AUTOPSY: 'Mental Funeral' Special 35th-Anniversary Editions Due In August

"Mental Funeral" was AUTOPSY's second studio album, originally released back in 1991, and is rightly hailed as one of the greatest death metal albums of all time with its unhinged and uncompromising collection of odes to brutality and depravity, wrapped up in its highly distinctive raw, organic production. To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the seminal album, Peaceville will release two new editions on August 14, featuring newly remastered audio courtesy of current AUTOPSY bassist Greg Wilkinson at his Earhammer Studios.

"Mental Funeral" was recorded at Different Fur Studios in late 1990, with engineering work conducted by Ron Rigler. The iconic artwork appeared courtesy of Kev Walker, who had already provided the (at the time) controversial cover for AUTOPSY's debut, "Severed Survival".

The 35th-anniversary editions of "Mental Funeral" will be available on two new formats:

* Red/green ink spot vinyl, featuring newly remastered audio courtesy of current AUTOPSY bassist Greg Wilkinson at his Earhammer Studios

* Double-disc edition containing remastered audio and a special bonus commentary disc, with Chris Reifert, Eric Culter and Danny Coralles all sharing their recollections of the writing and recording process for the album, and its inspirations

Disc 1

01. Twisted Mass Of Burnt Decay (2:14)
02. In The Grip Of Winter (4:08)
03. Fleshcrawl (0:41)
04. Torn From The Womb (3:18)
05. Slaughterday (4:02)
06. Dead (3:18)
07. Robbing The Grave (3:52)
08. Hole In The Head (6:03)
09. Destined To Fester (4:34)
10. Bonesaw (0:45)
11. Dark Crusade (3:54)
12. Mental Funeral (0:36)

Disc 2 (2CD edition only)

01. Twisted Mass Of Burnt Decay (with commentary) (2:14)
02. In The Grip Of Winter (with commentary) (4:08)
03. Fleshcrawl (with commentary) (0:41)
04. Torn From The Womb (with commentary) (3:18)
05. Slaughterday (with commentary) (4:02)
06. Dead (with commentary) (3:18)
07. Robbing The Grave (with commentary) (3:52)
08. Hole In The Head (with commentary) (6:03)
09. Destined To Fester (with commentary) (4:34)
10. Bonesaw (with commentary) (0:45)
11. Dark Crusade (with commentary) (3:54)
12. Mental Funeral (with commentary) (0:36)

One of the early breed of U.S. death metal acts, AUTOPSY formed in 1987 in San Francisco. Drummer/vocalist Chris Reifert had gained initial recognition with Floridian genre pioneers DEATH and his participation on the classic debut "Scream Bloody Gore" before this new morbid creation was birthed. AUTOPSY released four albums on Peaceville Records in the early part of their career — beginning with the legendary debut, "Severed Survival", in 1989 — before disbanding in 1995, with members going on to become the stalwarts of sickodelia in ABSCESS.

AUTOPSY triumphantly and officially returned from the grave after a 15-year hiatus with the 2010 EP "The Tomb Within". This was followed by the release of the band's fifth studio album, "Macabre Eternal", in 2011, as the group celebrated a new era of popularity and creativity. This reverence continues to this day as AUTOPSY itself nears its 40th anniversary, and still features the longstanding core trio of Chris Reifert, Eric Cutler and Danny Coralles.