Metal Reviews

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Yeah, I'd score it about the same, if not slightly lower. Solid enough album but unexciting, and Tardy's vocals are showing age.

I think this album deserves a better score. I'm not necessarily blaming you guys or others for dropping into the fad of calling old school bands like Obituary tired and boring without addressing the obvious but subtle modernizations and experimentation, but Obituary deserves some massive credit for their perseverance. The truth is that the last three albums from Obituary have been great albums that walk that tight rope to push their sound in subtle ways that don't detract from their roots. They have done an excellent job at this and yet all the reviewers still treat them as tired and barely hanging on. I would compare their last three albums progression and experimentation to Napalm Deaths subtle experimentation lately. They have been trying different things and being successful at it. The lead work on Executioners Return and Darkest Day was something completely new for Obituary and Ralph Santolla will be sorely missed, but they didn't abandon leads and Tardy did some Grind squeals that actually fit pretty good on this newest offering. My point is that Obituary deserves credit for spicing things up a little and releasing great material that pays homage to their core sound while still experimenting in a fun and successful way. They also have great production and mastering and reach out to their fans using modern social networking and fund generating like Kickstarter. These guys have given back to their fans in every way. I partied on their bus after a show that Tardy was absent at and the lead vocals duties were handled by the Catastrophic vocalist something like 10 years ago. We actually got invited on the bus by a couple girls which was awesome. The Obituary guys were super cool about it too. We drank beers, smoked bud, and I hung out with Trevor Peres, Keith DeVito, and these two chicks for a couple hours before they had to go. I will never forget how cool those guys were. That is how you keep fans forever and that is why Obituary is correct when they say they have the best and most loyal fans. It's cause Obituary gives back. Thank you so much for all the great music and great times. This is a great Obituary album for fans of Obituary. If you have ever liked Obituary you will love this album. Buy it or download it and buy a shirt and a ticket to a show, but show your support somehow cause these guys deserve it.

I'd give this 80-85 myself. This is another one of those bands I've been meaning to listen to properly for ages. Really, really like their brand of DM, that slow stuff always does it for me a lot more than non stop breakneck speed. One of my favourite DM albums this year for sure.