vocals for Autopsy. The band has influenced a whole generation of extreme metal bands, from Entombed to Darkthrone.

‘Tourniquets, Hacksaws and Graves’ is the band’s seventh studio album. It was recorded at Fantasy Studios with producer Adam Munoz and saw a continuation of Autopsy’s pursuit of the ultimate in metallic horror and extremity, combining the masterful guitar duo of Eric Cutler and Danny Coralles with Joe Trevisano on bass duties. From all-out death metal savagery to crawling, doom-filled sludgery with Chris Reifert’s distinctive brand of vocal sickness, ‘Tourniquets, Hacksaws & Graves’ further pushes the limits of taste and brutality.

Artwork comes courtesy of Wes Benscoter, who was also previously responsible for the stunning ‘Macabre Eternal’ album cover. This mid-price CD edition of ‘Tourniquets, Hacksaws and Graves’ is presented in jewel case packaging complete with a 16-page booklet.