Sometimes we finally get a guest we’ve wanted to host forever. We are extremely lucky today to welcome one of the forefathers of death metal to the studio: Eric Cutler of the mighty Autopsy! Eric is still shredding away — you can check out his new work on Torniquets Hacksaws & Graves. Please welcome Eric Cutler to the shredder’s studio.
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Greetings from Eric Cutler! Here are some of the riffs that guided my path to playing guitar and metal. I could pick a different group every day, but here are some that stick.
As a kid I was always drawn to the guitar. I just loved the sound of the instrument. I would listen to my older brother’s music: The Beatles and Kiss. The first records I bought were Black Sabbath’s Master Of Reality and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. I took them home on the same day and was crushed by the heaviness!
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Black Sabbath “Under the Sun/Every Day Comes and Goes” from Vol. 4:
So damn heavy, this opening riff. It taught the world how to play metal. The song has so many sick Tony Iommi riffs. The changes, bridges and solos take you for a ride of doom and sorrow. It’s funny how Ozzy can go from sad to happy to sad so quickly. Iommi is king of the metal riff!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo5oWLbmPRU
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Michael Schenker Group “Attack of the Mad Axeman” from MSG:
Like Black Sabbath, I could put any number of Schenker songs here, from UFO to his solo work. He’s a great guitarist and one of my favorites from early on: rock n’ roll riffing at its best with insane solos. The notes he plays on the neck are signature to his sound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyJE2nzotZk
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Mercyful Fate “A Dangerous Meeting” from Don’t Break the Oath:
Sherman and Denner. What a duo! Great tones with sinister riffing. The solos are melodic but grief ridden. Another combo I would have loved to see more from.
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Motorhead “Ironhorse/Born to Lose” from On Parole:
A big influence and still one of my favorite bands. This version of the band has Larry Wallis on guitar, before Fast Eddie Clarke joined. It has a different feel; even Lemmy sings a little softer. His vocals are reminiscent of his time in Hawkwind. One of the few bands that are rock n’ roll and metal. Everything louder than everything else!
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Iron Maiden “Prowler” from Iron Maiden:
When I first heard Iron Maiden I was wrecked. I thought that this was as good as it will ever get. I chose “Prowler” because it opens their debut and just slays! Their best record was Killers but this one is right there, too. I would have loved to hear a few more records with this lineup.
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Trouble “The Tempter” from Psalm 9:
Listening to this sculpted my death metal writing. It made want to incorporate doom. It is so heavy and the guitars sound like a symphony of death. The first two records will always be in my favorites.
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Judas Priest “The Ripper” from Unleashed In The East:
Like my good friend Alex Bouks, this is my favorite record by this great band. The whole record kills. I love the speed of the songs, which are slower on the studio recordings.
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Genesis “The Return of the Giant Hogweed” from Nursery Cryme:
Steve Hacket was very underrated. He has such an original style, and some of his riffing is so heavy. This song opens up with complete madness and goes into a crushing riff.
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The Rolling Stones “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”:
This is rock n’ roll. This is whiskey, smoke, good times! I always wanted to be like Keith: hammered, writing killer stuff, and bulletproof! This is the gateway band for me, made me push further. It’s all good but the smack, stay off smack!
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Ozzy Osbourne (with Randy Rhoads): “Diary of a Madman”:
I couldn’t believe how good Randy was. Just a step ahead of everyone else. Diary has such a dark sound it, you can hear the color and mood. There will never be another like him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfQJGrAN3_A
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Read previous installments of Inside The Shredder’s Studio:
#1: Elizabeth Schall of Dreaming Dead
#2: Mike Hill of Tombs
#3: Jon Levasseur of Cryptopsy
#4: Alex Bouks of Incantation
#5: Kurt Ballou of Converge
#6: Mark Thomas Baker of Orchid
#7: Andre Foisy of Locrian
#8: Eric Daniels of GSBC and Asphyx
#9: Kevin Hufnagel of Gorguts
#10: Marissa Martinez-Hoadley of Cretin
