Search - Autopsy :: Severed Survival (W/Book) (W/CD) (Spec)

Great Early Death Metal

Edward J. Holmes | Demotte, Indiana United States | 11/10/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this on record back when it first came out in 1989. Death metal as a sub-genre had only been around for a couple of years at that time. I had heard Death's seminal 1st album "Scream Bloody Gore" a little earlier and really liked it. Then I came across "Severed Survival" at the record store and noticed that Chris Reifert played drums on this album as well as Death's 1st album. I really liked "Scream Bloody Gore." It was the first time I had heard music like that. The guitars were fast, the leads were lethal, the singing was extreme, and the drums were insane! Plus the song titles were just ripe for a teenager who liked horror flicks.



I think this is a good example of a genre (death metal) before it got flooded with a lot of garbage. When you listen to Scream Bloody Gore by Death, it sounds like it was recorded in an underground cavern. I'm not saying that in a bad way either. It just has that feel. More of a mysterious kind of ambience. Whereas Autopsy's Severed Survival sounds like it was made in a rotting autopsy room filled with stinking corpses. The two bands are really playing the same type of music but when recorded differently, they come across very well.



Severed Survival is a classic as far as death metal goes. It has all the elements of gore and zombies you could ask for. It's like George Romero's "Day of the Dead" for your ears. With songs like Ridden with Disease, Charred Remains, and Pagan Saviour, you can't go wrong. Gore abounds on this great CD. The music is well executed and the lead guitars are cool. All in all, you cannot deny this work of pure death metal horror.



This would fit great along side classics such as Death's 1st album, as well as Leprosy. Plus, Grave's Into the Grave, Venom's Black Metal, Possessed's Seven Churches, and Celtic Frost's To Mega Therion.



This 2 CD set is a good deal. Not only do you get the original 1st album completley remastered but, you get 3 new tunes newly recorded specially for this release. The 2nd CD contains rare demos and live tracks throughout the years. Stuff like that is always cool. By and large, it comes in a good and complete package with a booklet including a history of the band with pictures and lyrics. Pretty cool. Don't be scared, give it a shot. If you like early death metal, you'll like this one."

Autopsy's Severed Survival

Edward L. Yerman | Asheville, NC USA | 09/29/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a great album, and the reissue has good production value; it's too bad it had to come in a digipak, since the album art is awesome, and, with a digipack, the art is bound to erode. However, the bonus CD it comes with isn't all that much, unless you like really crappy production from demos, rehearsals and live shows; the two new songs are ok."