Autopsy
The Headless Ritual
Peaceville Records
Street: 07.02
Autopsy = Abscess + Death + Asphyx
Did you think San Francisco death metal crew Autopsy’s comeback album, Macabre Eternal, was hot tits? Well, this new festering, putrid bag of pus-ridden tunes makes Macabre Eternal seem lackluster. It’s basically what one should expect from a band that has a hell of a lot of years of collective experience. Things fall right into place: perfect mixing, catchy songs, speed mixed with down tempo crunches, the whole reeking bag of classic death metal treats. The Headless Ritual kills not only as a classic-sounding death metal record, but makes the so-called brutal bands seem silly. There’s a bunch more dirge-doom stuff with this new offering—lots and lots of great guitar work either in the core riffs or mighty-beyond-chop-licking soloing. It gives the rotten corpse of Autopsy a new putrid flavor, while remaining true to the band’s roots and expectations. There is a reason Autopsy are considered legends, and this new offering just gives more fodder for the followers to try to live up to the greatness they exude. –Bryer Wharton