Autopsy - The Tomb Within EP

September 23, 2010

Reviewer: Chris

Dear master of all things surgical…Autopsy is back with a vengeance!

I was fanboy-excited to hear of Autopsy putting out this EP; so much so that I pre-ordered two copies of the limited edition vinyl and a CD. I have always loved the band and was very apprehensive…okay, scared to death to hear how the band resonates so many years after its initial run. When Chris Reifert and Danny Coralles formed Abscess it seemed Autopsy might be left for dead, but, alas, the resurrection is complete.

From the opening title track the relentlessness is just overwhelming. Everything that is supposed to be death metal is found right here in devastating riffs, speedy solos reminiscent of Mental Funeral and the familiar agonizing vocal delivery that makes Autopsy the legend it is. Honestly, when you think of heavy death metal that literally caves in your head from every angle, look no further than The Tomb Within. When “My Corpse Shall Rise” kicks in with its tumultuous fury you simply have to understand the full effect that a band of this caliber has on the metal scene; there is a reason they are hailed by fans and peers alike.

The sheer brutality that once made this band one of the masters of the medium is present in all five tracks, each brining a different tone and feel to the table while retaining the aura of Autopsy to a brilliant plateau. I’m like a silly kid gushing over the latest Slayer album when I write this because the excitement factor is doubled in that the EP not only exists after much hubbub about Autopsy being “gone”, but is also excellent all over.

“Seven Skulls” is a power struggle between deadly heaviness and intricate pacing, while “Human Genocide” is the slower (??) presence that denies no victim, spares no ear drum, and offers no escape. Everything that you remember about Autopsy being pure death metal without restraint is here, and if this EP is a sign of what to come then count me among the salivating few awaiting the next installment.

After repeated listens I simply can’t get enough of this offering; it just stands out over much of the death releases I’ve heard of late. The quality of the music here is top-notch all the way, proving that death metal is not only intelligent and occasionally introspective, but still vital and punishing.

Release Date: September 21, 2010
Label: Peaceville Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  The Tomb Within
2.  My Corpse Shall Rise
3.  Seven Skulls
4.  Human Genocide
5.  Mutant Village

Total playing time:  20:01

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