ALBUM REVIEW: Obituary - "Ten Thousand Ways to Die"

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 21/10/2016

Label: Relapse Records

This is a death metal tour de force.

“Ten Thousand Ways To Die” CD//DD track listing:

1.Loathe
2.Ten Thousand Ways To Die
3.Redneck Stomp (Live – The Mayan – Los Angeles)
4.Centuries Of Lies (Live – The Masquerade – Atlanta)
5.Visions In My Head (Live – Baltimore Soundstage – Baltimore)
6.Intoxicated (Live – Revolution Center – Boise)
7.Bloodsoaked (Live – Irving Plaza – New York)
8.Dying (Live – Metro – Chicago)
9.Find The Arise (Live – Opera House – Toronto)
10.Til Death (Live – House Of Blues – San Diego)
11.Don’t Care (Live – Club Red – Phoenix)
12.Chopped In Half-Turned Inside Out (Live – The Ritz Ybor – Tampa)
13.Slowly We Rot (Live – Revolution Live – Fort Lauderdale)

The Review:

Obituary, the heaviest band in the world, return with this: an album of two new tracks and ELEVEN live tracks. Effectively, this is a live album plus two new songs... or look at it the other way around. The first new track, “Loathe”, is low and slow with the band in doomy mood. Great sound, classic Obituary riffs, almost an instrumental. The title track is up next and it is a stomper. The band are focused and tight and deliver a bit of a classic. It will get your head banging and it stands up to anything they have done in the recent or distant past.

Having seen the band twice, I can honestly tell you that they are one of the best bands you can see. Even better than on record, I would say. The following eleven tracks from various shows on their “Inked In Blood” world tour are truly vicious. “Redneck Stomp” is one of the best metal instrumentals out there and really does sound like the title. A fantastic start. From there, the band give a solid run through of the best new material (“Visions In My Head”, for example) and go all the way back to “Find The Arise”, “Slowly We Rot” and “Chopped In Half”. This is a death metal tour de force. The amount of music here represents true value for money and you get to hear a Florida death metal band at the top of their game. Superb.

“Ten Thousand Ways To Die” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook