Obituary
Cause Of Death

THE REVIEW

For the second time, I am disappointed by the morbid idleness of the metalhead reviewers on DeBaser who review albums, don't get me wrong, excellent and excellently reviewed, but inexorably overlook "The Albums," those masterpieces that have made, are making, and will make the history of our favorite genre. So, after patching up the "Judas Priest patch" (and now cliff pisses black eheheh), I am getting ready to fix that Obituary patch, by reviewing one of those masterpieces too often underestimated and, sacrilege, abandoned in oblivion by too many people who enthusiastically call themselves "metalheads" (give me a break). You can't even imagine how honored I feel to review such an album.

Undoubtedly one of the four Floridian Death Metal Masterpieces alongside Morbid Angel, Death, and Deicide, Obituary had left the American Deathsters speechless with a killer debut under the name "Slowly We Rot," an album that gave the genre the necessary boost to evolve from the cocoon it resided in, to emerge and become a magnificent blood-sucking bat (the butterfly was far less poetic and much less brutal), masterfully mixing technique, anger, and speed. In 1991, after the addition of a "certain" James Murphy, fresh from the "Deathata" of "Spiritual Healing," our band attempted the big hit again by releasing this "Cause Of Death," which must have also pleased Max from Sepultura, as he wears the T-shirt on the Back photo of "Arise," where you find the Tracklist. Fundamentally, the album is a new and refreshed reinterpretation of what was already heard on the previous one, but giving it new luster with a surprising Songwriting that showed that besides the Gulf War, something else was happening in America in those years.

The Death Metal movement was indeed taking shape, thanks also to epochal works such as "Blessed Are The Sick," "Human," and "Deicide": to these "Cause Of Death" was forcefully added (and anyway "Human" was the best eheheheh). Tremendously raw, sick, dark, and stunning: "Cause Of Death" confirmed what the insiders had expressed about the Band, though waiting for the confirmation of the talent that animated our band. The album received acclaim both from specialized critics and Headbangers who with all those great bands were increasingly hungry for Metal, and they welcomed the album just as metalheads would welcome Chuck Schuldiner at home (R.I.P., You Rule Dude!). How can you blame them? "Chopped In Half" first of all, perhaps the best track as it is the most expressive and representative, became a true Death Metal anthem, standing on the same step as various "Lack Of Comprehension," and presenting to American doctors, who were already sensing the crisis, hordes of metalheads with jaws wide open shouting: "Obituary! Obituary!", and they promptly replied: "What the hell do you want, there's no morgue here."

Vicious growler, insanely fast riffs, impeccable drummer, fast and lethal guitarists (Murphy: a name, a guarantee) and, as unfortunately happens in this genre, a pleated and incapable bassist who however vanishes in front of the magnificence of the Songs. Not least, foolish lyrics that however, as said by one of the Band's members, "make the atmosphere darker and more sulfurous without inciting satanism" (eeeeeeeeh!!!). The Songs, indeed: there’s no point in listing them. It would be an offense and a waste of time. This album is a real experience: one of those experiences that, instead of being recounted as I'm doing, should simply be lived firsthand. What else to say? Nothing, just let the album speak for itself. For the second time, the target is fully hit and split in two by Obituary's power. But on this, who still had doubts?