What’s going on, Butcher Crew! Of course, you already know who it is; it’s your Master Butcher, The Saw, and 2022 has already been off to a fantastic start with this killer album.

Fit For An Autopsy released Oh What the Future Holds (Nuclear Blast) on January 14, 2022, and all I can say is — WOW!! This album is a perfect representation of what I like about deathcore. It’s not too flashy, and they aren’t going over the top with the technicality and sound. This album is for the listener, and Fit For An Autopsy capitalized on this notion.

In deathcore albums that we have out today, some bands are going over the top to create a brutal sound. I’m not taking away the fact that these bands are very talented and have incredible musicianship. But they are adding so many components to their songs to add in the wow factor. Are the gutturals insane? Yes. Are the blast beats and fast guitars impressive? Yes. Is this music that someone could listen to over and over again and be able to appreciate the song entirely? I don’t think so. Although newer releases are insanely heavy and gives that wow factor, it’s not something that I could listen to 10 times over. I like music that both displays the talent of the band but also music that attracts the listener.

I think this is why several bands are branching away from the category of deathcore — it tends to confine them in a box. As a whole, the genre is expected to be stupid heavy with lots of breakdowns, 808s, and tons of lows and highs. But this has been done so often that it’s hard for bands to put their own twists on it. To me, the new age of deathcore is a little gimmicky and sort of cringey. Now, I still think bands that can execute this brutal sound are very impressive, but it’s not something that I would listen to all the time. There needs to be a good balance within the brutality.

But Oh What the Future Holds is a different story. I’ve heard Fit For An Autopsy categorized as a deathcore band for the thinking man. I like to call it philosophical deathcore. The band likes to call themselves a post-deathcore band. They do have some components of the traditional deathcore sound, but they added layers to their songs with their harmonies, melodies, layers of riffs, and much more. I had to listen to this album a handful of times to appreciate the little things that contributed to the record.

Each song takes you on a journey. The guitars are layered beautifully together, which creates more sound and support for each song. There are catchy riffs in each song that are faded into the background to compliment the solos and melodies another guitar is doing. I really like the drums on Oh What the Future Holds: their drummer is doing so much behind the scenes that you really have to listen carefully to hear everything. The drummer will add bell hits in certain areas to create a fuller sound. And don’t even get me started on the vocals. The versatility of their vocalist is amazing. I love how he barks into the mic and then goes in a deep growl or guttural. His cleans are placed beautifully within the songs that are just the icing on the cake.

Oh What the Future Holds has the perfect blend of harmonies, throat punching riffs, and gutturals that will make you create a stank face and bang your head. Each song gives you something a little different. The album has a dark and anathematic sound that helps support the grooves, breakdowns, and technicality — this is the thinking man’s deathcore. The record is very ominous and atmospheric, which I really like. This band created a very mature deathcore record with no songs that could be considered filler — every song is a beating. I can hear bands such as Deftones, Rivers of Nihil, and Meshuggah.

Overall, I really enjoyed Oh What the Future Holds; it’s something that I can listen to on repeat and hear something new each time. Fit For An Autopsy is a talented band that isn’t planning on stopping anytime soon. Be sure to catch them on tour and watch their music videos for Two Towers, Pandora, In Shadows, and Far From Heaven.

Track Listing:

Oh What The Future Holds (2:51)

Pandora (4:36)

Far From Heaven (4:44)

In Shadows (3:57)

Two Towers (5:46)

A Higher Level of Hate (4:07)

Collateral Damage (4:15)

Savages (4:00)

Conditional Healing (3:58)

The Man That I Was Not (6:54)

Favorite Song(s): Two Towers, In Shadows, Pandora, Higher Level of Hate

Rating: 10/10. What a great start to 2022. This album is a masterpiece.

Stay Metal,

THE SAW