Pleased to report that there is still more metal and hardcore content to throw your way as we head towards the end of this insane decade. Our new contributing photographer Petra Dollet shot legends Obituary, the hungry False Prophet, respected ragers Extinction AD and the wild High Command for us at the quite recent Palladium Upstairs night of the run and here is a gallery of hate splattered visual impressions for you die-hards RIGHT HERE. Looks like it was an awesome night of heavy antics!
Death metal fans are raving about the new self-titled Obituary release for excellent reason. From the hysterical video for “Ten Thousand Ways To Die” that picks up where their Inked In Blood “Violence” clip left off and is bound to get a chuckle out of almost anybody, to more rock solid songwriting that builds on one of the most impeccable musical legacies in death metal, Obituary are both writing for themselves and pleasing die hard fans at the same time. The results will have fans crashing down doors like the zombie hordes the Florida greats seem to fear most.
Next year will mark thirty years since the group changed their name from Xecutioner and made metal heavier forever. It seemed about time for a self-titled album under those circumstances, but I spoke with one of the founders, Trevor Peres, to get to the bottom of it all.
More below.
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January 30th, 2016 will mark the official kick off of the first annual Florida Metal Fest! Organized by brothers John and Donald Tardy of death metal legends, Obituary, and set to take place at The Cuban Club, Ybor City in Tampa, the event looks really awesome. The bands are mainly veterans celebrating Florida’s significant contribution to Death Metal, with some friends from around the scene like legends C.O.C. and Madball thrown in for good measure. There are even 2 battle of the bands winners to be involved, which is really good because we need to grow the newer talent. This reflects well on team Tardy.
Honestly, I do wish they’d gotten Origin, Downfall of Gaia, Black Breath or almost any band besides Malevolent Creation, though. I just can’t hang with the racism that I have heard repeated about them often for many years. While the scene needs to learn some measure of forgiveness and to thus encourage people to evolve attitudes, we also have to discuss and adjust these issues because they are not ok. Sweeping them under the rug is not cool. Like, I’m listening to Jarboe’s “Forbid” from Disburden Disciple right now about forbidden interracial love and it seems at odds with sincere racist jokes.
That said, Trouble and Atheist are fucking playing this and many other kick ass bands I fully love.
Said John Tardy of fest: “My brother and I have been so fortunate and thankful to be part of some the best and biggest music festivals in the world. The amount of people, bands and energy these festivals can bring is just awesome. From the first time we played one, it has always been a dream of ours to put together a music festival that is not only fun for the fans, bands and crews, but one that also brings a closeness to all involved. After years and years of talking about it, we finally decided the time is now. We want to put together a first class festival. From the venue to the PA, from the lights to the lineup we are trying our best to make this as memorable event as possible. No festival, anywhere in the world, even with the best possible lineup, would work if the area does not support it. I think that Tampa, and its surrounding cities, is a great music area and one that is ready to make this event come to life.”
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Sorry to post this news late (and certainly no disrespect meant to death metal fans mourning everywhere). RIP to Frank Watkins, best known as a classic member of Obituary. He has succumbed to cancer. I didn’t know Frank but my old friend Drew Smerdon who was in Merauder/Unbalanced did and I’ll repost his words here:
I got some very upsetting news today that my friend -manager-mentor- Frank Watkins passed away . It just pisses me off “The higher power” what ever you believe in takes the best from this earth and leaves the shit behind!! Frank was the guy that would give you the shirt off his back tell you straight up what he thought no dickin around.When everyone would walk out of the room on you he would be the person that walked in.My thoughts and prayers go out to Frank’s family and bands he has played with.It was great touring and hanging with you bro.I now youre up there playing with Cliff Burton and the bests. I LOVE AND MISS YOU ALREADY BRO!! R.I.P
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Whether you take the bus, subway, train, walk, exercise or just want to kill some time there’s no reason not to stream or download the latest podcast from one of heavy metal’s greatest independent record labels!
September’s issue of the Relapse Records podcast is their 31st installment and has a killer tracklist
Head over here to check out the tracklist and download one of the heaviest podcasts on the internet!
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Florida death metal vets Obituary have just released the track “Visions In My Head” off their upcoming album Inked In Blood. It’s definitely worth checking out whether you’re an Obituary fan or not, and if you’re part of the second group shame on you. Personally I’m not as into it as earlier stuff but it is growing on me after a few spins. Inked In Blood is scheduled for an October 28th release through Relapse Records and will be the band’s ninth studio release.
To give “Visions In My Head” a listen or ten click right here.
Inked In Blood will be Obituary’s first album since 2009’s Darkest Day and the first to feature new lead guitarist Kenny Andrews and new bassist Terry Butler(Massacre, Six Feet Under, Death). It also marks the first time they’ve recorded without bassist Frank Watkins since 89. If you’re looking to pre-order the album you can do so right here. They also just announced a pretty killer looking tour with Carcass called “Inked In Steel” and you can get a list of venues and more concrete details here.
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Well this is exciting (if you don’t live where I do anyways). Pioneering grindcore band Carcass have just announced a three week US tour covering a bunch of the areas that they missed last time around…and they’re bringing Exhumed and Noisem with them! Obituary will be with them for most of the dates too with Macabre picking up where they leave off. This is one badass lineup and if you live anywhere near one of these shows you need to go so I can live vicariously through someone.
