On their tenth studio release Death Metal stalwarts, Obituary, show no signs of aging, or slowing down. The eponymous Obituary is brutal from the opening track, “Brave” to the final track, “10,000 Ways to Die,” and all points in between are equally as crushing as the bookend tracks.
Formed in 1984 in Tampa, Florida by the Tardy brothers, Obituary have been recognized as one of the founding bands in the death metal genre, and are still blazing the trails for thousands of other bands to use their blue print. I’ve been a casual observer of death metal since its inception in my misspent youth, but I assure you, after listening to Obituary, I will be focusing more energy on listening to their back catalog. The upcoming March 17th release on Relapse Records is a follow up to 2014’s Inked In Blood, the self-titled OBITUARY is one of the top 5 metal releases of 2017, and it is only February! Standout tracks on the album include, “Brave,” “End It Now,” “Kneel Before Me,” and “10,000 Ways To Die,” but in my opinion the best track on the album is “Lesson In Vengeance.” This is the formula for death metal, plodding heavy riffs, heavy vocals, heavy bass (which is prominent in the mix!) and shredding constructed solos via lead guitarist Kenny Andrews.
Obituary’s founding members John (Vocals) and Don (Drums) Tardy are joined by Trevor Peres (Rhythm Guitar), Terry Butler (Bass) and Kenny Andrew (Lead Guitar). This is a great lineup, and the chemistry is apparent, as the album smokes. Sometimes adding new members can be a detriment to a band, but in this case, it is not. Obituary is the blueprint for all budding metal bands to follow, no matter the genre. Work Hard. Practice Hard. Tour Hard. Record Hard. REPEAT. Nicely done Obituary!!! 
