Severed Survival
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2024) |
| Severed Survival | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 24, 1989 | |||
| Recorded | January 1989 | |||
| Studio | Starlight Sound, Richmond, California, USA | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 41:38 | |||
| Label | Peaceville Records | |||
| Producer | John Marshall/Autopsy | |||
| Autopsy chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternate cover | ||||
 | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   link |
Severed Survival is the debut album by American death metal band Autopsy, released by Peaceville Records in 1989.
Release
[edit]Various re-releases exist with different bonus tracks and bonus CDs. Furthermore, a different cover exists for this album, which depicts the point of view of the person receiving the autopsy. To coincide with the album's 20th anniversary, Peaceville Records released a special two-disc edition of Severed Survival on February 23, 2009.[1] It includes rare rehearsal and live material for a bonus disc as well as demo versions of two songs — "Mauled to Death" and "Human Genocide" — which did not make the final cut on the original album. Also featured in the package is a booklet with notes by the band themselves, detailing the history of Autopsy's early years, with rare photos and images. The reissue also includes two new Autopsy tracks that were recorded in September 2008, and are included on the reissue's second disc.
Musical style and composition
[edit]The album is notable for its bass sound which was mixed much higher than all the other tracks.[citation needed] Metal Hammer called the album "subversive, even by death metal standards" and made note of the album's "weird detours into crippling doom and some of the goofiest lyrics of all time".[2]
Continuing in the style of Reifert's former band Death, the album's lyrical themes draw heavily on horror, death and gore concepts, and is a pioneer of gore lyrics. Although the tracks are not inspired directly by horror films, the title track is based on Stephen King's short story "Survivor Type."
Legacy
[edit]Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic said Severed Survival is "one of the death metal genre's seminal cornerstones", and Metal Hammer called the album "one of the genre’s first masterworks".[3][4]
The album went on to be substantially influential future death metal acts such as Cannibal Corpse, Entombed, and Dismember.
Track listing
[edit]All songs written by Chris Reifert, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Charred Remains" | 3:40 | |
| 2. | "Service for a Vacant Coffin" | Eric Cutler, Reifert | 2:51 |
| 3. | "Disembowel" | Cutler, Reifert | 4:05 |
| 4. | "Gasping for Air" | Cutler | 3:20 |
| 5. | "Ridden with Disease" | 4:53 | |
| 6. | "Pagan Saviour" | 4:10 | |
| 7. | "Impending Dread" | Cutler, Reifert | 4:46 |
| 8. | "Severed Survival" | 3:28 | |
| 9. | "Critical Madness" | 4:32 | |
| 10. | "Embalmed" | Cutler, Reifert | 3:02 |
| 11. | "Stillborn" (Hidden Track) | 2:48 | |
| Total length: | 41:38 | ||
Personnel
[edit]- Autopsy
- Chris Reifert - vocals, drums
- Danny Coralles - guitar
- Eric Cutler - guitar
- Session musicians
- Steve DiGiorgio - bass
- Production
- Recorded in January 1989 at Starlight Sound
- Produced by John Marshall and Autopsy
- Engineered by John Marshall
- Cover art by Kent Mathieu
- Cover art by Kev Walker (Alternative cover)
References
[edit]- ^ "Autopsy: 'Severed Survival' Special-Edition Two-Disc Set To Include New Tracks, Rare Material". Blabbermouth.net. 2008-11-26. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
- ^ Metal Hammer (2020-05-15). "The 50 best death metal albums ever". louder. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ Severed Survival - Autopsy | Album | AllMusic, retrieved 2024-12-24
- ^ Metal Hammer (2020-05-15). "The 50 best death metal albums ever". louder. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
