Autopsy Re-Imagines debut, Severed Survival

Autopsy
Severed Survival
Peaceville Records

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Celebrating 35 years, Autopsy re-releases the band’s seminal debut album, Severed Survival, in a two-edition set. One contains the original controversial “Hooks” cover artwork by Kent Mathieu which was initially banned, and a version containing the replacement “Surgeons” cover by Kev Walker.

How did it all start? Flashback to 1989, and you have a powerful year for metal and the growth of death metal as Carcass released a sophomore album, Entombed churned out their early demo, and debut releases by Macabre and Morbid Angel helped put gasoline on the genre that was already firing up.

Death’s debut album, Scream Bloody Gore, was released in 1987 with Chris Reifert’s drumming skills unleashed. But shortly after, Reifert and Chuck Shuldiner parted ways leaving Reifert to form Autopsy with Eric Cutler and Danny Coralles. After several demos, they landed their influential debut album in 1989.

Where Death had pushed the genesis of the genre into the public eye, Autopsy was pushing boundaries. Mental Funeral may have been their influential release, but Severed Survival saw the convergence of death and doom metal to bend the genre into new territory. Although, the album saw less doom than the metal that excuse in Mental Funeral.

What raw talent emits from Severed Survival is a band that burns with creativity, all led by Reiffert’s effortless task to take on drums and vocal duty simultaneously. Blending brutal horror, death and gore concepts into the fabric of these songs, there is an unrelenting power that unfolds. Songs like “Disembowel,” “Embalmed,” and “Charred Remains” exudes the brutal core of death metal in a way that explodes with a lust to push the metal envelope.

Reifert reflects: “What can you say about Severed Survival? It’s got heavy, it’s got guts, it’s got blood…LOTS of blood, it’s got a band of freaks trying their best to make their mark and those freaks still stand by this slab of slime 100%.”

Whether intentional or not, Severed Survival had a heavy hand in influencing the works of Cannibal Corpse, Entombed, Napalm Death, and Dismember, to name a few.

Re-visiting the album exhumes some great memories about the early death metal years and the transition from the ‘80s into the ‘90s. 1989 had some quintessential metal albums and Severed Survival is on that list.