Autopsy – Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts
Reviewed by: Billy Klare
Review Score: 8.5
Autopsy unleash their ninth studio album Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts on October 27, 2023 via Peaceville Records. It’s a prolific period for the band releasing this newest album within a year of their critically acclaimed Morbidity Triumphant masterpiece that dropped in 2022. Autopsy delivers eleven new songs summing to just under forty minutes of old school death metal goodness. As a long-time death metal fan from the genre’s earliest days, I can always count on the reliable Autopsy to deliver the goods and Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts is no exception.
Musically speaking, Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts proudly sits in the doomy, sludgy and filthy end of the death metal spectrum but also showcases some well-placed punk, thrash, and melodic detours throughout the album. The song writing is particularly effective keeping the listener fully engaged with constantly shifting and evolving song structures. The somewhat sparing use of melodic riffs and catchy hooks are noticeable and appreciated.
The album opens with great fury on ‘Rabid Funeral’, an intense death / thrash track allowing guitar duo Eric and Danny to showcase their vicious guitar chops. The second and shortest song ‘Throastsaw’ rips out of the gate in an aggressive death metal attack displaying Autopsy‘s thrash and punk influences, never letting up for a single second. More killer guitar work on this one. The first two faster paced songs contrast nicely with the slower doom and sludge laden metal that appears on much of the album. ‘No Mortal Alive’ is equally comfortable in death and doom metal territories anchored by a hugely memorable marching riff. The manic guitar solos and thick chunky bass standout again along with one of the albums most diverse vocal performances.
The longest track ‘Well Of Entrails’ is arguably the most dynamic and best song on the album. It begins brutally heavy, slow and sludgy but ultimately bludgeons the listener with everything that’s good about old school death metal. I love this one, a perfect Autopsy song. The title track ‘Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts‘ opens with an early 70’s inspired Rush like guitar intro (am I the only one who gets this vibe?) but quickly explodes into death metal mayhem with pummeling hyper-blast drumming, deranged guitar riffing and agonizing vocals. Next up is ‘Marrow Fiend”‘ a mid-tempo chugging doom start that quickly intensifies into controlled chaos highlighting some of the album’s best guitar work.
‘Toxic Death Fuk’ is a cool punk-infused death metal track that works surprisingly well incorporating plenty of catchy hooks and is surprisingly accessible and melodic. The very brief ‘Lobotomizing The Gods‘ follows the standard Autopsy song writing formula almost to a fault. No unexpected twists that were deployed so effectively elsewhere on the record. ‘Death Is The Answer‘ is another relatively straight-forward Autopsy track showcasing some cool early slayer like riffing and intense drumming before shifting into a slow doom grind. Album closer ‘Coagulation‘ takes the listener on an unexpected journey. It’s doomy, sickening and sludgy emphasizing the excruciating vocals but also includes some excellent melodic guitar work and a cool reoccurring addictive riff reminding me of the U.S. doom band Trouble and their psychedelic infused 1990 self-titled release.
This is a must hear album for fans of Autopsy and death metal in general. It’s obvious to me that 2023 is quickly turning into a year of outstanding death metal releases. Autopsy delivers an “album of the year” contender with Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts. It’s brutally heavy, raw and sickening – a perfect Autopsy record. The production is appropriately raw and 100% old school death metal, emphasizing the guitars and bass upfront in the mix. The album artwork is equally gruesome and brutal thanks to long-time collaborator / artist Wes Benscoter. Highly recommended and deserving of an 8.5/10 rating. A worthy follow up to Morbidity Triumphant and I can’t wait to hear this new material in concert.
Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts drops on October 27th via Peaceville Records.