Fiend for Blood

Autopsy often preceded their full-length albums with shorter recordings; demos in the early days, EPs once they got signed. These recordings are great. Each one beats its respective, subsequent album in terms of quality and extremity. That means the "Critical Madness" demo is better than the debut album, and the "Retribution for the Dead" EP is better than "Mental Funeral". True to form, "Fiend for Blood" is better than "Acts of the Unspeakable" too. Autopsy changed their sound each time, and seemed to be dipping their toes in the water before plunging in by releasing a full-length. Of course, the first three Autopsy albums are all great, which indicates how awesome these demos and EPs are.

"Fiend for Blood" was recorded near the end of 1991 (released in 1992). The band focused on the more chaotic, and speedier elements of “Mental Funeral” and ran with them. They de-emphasised the Black Sabbath bluesy influences, the proto-death/doom sound and (some) of the melody. The music on this EP is as busy and technically challenging as anything in the band’s catalogue. It consists of four proper songs and two hyper-fast, shorter numbers (more grindcore in spirit than any previous Autopsy material). The big addition is Steve DiGiorgio. He had already played session bass on "Severed Survival", but he gels with the band much better here. He adds a hyper-complex, proggy style that brings the first Sadus album to mind. Enlisting him was a masterstroke. His presence pushes Chris Reifert, Danny Coralles and Eric Cutler out of their musical comfort zones and the result is dynamite. Listen to the crazy solo at the end of "Squeal Like a Pig". This is brilliant stuff.

The band opted to recreate the production aesthetics of "Mental Funeral", an interesting decision. Personally, I like how that album sounded. I like the loud drums and relative lack of guitar distortion. I will admit that it is an odd production, potentially off-putting for people who like death metal to have the maximum degree of crunching heaviness. I admire how Autopsy managed to find this mix again (since they were using a different studio and a different producer). This shows that they were aiming to get this production here, whereas it had presumably been an accident on the previous record. Anyone familiar with “Mental Funeral” will know what to expect. I much prefer this sound to the multitude of identikit death metal productions out there. It has aged well too. You might see this as the precursor to the dry, spacious production on StarGazer's "The Scream That Tore the Sky" (another record with virtuoso bass-playing).

“Fiend for Blood” is near the top of the class for American death metal in 1992. The DiGiorgio-less “Acts of the Unspeakable” doesn’t match this for hyperactive intensity. Few death metal bands were bending the rules as liberally as Autopsy back then. This EP is as progressive as the band ever got. The songs themselves may not be as memorable as the earlier Autopsy records, but this EP is a statement of intent. Autopsy were following their own route regardless of any expectations based on their own past. Chalk this one up as another great Autopsy recording that needs more appreciation.

I've been a huge fan of this band since 1990 and this is their second EP that came out in 1991 and I feel it's their weakest release because of the production being very thin. The guitar sound is muffled it's too light and it hurts this recording. Otherwise the songs are great there's a lot of faster songs on this EP not so many doomier sections. Chris Reifert comes up with some crazy vocals especially on "A Different Kind Of Mindfuck" where he uses a pitch shifter and it's bizarre. Steve Digorgio steps in again on bass duties and you can hear some crazy bass parts throughout this recording that are very jazzy a lot of times.

I think the best songs are "Keeper Of Decay" and "Squeal Like A Pig" they've got the catchiest riffs and most interesting arrangements. I've always enjoyed their guitar harmonies that are sinister yet pleasant to hear in death metal. You can remember those riffs easily it doesn't take 1000 listens to get it. That's why this band is one of the greatest that's ever been because they know how to craft amazing hooks inside the songs that'll stay with you. Sometimes the timing of the songs shifts rather quickly but it keeps you listening and appreciating the way they arranged it. Chris Reifert is such a great drummer and amazing songwriter. You can hear how he throws in alot of crazy drum parts throughout these songs that remind me of bands like King Crimson and ELP. That progressive rock style of drumming where its unconventional and unpredictable is amazing even now.

So to finish up here this EP has great songs but the production was weaker than their previous 2 Lps. I honestly wish they would have rerecorded these songs along the way I think it would have made a big difference if they had. Maybe one day they'll get around to do that but as it is this is a great EP anyway. If you're a die hard Autopsy fan like me you'll want to hear it but all I can say is it's got some great songs but the production is a let down. If that guitar sound had been bigger it would have made a world of difference.

Much as the Retribution for the Dead EP served as a tonal bridge between Autopsy's first pair of albums, Fiend for Blood offered another window into the band's plausible future. The material here is a lot sloppier and unhinged than Mental Funeral, much more a barrage of straight, grisly death with a few breakdowns. Steve DiGiorgio returned to the bass position here, and you can hear his excess noodling all over the songs, a much more central presence than the restraint he showed through the debut album. One the one hand, Fiend for Blood is simply 12 minutes of neolithic torture, with nary a truly memorable hook to be unearthed, and it's the worst release of the band's crucial 1989-1992 period. On the other, there's really nothing all that offensive about it, just don't expect depth outside of Steve's copious, spastic embellishments.

As with Mental Funeral, there are a few very brief tracks here, but these at least carry some vocals. "Fiend for Blood" is a hurried little 30 second, sludgy grind track while "A Different Kind of Mindfuck" returns to a 'narrative' doom not unlike a few of the tunes on the prior two releases. "Dead Hole" is one of the better discoveries, cycling through a savage opening barrage and then stretching its offal stained wings with some swerving, atmospheric grooves. "Ravenous Freaks" is overall forgettable, with one half-decent riff in the center, the guitars colliding with the bass in a favorable pattern, then another burst of worthless insanity, and then another half-baked but pleasurable death groove. "Squeal Like a Pig" establishes a more measured pace throughout, while "Keeper of Decay" features perhaps the best of the EP's faster rhythms, DiGiorgio going fruit loops everywhere.

