{"id":672,"date":"2025-05-08T03:07:34","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T03:07:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metalhed.com\/?p=672"},"modified":"2025-05-08T03:16:11","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T03:16:11","slug":"obituary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metalhed.com\/?p=672","title":{"rendered":"OBITUARY"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section>\n      <p>Besides being one of my favourate child hood bands, <strong>Obituary<\/strong>, are one of the most influential bands in <strong>death metal<\/strong> history, the lads began their journey in 1984 in <strong>Tampa, Florida<\/strong>. Originally formed under the name <em>Executioner<\/em>, the band would go on to define a genre and lead a movement that placed Florida at the epicenter of extreme metal.<\/p>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section>\n      <h2>The Birth of a Band: Executioner and the Tampa Metal Scene<\/h2>\n      <p>Musically Obituary feature some heavy as hell riffage provided by Trevor Peres and backed by the solid as f&#8211;k drumming of Donald Tardy. Over the top of this lies the tormented vocals of John Tardy <i>(yes brothers)<\/i> howling about having his internal organs removed. Musically, the trio form the core of Obituary and have been part of the band since inception. The band formed in 1984 under the name Executioner, drawing inspiration from bands like <em>Slayer<\/em>, <em>Celtic Frost<\/em>, and <em>Venom<\/em> but eventually re-branded to the name OBITUARY. At the time, Florida&#8217;s underground scene was growing, with bands such as <em>Death<\/em>, <em>Morbid Angel<\/em>, and <em>Deicide<\/em> emerging around the same time.<\/p>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section>\n      <h2>From Executioner to Xecutioner<\/h2>\n      <p>After gaining traction with underground demos, and I have to say I have a couple of tracks the band released as Executioner on a compilation record, it was obvious the band had some huge potential. As is so often the way now days the band realized another act had already claimed the name Executioner. They rebranded as <strong>Xecutioner<\/strong> and released a 1985 demo that marked a turn toward heavier and darker musical themes. The addition of guitarist <strong>Allen West<\/strong> brought a distinctive sludgy tone that would become part of Obituary&#8217;s trademark sound.<\/p>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section>\n      <h2>Becoming Obituary<\/h2>\n      <p>In 1988, the band adopted the name <strong>Obituary<\/strong> to reflect their evolving musical style. That year, bassist <strong>Daniel Tucker<\/strong> joined, completing the classic lineup. Their music took on a more ominous, doom-inflected feel. <strong>John Tardy\u2019s<\/strong> guttural, and utterly demented non-lyrical vocal delivery was a radical departure from traditional metal singing. For me it was hard to get my head around at the time, but someone <i>(and it may have even been John Tardy)<\/i> explained death metal vocals as &#8220;not so much singing but another abrasive instrument desisgned to compliment the music&#8221; and from that point onwards, for me it made sense. John&#8217;s style of vocals soon became iconic in the death metal scene and genre-defining as far as death metal vocals in Heavy Metal went.<\/p>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section>\n      <h2>Signing with Roadrunner Records and Recording <em>Slowly We Rot<\/em><\/h2>\n      <p>Obituary\u2019s growing underground reputation caught the attention of <strong>Roadrunner Records<\/strong>. In 1989, they entered <strong>Morrisound Recording<\/strong>\u2014a studio synonymous with Florida death metal\u2014to record their debut album <em>Slowly We Rot<\/em>. The album\u2019s raw analog production, crushing riffs, and primal vocals helped establish it as one of the earliest and most iconic death metal records.<\/p>\n      <p>Tracks like \u201cInternal Bleeding\u201d and \u201cGodly Beings\u201d showcased the band\u2019s slow, heavy riffing and chilling atmosphere, setting them apart from the more technically focused peers in the genre.<\/p>\n    <\/section>\n\n<table>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/metalhed.com\/?p=369\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/metalhed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Obituary-Slowly-We-Rot-Small.jpg\"><\/a>\n<\/td>\n<td>For a more complete review of Obiutary&#8217;s album Slowly We Rot be sure to <a href=\"https:\/\/metalhed.com\/?p=369\">read our review here<\/a><\/td>\n<\/table>\n\n    <section>\n      <h2>Obituary\u2019s Role in the Florida Death Metal Movement<\/h2>\n      <p>Obituary quickly rose to prominence as part of the Florida death metal scene, alongside bands like <em>Death<\/em>, <em>Morbid Angel<\/em>, and <em>Deicide<\/em>. Their approach\u2014emphasizing groove, atmosphere, and brutality\u2014made them a standout act. While other bands leaned into speed and complexity, Obituary favored a more primal, doom-influenced heaviness that gave their music a distinct, graveyard-like ambiance.<\/p>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section>\n      <h2>Legacy and Influence<\/h2>\n      <p>Following the success of <em>Slowly We Rot<\/em>, Obituary released several acclaimed albums, including <em>Cause of Death<\/em> (1990) and <em>The End Complete<\/em> (1992). Their consistent sound and loyal fan base helped them weather the changing tides of the music industry. Today, they remain one of the most respected bands in extreme metal, with a legacy that continues to influence generations of musicians worldwide.<\/p>\n    <\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Besides being one of my favourate child hood bands, Obituary, are one of the most influential bands in death metal history, the lads began their journey in 1984 in Tampa, Florida. 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