Where do you start? How do you go about reviewing such a revered album as 'Severed Survival', an album that influenced a generation of Death Metal releases and has been the cornerstone for much of what we call 'extreme' music today? Staggering as it may be to believe but 20 years have come and gone since the albums first release and while the world has changed beyond all recognition in that time the true class of 'Severed Survival' remains as impressive sounding as the day of it's release.

Who could think of reviewing any Autopsy release without mentioning 'that' sound, the sound that was instantly recognizable. As heavy as a concrete overcoat and as thick as molasses. The band became godfathers of the Death Metal movement yet many of the influences that were drawn upon often came from the likes of Pentagram, St. Vitus and Trouble, while on paper this made for odd bedfellows the concoction of slow paced intensely heavy riffs married to Chris Reifert guttural growls was a marriage made in heaven. Align that with the gore filled lyrics that remain as sick today as they ever were and what you had was the blue print for 99% of Death Metal bands from then on.

The saying 'you don't know what you have until it is gone' was never so true as in the case of Autopsy. Recognition and appreciation has unquestionably grown over the years and we could debate the rights and wrongs the belated accolades Autopsy received until the cows come home but what is undeniable is the quality and sheer brilliance contained within what was the bands debut release. There is without doubt a modicum of sentimentality that surrounds 'Severed Survival' but even with the rosiest of tinted glasses the most cynical amongst us couldn't deny what this album was and is to anyone paying so much as a passing interest in extreme metal simply staggering in it's brilliance.

Repackaged, remastered and complete with a whole raft of rare live and demo tracks, along with the first new tracks in over a decade the 'Severed Survival' of 2009 has been turbo charged to the max. Chris Reifert's personal stash of bootlegs and rarities has taken a pounding but there really is a whole plethora of material not heard since the early tape trading days of the late 80's. Despite every Death Metal fan the world over already owning a copy of this album Autopsy and Peaceville have ensured that this release isn't seen as a cash cow and have given every fan a reason to buy the album a second time. Like we needed a reason I hear you cry.