Band:	Autopsy
Album:	Macabre Eternal
Style:	Death metal
Release date:	May 2011

01. Hand Of Darkness
02. Dirty Gore Whore
03. Always About To Die
04. Macabre Eternal
05. Deliver Me From Sanity
06. Seeds Of The Doomed
07. Bridge Of Bones
08. Born Undead
09. Sewn Into One
10. Bludgeoned And Brained
11. Sadistic Gratification
12. Spill My Blood

After 16 long years of waiting, the Autopsy death machine is finally back doing what they do best: making the purest, most sadistic, gore-filled metal. If I'm honest, this was probably THE album which I was waiting for this year ever since I read the first annunciation back in summer 2010. And let me tell you, Macabre Eternal was worth waiting for!

When I first listened to the album I knew this was the Autopsy I knew back from the Severed Survival days; straight up in your face gore, no strings attached. The music, as well as the lyrics, are aggressive, fast-paced and dark (just how you would expect Autopsy to be). Reifert's gutpuking vocals still sound excellent after all those years. This however, didn't come as a surprise after The Tomb Within EP. The drumming and guitar riffs are as usual spot-on. The first complaints on the album, however, started to arise when I noticed the lack of bass on the album. The first two albums were filled with memorable bass lines, which was something which was absent (or not as noticeable) on Macabre Eternal.

Production-wise, this album is superb compared to previous releases which makes for an even better listen. The album has a clean sound, yet has a raw side to it, providing perfect balance. "Bridge of Bones" is also a testament to the fact that Autopsy have progressed as musicians as they even utilized an acoustic guitar to create an even darker atmosphere during the song (something I've hardly ever heard in this genre of music).

Then there are the last two tracks on the album, sung by guitarist Eric Culter. I knew "Sadistic Gratification" (a track clocking in at just over 11 minutes) would be a challenge for any band, and expectations for this song in particular were low, but they pulled it off really well. Even though I'm not a real fan of Cutler's voice, I think his raw growls, mixed with the screams of the woman makes for a perfect combination providing an excellent atmosphere for which the band is so renowned for. "Spill my blood" however, was a real disappointment. Everything about the song sounds rushed and (being the last track on the album) plainly looks like a filler. If they had left that track out the album would have closed on a far better note.

Eric Reifert previously said about Macabre Eternal: "We've brewed up the sickest and heaviest material that our rotten souls could possibly spew forth, and we are confident that it's our best stuff yet." I think that although there are some downsides to this album, Autopsy has definitely lived up to this expectation. It's overall a very solid album and a must-have for any Autopsy or death metal fan!

Happy slaughterdays!