Fleshworks’ “Death by Autopsy”: Heavier Than Three Dudes with Sledgehammer, One Dude with a Pick-Axe, and a Butcher with Meathooks

Since you can like something and still have a sense of humor about it, I think it’s alright to take a moment to ponder what the hell is going on with this promo photo of Germany’s Fleshworks:

Is there a reason only dude has a pick-axe? Did they only have access (no pun intended) to three sledgehammers? Was it a conscious decision? All the dudes on the cover of the band’s sophomore full-length, Engine of Perdition, are holding hammers, which suggests that they’re going for some kind of industrial theme, but did, indeed, run of the proper tools for display in the pic.

And why is the main dude in the middle (let’s assume he’s the vocalist) dressed as a butcher? I mean, I get it, they’re a death metal band, looking like you work in a slaughterhouse is scary, etc., but at a glance it kinda looks like he’s in charge of a railroad chain gang. It just feels like they had a hard time staying on message here.

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I can focus on what matters: the music! Fleshworks’ new single, “Death by Autopsy,” is some catchy shit! It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it does do every right: it’s a throbbing migraine of a song, offering firecracker drums, razor-sharp Hannemanimalistic leads, vocals so phlegmy it makes you nauseous just to listen to them, and elephants marching riffs that demand windmilling. Basically, if you death metal that sounds modern but not trendy is your glass of beer, you will dig this.

Check out “Death by Autopsy” below. Engine of Perdition comes out March 23rd on Apostasy Records. Pre-order it here.