Apologies for the lateness, just ‘Barely Alive’ after a never-ending bout of flu, so my friends I bring you the open fire moment of 2023 with the blazing return of our American Death metal heroes Obituary.
They start with the bullet to the heart ‘as thieves now rule the land’ aggressive and intentionally provocative, and actually well placed and positioned and well deserved to those utterly miserable and monstrous villains who oversee our lives. After their initial boot print on the metal landscape back in 1984, John Tardy and company have led the way in a genre deemed inaccessible to many, at first. The aesthetics are not pleasing to everyone, and certainly not when gloss and glamour are the key components in attracting attention. Fear not, there is a rogue element, me included, that seek this raw, guttural tone, this seething, rabid entity that is as transfixing as it is incendiary.
Gather the faithful to ascend at ‘The Wrong Time’ a notable crowd pleaser, which continues the discourse and dialogue. The title track is full of the Death groove, scowling, gnarly, heavy yet agile and not a clunk in sight.
Purveyors of the pit, instructive and intuitive, Obituary are John Tardy -vocals, Donald Tardy- drums, Trevor Peres – rhythm guitar, Terry Butler- bass and Ken Andrews – lead guitar. Immerse yourself in the luxuriating licks and riffs, available in abundance here, a testament to their history, their vitality and longevity.
A special mention to Mariusz Lewandowski, artist extraordinaire, who we thank for the amazing artwork here, who sadly passed away in 2022, what an incredible legacy he leaves us. These songs are not long lyrically, the words tell the story concisely, the music and vocals take centre stage.
A slow burner completes this album, ‘Be Warned’ is an agitator, it’s the quiet ones you need to watch out for, that drags your weary corpse over the finish line, taking its sweet time, millimetre by millimetre, as you calculate the damage done, and whether or not you still have the will to live.
Buried alive, barely alive, or barely survive, I’ll take all three please.
Azra Pathan
Obituary – Dying Of Everything out now via Relapse Records.