Obituary

Obituary is a US death metal band from Tampa, Florida, formed in 1984 and active since 1988. The group begins under the name Executioner, changes its name to Xecutioner, and then adopts the name Obituary. It becomes one of the foundational bands in death metal and is associated with old school death metal, metal and thrash metal.

Style and influence

The band’s sound centres on heavy, groove-led guitar and drum parts with John Tardy’s growled vocals. Its music often uses slower, more memorable song structures than many other early Florida death metal bands, especially on albums such as The End Complete and World Demise. Obituary also draws on doom metal, and its influences include Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Slayer, Savatage, Nasty Savage, Death and Morbid Angel.

History

Obituary records several demos between 1985 and 1987 and makes its vinyl debut on the 1987 compilation Raging Death with the tracks “Find the Arise” and “Like the Dead.” Its first studio album, Slowly We Rot, follows in 1989. Soon after, bassist Daniel Tucker is replaced by Frank Watkins and lead guitarist Allen West by James Murphy, formerly of Death. This line-up records Cause of Death in 1990, an influential release that is followed by the band’s first world tour.

In 1991 Murphy leaves and West returns. The band then records The End Complete in 1992, its first album to chart in both the United States and Europe. The title track receives MTV airplay on Headbangers Ball. Later albums include World Demise in 1994 and Back from the Dead in 1997, which incorporates groove metal and hardcore punk elements, while “Bullituary” includes rap influences.

Obituary stops in 1998 because of touring fatigue and other commitments. During the break, Donald Tardy tours with Andrew W.K., Allen West works with Lowbrow and Six Feet Under, and Trevor Peres forms Catastrophic. The band reforms in 2003 and returns with Frozen in Time in 2005.

Later releases and line-up

After reuniting, Obituary releases the live DVD Frozen Alive in 2007, the EP Left to Die in 2008, Xecutioner’s Return in 2007 and Darkest Day in 2009. Inked in Blood follows in 2014 and is the first album without Frank Watkins since Slowly We Rot. Watkins dies of cancer in October 2015. The band tours Europe in 2015 with Carcass, Napalm Death, Voivod and Herod.

Obituary releases the self-titled album Obituary in 2017 and the eleventh studio album Dying of Everything in 2023. It also performs at festivals including Maryland Deathfest and Sonic Temple. A box set titled Godly Beings, containing the band’s first four albums, is released in 2025.

Members

The current line-up includes John Tardy, Donald Tardy, Trevor Peres, Terry Butler and Ken Andrews. Across the band’s history, the Tardy brothers and Peres are the only consistent members. Other members named in the group’s history include Daniel Tucker, Allen West, Frank Watkins, James Murphy, Ralph Santolla and Kendall Andrews.