For a complete list of dates and who’s going to be at each show click right here.
The tour is being called “Inked In Steel 2014” and even though the year is almost over, this looks like it might be one of the best so far. Carcass released their sixth studio album called Surgical Steel earlier this year to stellar reviews. It was their first release since 1996’s Swansong. Also, Hopefully Obituary have found the douche/douches who stole their backdrop while they were in Holland or at least have a new one by now.
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Who wants a bunch of death metal dudes out to kick their ass? Apparently someone in Steenwijk.
Via Obituary‘s Facebook page.
This is a post that we hoped would never have to happen but we need to let our fans know the situation and hope that one of you can help us.
Saturday, at Stonehenge Festival in Steenwijk, Holland somebody stole our BackDrop. It happen right after our performance while we were packing up our equipment. Here is a photo of it so, if you know who has it or think you might know anything about this Please helps us get it back! Can’t describe how important it is to us and it really sucks for the band and the fans these remaining shows to see Obituary without it hanging! Real Bummer!!
We are Offering a Reward to the person who helps us get it back. Please, let us know if you have any information about this.
Email us at:
fans@obituary.cc
Metal Underground recently conducted an interview with Obituary frontman John Tardy. He was asked if the band was preparing a new album and his response was,
“Typically, you come out with an album and then go touring. Geez, it seems like since we came out with our last album, the “Darkest Day” record, which is now going on a couple of years or so now, we’ve just been going and going. We did take some time off just several months ago that we’re supposed to be finishing up a new album and having something done by now. It just didn’t get done, and we’re really not in any hurry to finish that. We got a lot done. We have a lot of cool songs that we’re really excited about, but we keep getting pulled away to play more and more shows. We’re gonna go ahead and take advantage of that. We’ll play some shows here. We’ll be back in Europe in December. It probably won’t be until beginning of the year—January or something—we’ll lock our selves in the studio and get this album finished up.”
Obituary’s last studio album Darkest Day came out in 2009 on Candlelight Records. The band is reportedly unsigned.
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Swedish death metal masters, Grave have launched a tour diary-blog to provide fans with insights from their current tour of Europe with Obituary and Pathology. Read about barbecueing on tour, drinking too much Jägermeister in Denmark and a very, very special birthday cake right here.
Grave will be making their way to the U.S. in the early fall for their first extensive tour of the states since the mid-90’ies. Check out the dates here.
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Florida’s deific death metal quintet Obituary and Sweden’s death metal pioneers Grave have announced the European Metal Chainsaw Massacre Tour 2011 where they will be joined by San Diego’s grindcore hellhounds Pathology.
Click here for a list of confirmed tour dates and stayed tuned as dates are added.
Obituary is scheduled to release their follow up to 2009’s “Darkest Day” via Candlelight Records some time this year. Grave released their ninth studio album “Burial Ground” in June of 2010 on Regain Records. Pathology released their latest album “Legacy of the Ancients” on Victory Records this past July.
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Southern Lord label mates Black Breath and Nails are both confirmed to take part in the recently announced Scion Rock Fest, scheduled to take place in Pomona, California on March 5th, 2011.
The double-stage lineup also includes Morbid Angel, Obituary, Death Angel, Municipal Waste, Agalloch, Integrity, Bastard Noise, Atheist, Floor, Crom, Wormrot, Kvelertak, Necrite, Woe, Fuck The Facts, Bonded By Blood and Christian Mistress.
Visit the Scion Rock Fest web site for more info.
http://www.myspace.com/blackbreath
http://www.myspace.com/unsilentdeath
http://www.southernlord.com
Swedish black metallers Marduk have announced that they will be on the lineup for the “70,000 Tons of Metal” cruise. The event is being billed as the “World’s Biggest Floating Metal Festival.” The event is taking place on a cruise ship with a reported 40 metal bands as the cruise makes it’s way from Miami, Florida to Cozumel, Mexico. Although the lineup is still being worked out, in addition to Marduk the following bands are confirmed for the event: AgentSteel, Amon Amarth, Death Angel, Ensiferium, Epica, Exodus, Fear Factory, Finntroll, Forbidden, Iced Earth, Korpiklaani, Moonspell, Obituary, Raven, Saxon, Sodom, Sonata Arctica, Swashbuckle (how could there not be pirates!), Testament, Trouble, Uli Jon Roth, and Witchburner.
For more information click here.
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California thrash upstarts Warbringer have returned to settle the score and cement their long term legacy fully with sixth album Weapons of Tomorrow. "Firepower Kills" probably ought to open all their future shows, just a complete stage setter for chaos. "Crushed Beneath The Tracks" and "Power Unsurpassed" in particular show this band would have ruled 1988 with ease and contain maximum neck injuring/ fist pumping potential (along with notable Slayer-worthy wraith shrieking). I am not 100% on the semi-thin snare sound but it hardly distracts the band's performances are all monstrous on this bad boy. Exodus, Annihilator fans or of course fans of more new school speed thrash bands should get all over this one. \m/
