Autopsy

Biography :

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


History :

Autopsy was formed in August of 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."

Reunion

For years, there had been speculation about the possibility of an Autopsy reunion. Asked in May 2004 if there was any consideration for a reunion, guitarist Danny Coralles replied:
“ I can tell you there will never be an Autopsy reunion. Chris feels that nobody gave a fuck about Autopsy when they were together, but right after they disbanded, all he was ever asked about was Autopsy when he was trying to shelve it and get people to check out Abscess. And I agree that Abscess is very underrated. If those guys (Abscess) did their next record and called it an Autopsy release, without changing anything, it would sell shitloads just because of the "classic underground band" stigma attached to Autopsy. That's what I think anyway, some might disagree. ”

In September 2008, members of Autopsy briefly reunited in the studio to record two new tracks (that are very similar to the old material of Autopsy) for the special edition of their 1989 classic debut Severed Survival, which was released on February 23, 2009. The tracks, marking the band's first recording since 1995, were included on the reissue's second disc.

In July 2009, it was announced that the band would be reconvening to play the Maryland Deathfest.

On June 2, 2010, the same day Abscess announced their break up, Autopsy announced that the reunion is now permanent. They also announced that they would release a new EP, entitled The Tomb Within, on September 13, 2010 and Macabre Eternal, their first studio album in 16 years, in 2011.


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. Early genre stalwarts like Entombed, Gorefest, Cannibal Corpse and Deicide have all credited Autopsy as an influence in their sound. Several death metal bands have covered Autopsy songs on released recordings, including Immolation, Dismember, Mausoleum and Begrime Exemious.


Band Members :

Current Members :

* Danny Coralles – Guitar (1987–present)
* Eric Cutler – Guitar (1987–present)
* Joe Trevisano - Bass (2010–present)
* Chris Reifert – Drums/vocals (1987–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 :

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

EPs / Singles :

* Autopsy - Retribution for the Dead (1990)
* Autopsy - Fiend for Blood (1991)
* Autopsy - Horrific Obsession (2009)
* Autopsy - The Tomb Within (2010)