Aside from the admitted lack of quality riffs that I was so into on Mental Funeral, I also don't enjoy the tone here of the guitars. It simply does not stand out whatsoever. Contrast these droning, sludgy patterns with the thundering bottom end, and it all feels fairly half-assed, as if the band just wanted to fill some space before their next album. The cover art also sucks, where Retribution for the Dead was quite cool; but it's not like many bands put much effort into the packaging of such short form releases. Assuming you haven't already picked this up in the past, then I'd advise you just pick up the re-issue of Acts of the Unspeakable which includes this entire EP as a bonus (and more on one of the versions). Autopsy's third album does continue the wacky trend of dumbing down their impressive sarcophagi of sound, but there are far better songs and less of the bass playing excess.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

A year prior in '91, Autopsy captivated those fortunate enough in the metal underground with their release of "Mental Funeral." I can imagine they felt the need to top or go beyond this recording either with more versatility, nastier lyrics, tempo changes or just an uncontrollable urge to add another twyst to the meaning of "twisted."

The music is a blend of death, grind and doom. They essentially switch it up in each placement: one moment it's centered, the next it's unruly or at another it's dark and wavy. For the most part the guitars aren't continuously chugged and in certain areas they might only take a few notes and play them with the simplicity of a grind-like fashion or more closer to its precursor hardcore. Then there are some structured moments that work the fret board a little more and turn out to be somewhat progressive, or even dark and atmospheric for what most people are used to with a death metal band. So, there are moments that lean on aggression, and then others that take it down a notch and are going for more complex playing or just simply a mood. An easier way to understand the manner in which Autopsy does it in is something like running your finger in appreciation over the surface texture of a finished painting, and then for whatever reason putting your fist right through the canvas. They end up doing both here: craft a dark or weaving scenario and then have the tendency to ravage it.

The young man arrived suave, mysterious. Suddenly, to everyone's surprise, he broke wind. One fart, two farts, three farts...really unpredictable that one.

Guest bassist Steve DiGiorgio brings another element to the recording. He might synergize a guitar line with some alternate rhythms alongside, hit similar notes but still stick out by slapping the strings about, even impact certain start up sections by gliding in with a few distinct bass lines. The drums can go with the nomadic flow of the music, but still have some well-constructed moments including those characteristic weaving tom patterns Autopsy's known for. Reifert's chops continue to provide a few interesting environments, not just relying on pummeling double bass and blazing fast speed to get that hair of yours a mess like other death metal groups, but have a few moments here and there of actually reaching out to those little hairs on the back of your neck, like they're building up to something potentially ominous with, --> you <--, the listener caught in the middle. His vocals can be all over the place with different tones and projections: anywhere from using deep and mumbled growls to painful yells; sometimes showing distinct words, at others a puke of syllables.

"Fiend for Blood" does have its moments and a few of them turn out to be creative swims into the perverse—those instances that stick with you after listening and have an actual "impact" on hacking into your brain waves. However, they were evolving and searching here, trying to find the next level of extremity and at the same instance expand themselves as musicians. This caused them to over reach at times with certain transitions, or even entire areas. In turn, this recording has some pieces in their song writing as if part of it was built up, and another part of it was "lett looSe" without actually looking back. Like they wanted it all: a rich flavored cake that was decorated by a baker who has a tendency to fidget, don't forget the sleazy stripper that pops out or even the cherry on top, except the occasion is too much to capture in one single event or was as well planned as they would have hoped. Essentially the issue with this EP is those areas aren't put together as collectively as one would want: Some sections might work in unison and really come together, and then others come across as either forced to fit with attempting to mix this or that genre, or just simply have riffs or vocal projections that turn out to be depreciable beyond so many listens. It's a real whopper of a conundrum with everything combined. On the other hand, the production is actually decently loud and separated for the style, and by having a layer of soiled, reverb-drenched film slightly helps when you switch tracks, giving this the necessary shadows around this kind of hideous blood-hungry monstrosity that Autopsy spawns in our heads from their release.

I felt the previous album "Mental Funeral" was Autopsy's peak, it really came together with a mixture of their take on death and doom, and also a tad of grind found its way inside while altogether making up for the loss of their prior thrash influences. It was a depraved release without going over the mark—their musical timing was top notch and the atmosphere was built up to and consistent throughout. It had peaks and rises without having spikes and plummets, and, importantly, the transitions between simplicity and complexity held together like they were one uninterrupted cohesion. I'm sure none of the mentioned was as easy as it might come across, which is usually when you know a band sat down to tinker and tweak it; when you compare it side by side something else or hear a recording falter or fall short is usually when realization hits. I still recommend "FfB" if you can't get enough of their earlier material because you'll still locate a few semblances and also some new additions, but I'd say to find this EP for less than an arm and a leg, or if this is your first Autopsy outing go with "Severed Survival," "Mental Funeral" or even the EP release "Retribution for the Dead" in place of or beforehand. "Fiend for Blood" is the band attempting to maneuver themselves around a room where they are trying all kinds of ways to carry these buckets of gore: heaving it, methodizing it, walking it, jogging it, running with it. Except when they attempt to do all of this around each other, in close quarters and with the intention to top the last session, it leads to some collisions and spills that your ears aren't willing to do the work and clean up for them each time you might consider giving this a go.