Seminal California gore/death metallers Autopsy, who originally called it quits in 1995, are back with a new EP called The Tomb Within (out October 5 as both a CD and 12″ vinyl release through Peaceville Records) after lead vocalist/drummer Chris Reifert pulled the plug on the band he’d assembled in Autopsy’s wake, Abscess (whose most recent album Dawn of Inhumanity was review in RM#100), earlier this summer. After giving the band’s repulsive new work a spin (which features such aural romance as “My Corpse Shall Rise,” “Seven Skulls” and “Mutant Village”), I stitched up my wounds, disinfected my headphones, put my desk back together (it was nearly rendered kindling from the onslaught) and sought out Reifert in order to subject him to a round of our favourite online inquisition.

1. What happened when you reunited in 2008 to record two tracks for the reissue of Severed Survival that made you guys want to work together again?

Magic, horror, disgust, elation, rejuvenation, revulsion, madness, ecstasy, drunkenness, an overall fuck-the-world attitude, a desire to create dark and heavy music, bong hits, fuel in many obscene and ugly forms and, of course, pathos. What else?!

2. I know you took a lot of shit over Abscess, in the sense that death metal diehards seemed reluctant to fully embrace the band, despite some very credible albums, and wanted you to just reform Autopsy again. Did you finally acquiesce? Was Abscess’ recent demise related to Autopsy’s revival?

Actually we never took shit from anyone, that’s the beauty of it, and the real diehards were there with us on the Abscess journey. Now here we are going full throttle with the creature known as Autopsy. Acquiescence be damned! The truth of the matter regarding the collapse of Abscess and the re-emergence of Autopsy is a simple one. Clint Bower respectfully bowed out of Abscess to focus on his personal life which was the death knell for that band, as Clint is an irreplaceable part of the Abscess puzzle. We had no choice but to fold when his official resignation was delivered. This meant that Autopsy, which had been dabbling in various live and recording activities could, and should, go full force and become a full time, full concentration band done the right way. I know it sounds cliché now to say “we’re not living in the past, we are here with 100% heart and soul” but not only do we mean it, but we can back it up with new material that we feel is our best yet. We won’t just be sweating to the oldies. Haha! There’s more new horrors to come up from behind and whack you on the back of your feeble heads!

3. From my understanding, Autopsy originally broke up because of a particularly gruelling three-month tour. Seeing as how I imagine you’ll be embarking on a tour for the new album, how have you insulated yourselves this time from the same potential fate?

It’s a good thing your imagination is incorrect. Heh heh. Touring? No. A few select gigs that really get the point across? Yes! Touring is definitely not a part of the agenda. We’ll leave that to other bands that have the desire to take that route.

4. Abscess’ final album, Dawn of Inhumanity, was just released this year. Why the rush to release an Autopsy EP when a full-length is expected sometime next year?

Well, it appears we’re just bursting at the seams with brutal material that wants to crawl up your leg, gnaw it’s way into your spleen and work it’s way up into your metal starved brain. Too many songs clawing to get out. We can’t stop ‘em from being written. Fuck knows, we’ve tried. It’s good to feel inspired. So that’s it, really. We had more than enough songs for an album so we split it up. Don’t worry, we saved the best stuff for the album. Having said that, the EP will be the best thing you’ve ever heard. Ever. Did I mention ever? Yep, ever.

5. Why do you think Autopsy is considered so influential to the death metal genre?

Perhaps I’m not the one to come to for that answer, seeing as how I live in my little metal bubble of a world. I’m bad at being sage and insightful though I may dare to say we actually put a lot of thought and care into our songs. The demons that are riffs are all taken into consideration and not tossed around lightly. The best death metal songs stay under your skin long after the actual listening is over with.  Thanks for the compliment, by the way.

6. The musical landscape has evolved so much since 1995, both artistically and technologically. So many bands have retroactively copped your style, the imagery you once introduced that was so shocking at the time is fairly commonplace in the genre, and there’s just so many more bands to compete with now. How does a band such as Autopsy establish itself as a trailblazing act again?

Thanks for the ego boost. Haha! Yeah, there sure are a lot of bands around but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The exceptions will still stand out and be recognized. Not all of ‘em, of course, due to sheer volume but that’s nothing new. Regarding Autopsy, all we can do is stay true to ourselves, therefore staying true to the fans. There’s nothing artificial or forced going on here. We’ll just keep playing the songs the way they’re supposed to be played and writing new stuff that is worthy of the Autopsy name.

7. Your lyrics have historically been some of the most vile and gore-riddled in the genre. What horror influences do you draw upon in your writing?

The most horrific things of all, our own rotten and monstrous minds. Other influences inevitably seep in through the hard exterior of our skulls but it mostly comes down to finding that specific mental place where horror and darkness rule supreme and complete death in metal leads the charge. God, that sounds epic, don’t it?!

peaceville.com