Autopsy is an American death metal band formed in

Contra Costa County ) of the San Francisco Bay , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1 = State , subdivision_name1 = California , subdivision_type2 ...

, California in 1987 by

Chris Reifert Chris Reifert (born February 23, 1968) is an American death metal musician, and one of the pioneers of the death/doom genre. Although his music is more death metal than doom metal, he is one of the first musicians that blended the two styles. H ...

and Eric Cutler. The group disbanded in 1995 and reunited in 2009.

History

Initial career

Autopsy was formed in August 1987 by

and Eric Cutler, shortly after Reifert's departure from Death. The band recorded a demo that year, ''Demo '87'', before Danny Coralles joined in 1988 immediately prior to the recording of their second demo, ''Critical Madness'', and along with Reifert and Cutler, would be a constant in the band's lineup. The band signed to

Peaceville Records Peaceville Records is a British independent heavy metal record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw (of the bands Instigators and Civilised Society) in Dewsbury, England in 1987, who was also a one-time drummer of Sore Throa ...

and released their debut album, ''

Severed Survival ''Severed Survival'' is the debut album by Autopsy released in 1989. This album somewhat continues in the style of Reifert's former band Death. Lyrically the band thrives heavily on horror, death and gore concepts; nevertheless these are not ins ...

'' in 1989. These early recordings featured a pioneering death metal style that adopted a slower, doom metal influenced sound. The next full-length, ''

Mental Funeral ''Mental Funeral'' is the second album by Autopsy, released in 1991 by Peaceville Records. Track listing *All music by Autopsy. Lyrics by Chris Reifert – except track 5, Eric Cutler Personnel ;Autopsy * Chris Reifert – vocals, drums * Da ...

'', continued in this style and has since been cited by many other death metal musicians 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 ''Shitfun'' is the fourth studio album by Autopsy An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the c ...

'', released in early 1995, was heavily influenced by

hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier pu ...

and would prepare fans for

Abscess An abscess is a collection of pus that has built up within the tissue of the body. Signs and symptoms of abscesses include redness, pain, warmth, and swelling. The swelling may feel fluid-filled when pressed. The area of redness often extends b ...

, 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

After several years of speculation regarding an Autopsy reunion, and denial of the possibility, the band members briefly reunited in September 2008 to record two new tracks for the special edition of their 1989 debut ''

''. They later reconvened to the Maryland Deathfest in 2009. After Abscess broke up in June 2010, Autopsy immediately announced that they had permanently reunited. They released ''

The Tomb Within ''The Tomb Within'' is an EP by the American death metal band Autopsy An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissec ...

'' EP in September 2010, ''

Macabre Eternal ''Macabre Eternal'' is the fifth album by the American death metal band Autopsy, released on May 16, 2011, on the label Peaceville Records. It is the first studio album Autopsy have released after their 1995 disbandment and 2009 reunion. The firs ...

'' in 2011, ''Born Undead'' DVD in 2012, ''

The Headless Ritual The Headless Ritual is the sixth studio album by Autopsy An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determin ...

'' in 2013 and ''

Tourniquets, Hacksaws and Graves ''Tourniquets, Hacksaws and Graves'' is the seventh studio album by American death metal band Autopsy An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examina ...

'' in 2014. Autopsy released the EP ''Skullgrinder'' on November 27, 2015. They released the EP ''Puncturing the Grotesque'' on December 15, 2017. In December 2021, the band announced they were working on a new album, which was tentatively due for release in 2022. On July 27, 2022, the band revealed their new album, ''Morbidity Triumphant'', would be released on September 30.

Legacy

Along with fellow

Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Gove ...

band Possessed and Reifert's previous group Death, Autopsy have been considered a pioneering band in the death metal genre. Early bands such as Entombed,

Dismember Dismemberment is the act of cutting, ripping, tearing, pulling, wrenching or otherwise disconnecting the limbs from a living or dead being. It has been practiced upon human beings as a form of capital punishment, especially in connection with ...

Gorefest Gorefest was a Dutch death metal band from Goes in Zeeland. It was founded in 1989 by Jan-Chris de Koeijer, Frank Harthoorn, Alex van Schaik and Marc Hoogendoorn. History Within two months of existence Gorefest recorded their first demo. A ...

, Immolation,

Cannibal Corpse Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band formed in Buffalo, New York in 1988, now based out of Tampa, Florida. The band has released fifteen studio albums, two box sets, four video albums, and two live albums. The band has had little radi ...

and Deicide have all credited Autopsy as an influence in their sound. In addition, Autopsy have helped to pioneer

death-doom Death-doom is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It combines the slow tempos and pessimistic or depressive mood of doom metal with the deep growling vocals and double kick drumming of death metal. The genre emerged in the late-1980s and gain ...

Band members

Current members

– drums, lead vocals , bass *Eric Cutler – guitars, backing and lead vocals , bass * Danny Coralles – guitars , bass *Greg Wilkinson – bass

Former members

*Eric Eigard – bass *Ken Sorvari – bass *Steve Cutler – bass *Josh Barohn – bass *Freeway Migliore – bass * Joe Trevisano – bass

Session musicians

Steve Di Giorgio Steve Di Giorgio (born November 7, 1967) is an American bass guitarist. He is known for working with numerous heavy metal bands such as Sadus (of whom he was one of the co-founders), Death, Testament, Megadeth, Sebastian Bach, Iced Earth, Autop ...

– bass *Clint Bower – bass

Live members

Dan Lilker Daniel A. Lilker (born October 18, 1964) is an American semi-retired musician best known as a bass player, but also guitarist, pianist, drummer and vocalist. He was the bassist for the thrash metal band Nuclear Assault and was a founding member ...

– bass

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

* ''

'' (1989) * ''

'' (1991) * '' Acts of the Unspeakable'' (1992) * ''

'' (1995) * ''

'' (2011) * ''

'' (2013) * ''

'' (2014) * ''Morbidity Triumphant'' (2022)

EPs/Singles

* ''

Retribution for the Dead ''Retribution for the Dead'' is an EP by the American death metal band Autopsy. It was released in 1991 by Peaceville Records. It features two songs which were re-recorded for the ''Mental Funeral ''Mental Funeral'' is the second album by Aut ...

'' (1991) * '' Fiend for Blood'' (1991) * ''Horrific Obsession'' (2009) * ''

'' (2010) * ''Skull Grinder'' (2015) * ''Puncturing the Grotesque'' (2017)

Live albums

* ''Tortured Moans of Agony'' (1998) * ''Dead as Fuck'' (2004) * ''Dark Crusades'' (2010) * ''Live in Chicago'' (2020)

Demos

* ''1987 Demo'' (1987) * ''Critical Madness'' (1988)

Compilations

* ''Ridden with Disease'' (2000) * '' Torn from the Grave'' (2001) * ''All Tomorrow's Funerals'' (2012) * ''Introducing Autopsy'' (2013)

Re-releases

* '' Severed Survival/Retribution for the Dead '' (1994) * '' Acts of the Unspeakable/Fiend for Blood '' (2003)

Filmography

* ''Dark Crusades'' (with

liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes. Origin Liner notes are descen ...

and band interview by Joel McIver; Peaceville Records, 2006) * ''Born Undead'' (produced by Jesse Davis; Peaceville Records, 2012)

References

External links

Official Autopsy page
at Myspace {{DEFAULTSORT:Autopsy 1987 establishments in California Death metal musical groups from California Musical groups established in 1987 Musical groups disestablished in 1995 Musical groups reestablished in 2009 Musical quartets