Artificial intelligence is a concept seemingly ever-present in the modern day. But nobody talks about when musical instruments become sentient and develop their own mannerisms and consciousness.
The string work found within the muggy confines of Morbidity Triumphant (Peaceville), the latest from death metal mainstays Autopsy, sees Danny Coralles and Eric Cutler being abused by their overseers, i.e. their guitars. The masterstroke of riffing is diabolical, the soloing and fills reminiscent of unhinged thrash metal from the 1980s. At no point does it feel like the pair has any control over their instruments for the 42 minutes of run time, and the audience should be all the more grateful because of that.
Coupled with the caveman production value and the all-encompassing slime which envelopes the album, Morbidity Triumphant is the product of a veteran band that is just as enthusiastic and passionate about gore, death and the macabre as they were when the group was founded in 1987.
That is abundantly clear from the album artwork. The main “character” is a skeleton cloaked in skinned faces while holding up its most recent catch. Which is to say there is a lot of visceral elements not only contained in the eleven songs.
‘Born In Blood’ descends into what can only be described as circle pit tomfoolery. ‘Final Frost’ is searing and serrated; ‘Your Eyes Will Turn To Dust’ is an apt album closer in name alone. Morbidity is meant to challenge and provoke the stability and sanity of the listener (felt most on ‘Skin By Skin’). I imagine the song was drawn up while talking a guided tour through a still-fresh triple-murder-homicide crime scene.
Maybe this record is yet another notch in Autopsy’s bullet belt. Or maybe it’s the music finally controlling man. Because what comes out of the speakers doesn’t always sound like humanity is capable of mustering such lurid putrefaction.
Buy the album here: https://autopsy.lnk.to/MorbidityTriumphant
8 / 10
MATT COOK