It’s another loud and gnarly night at the Oakland Metro, and Capital Chaos TV was outside with none other than Chris Reifert, drummer and vocalist of the legendary death metal band Autopsy. We caught up with him right before he hit the stage alongside Noothgrush, Benediction, and the mighty Bolt Thrower. Here’s what went down.
On Shaving Like a True Goregrinder
Before diving into the music, Chris and our host bonded over something every metalhead can appreciate: the art of head-shaving.
“I just shaved my head today,” our host says. “Looks like you shaved yours yesterday… or the day before?”
Chris laughs, “You gotta go brutal or go home.”
When asked whether he uses a Mach 3, straight razor, or even sandpaper, Chris didn’t flinch: “Oh yeah, man. You know this.”
Goregrind, indeed—grind first, then bring the gore.
A Reunion of Death Metal Titans
Autopsy’s set at the Oakland Metro marked something of a reunion, sharing the bill with old tourmates.
“One of your first European tours was with Morbid Angel and Bolt Thrower, right?”
Chris confirmed, “That was the first. The second was with Benediction. So yeah, it’s a bunch of old friends tonight. It’s f***ing great.”
Back then, their sound was still taking shape—a raw, abrasive wave crashing against the mainstream. “It definitely wasn’t popular, but that made it more fun. Like, ‘Oh, everyone hates this? Cool. Let’s play it louder and meaner.’”
Singing Drummers: A Rare Breed
Autopsy’s dual-duty frontman is a rare beast: a singing drummer. But the role didn’t come from ambition—it came from necessity.
“We couldn’t find anyone else to sing. We tried and failed miserably, so I just took over.”
Guitarist Eric Cutler pitched in early on with vocals, but the passion faded. “He did Mauled to Death and it sounded killer, but he wasn’t into it after a while. Lately, he’s gotten back into vocals, which has been awesome. Now we’ve got the best of both worlds.”
Singing Drummers: A Rare Breed
Autopsy’s dual-duty frontman is a rare beast: a singing drummer. But the role didn’t come from ambition—it came from necessity.
“We couldn’t find anyone else to sing. We tried and failed miserably, so I just took over.”
Guitarist Eric Cutler pitched in early on with vocals, but the passion faded. “He did Mauled to Death and it sounded killer, but he wasn’t into it after a while. Lately, he’s gotten back into vocals, which has been awesome. Now we’ve got the best of both worlds.”
New Album Incoming
Autopsy fans, rejoice: the band’s new album is finished and scheduled for release on July 2nd (U.S. date pending final confirmation).
“We’re really happy with it. I think it’s our best one yet. Now comes the painful waiting part—we did our job, now it’s up to everyone else.”
The album art was done by Joe Petagno, known for his iconic work with Motörhead.
“He gave us one of his most horrifying pieces ever,” Chris says. “We didn’t even have a title yet, just some possible song names. We told him: 100% horror. No metaphors. Just gore. He nailed it.”
Live Shows and What’s Next
While Autopsy won’t be doing a massive tour this year, a few shows are on the calendar:
- Los Angeles with Bolt Thrower and Benediction
- Seattle in July with Black Breath
“We’ve been hitting it hard these past few years,” Chris says. “We’re not doing a ton of shows this year, but that could change anytime.”
For updates, Chris says to just “type in ‘Autopsy’ wherever you do your typing—we’re easy to find.”
Catch Autopsy on tour and stream The Headless Ritual wherever you get your music
Watch the full video interview below.
Interview by The Mighty Zee | Editing by Capital Chaos TV
Categories: Autopsy, Interviews
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