February 5th, 2025
Fit For An Autopsy had already firmly established themselves as one of deathcore’s pillars by the time 2015’s “Absolute Hope Absolute Hell” is bestowed upon us. Two years earlier they delivered an instant modern classic with “Hellbound” where they did everything right: the riffs were gym-ready, the drums were pummeling, the bass was subterranean, and the vocals were the battle cry’s of his dark majesty himself Nate Johnson. Keep in mind, in 2013 when Hellbound is released, Will Putney is not the star he is today so arguably we were dealing with the latest Nate Johnson Project but all of that changed with Absolute Hope Absolute Hell.
Nate is a notable frontman for many reasons: great performances, a prolific catalog, and his tendency to chronically quit bands.
...And in 2014 FFAA was Nate Johnson’d and left without a vocalist. And let’s not beat around the burning bush: Nate was huge shoes to fill! I’m guessing at least a 10.5, maybe a 10 in Converse. It’s always good to size down but nobody told Fit that because the grooves are XXL on this bad boy!
After going through a few touring trials with various frontmen, they welcomed Joe Badolato into the fold. J. Bad shatters any perception that this project would fall to the wayside. He does everything and more on this record and I think meets the music probably better than Johnson would have. Whereas Nate was a literal demon speaking in tongues, Badolato shrieks and growls with clarity so you know exactly where his anguish is coming from and who will suffer for it (usually himself).
Where Hellbound and previous efforts had established pure annihilation, AHAH adds depth and context to their march with melodic flourishes, catchy riffs, and great songwriting with all their weapons displayed most notably in album centerpiece “Ghosts in the River.”
From here the album really begins to take its form and truly sets the tone for subsequent releases like 2019’s “Sea of Tragic Beasts” where FFAA have found their place in progression. But purists of the mosh and the Will Putney Production Filter need not fret: “Hollow Shell” has all the dissonant kickbox breakdowns you’ve been dreaming of making a TikTok with the caption “POV: ur boss says this Teams call is camera on” to. But THIS meeting could not have been an email and on Absolute Hope Absolute Hell, FFAA aren’t just bound to the sound – they reach absolution
-Ryan Rainbro