Autopsy (band)

Autopsy
Origin	Concord, California, United States
Genres	Death metal[1]
Years active	1987–1995, 2008, 2009–present
Labels	Peaceville Records
Associated acts	Abscess Death Eatmyfuk Sadus Suffocation The Ravenous
Members
Chris Reifert Danny Coralles Eric Cutler Joe Trevisano
Past members
Eric Eigard Steve Cutler Ken Sorvari Josh Barohn Freeway Migliore Dan Lilker

Autopsy is a death metal band, founded in 1987 in the United States by Chris Reifert. They disbanded in 1995, but have reunited as of July 2009.^[2]

Biography

Autopsy was formed in August 1987 by Chris Reifert and Eric Cutler, shortly after Reifert's departure from Death. Danny Coralles joined in 1988 and, along with Reifert and Cutler, would be a constant in the band's lineup. The band recorded two demos, Demo '87 (1987) and Critical Madness (1988) before signing to Peaceville Records and releasing their 1989 debut album, Severed Survival. These early recordings featured a straightforward thrash-influenced death metal style in a similar vein to Scream Bloody Gore era Death (Reifert was Death's drummer on that album), but the band adopted a slower, doom metal influenced sound for their next release, the 1990 Retribution for the Dead EP. The next full-length, Mental Funeral, continued in this style and has since been cited by many other death metal musicians (particularly in the Swedish scene) as particularly influential. Having completed a successful European tour soon after Mental Funeral, the band reentered the studio to record the Fiend for Blood EP, which was followed by their third full-length, Acts of the Unspeakable, which featured shorter songs and a more grindcore influenced sound. A difficult US tour in 1993 led to the decision to disband Autopsy after the recording of a final album. Shitfun, released in early 1995, was heavily influenced by hardcore punk and would prepare fans for Abscess, previously a side project of Danny Coralles and Chris Reifert which would become their main band after Autopsy's demise.

Autopsy was featured in the 2005 music documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey when the film's narrator and star, Sam Dunn read aloud a verse from the band's song "Charred Remains".

Frontman Chris Reifert contributed a recipe for Mummified Jalapeño Bacon Bombs to Hellbent for Cooking: The Heavy Metal Cookbook, by Annick Giroux (Bazillion Points Books, ISBN 978-1935950004).^[3]

Reunion

After several years of speculation regarding an Autopsy reunion, and denial of the possibility,^[4] the band members briefly reunited in September 2008 to record two new tracks for the special edition of their 1989 debut Severed Survival.^[5] They later reconvened to the Maryland Deathfest in 2009.^[2] Following Abscess splitting up in June 2010, Autopsy immediately announced that they had permanently reunited. They released a new EP, The Tomb Within, in September 2010 and Macabre Eternal, their first studio album in 16 years, in 2011.^[6]

Legacy

Along with fellow Bay Area band Possessed and Reifert's previous group Death (which Chuck Schuldiner relocated to Reifert's Bay Area hometown of Concord in 1986), Autopsy have been considered a pioneering band in the death metal genre.^[7] Early genre stalwarts like Entombed, Dismember, Gorefest, Immolation, Cannibal Corpse and Deicide have all credited Autopsy as an influence in their sound.^[8][9]

Band members

Current members

• Chris Reifert – drums/vocals (1987–present)
• Danny Coralles – guitar (1987–present)
• Eric Cutler – guitar (1987–present)
• Joe Trevisano - bass (2010–present)

Former members

• Eric Eigard – bass (1987–1988)
• Ken Sorvari – bass (1988)
• Steve Cutler – bass (1990–1991)
• Josh Barohn – bass (1991–1993)
• Freeway Migliore – bass (1993–1995)
• Dan Lilker - bass (2010 Maryland Deathfest Show)

Session musicians

• Steve DiGiorgio – bass (Severed Survival and Fiend for Blood)

Discography

Studio albums

• Severed Survival (1989)
• Mental Funeral (1991)
• Acts of the Unspeakable (1992)
• Shitfun (1995)
• Macabre Eternal (2011)

EPs/Singles

• Retribution for the Dead (1990)
• Fiend for Blood (1991)
• Horrific Obsession (2009)
• The Tomb Within (2010)
• All Tomorrow's Funerals (2012)^[10]

Live albums

• Dead as Fuck (2004)

Demos

• 1987 Demo (1987)
• Critical Madness (1988)

Compilations

• Ridden with Disease (2000)
• Torn from the Grave (2001)

Filmography

• Dark Crusades (with liner notes and band interview by Joel McIver; Peaceville Records, 2006)

References

1. ^ MusicMight :: Artists :: AUTOPSY
2. ^ ^{a b} "Autopsy To Reunite For Next Year's Maryland Deathfest". Blabbermouth.net. 2009-07-17. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.Net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=123763. Retrieved 2009-07-17. 
3. ^ Annick Giroux: Hellbent for Cooking: The Heavy Metal Cookbook, (Bazillion Points, 2009) ISBN 978-1935950004.
4. ^ "Transcending the Mundane: Interview with The Ravenous". Basementbar.com. 2004-05-26. http://basementbar.com/DefaultN1.asp?GoTo=InterviewN1.asp?ID=443. Retrieved 2008-11-27. ^{[dead link]}
5. ^ "Autopsy: 'Severed Survival' Special-Edition Two-Disc Set To Include New Tracks, Rare Material". Blabbermouth.net. 2008-11-26. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=109672. Retrieved 2008-11-27. 
6. ^ Abscess Calls It Quits, Autopsy Back Full Time
7. ^ AUTOPSY's CHRIS REIFERT Comments On First New Material In 15 Years – Feb. 5, 2009
8. ^ HEAVYMETAL.ABOUT.COM :: INTERVIEWS :: Frank Harthoorn of GOREFEST
9. ^ Mudrian, Albert (2009). Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces (page 146). Da Capo Press. ISBN 030681806X. 
10. ^ Autopsy Reveals "All Tomorrow's Funerals" Track Listing

External links

• Official Autopsy page