Obituary

Ten Thousand Ways To Die (2016)

Maximillian Power

Ten Thousand Ways To Die is the most recent offering from Floridian death metal legends Obituary. Ten Thousand Ways To Die is a special two song single release, with 11 additional live tracks of fan favorites thrown in to sweeten the deal.

The live tracks are slightly better than average quality recordings, and all of the songs have been recorded from different gigs in different cities, which is a cool touch. The track listing covers the fan favorites, but the special moments on this release are highlighted by the two new tracks “Loathe” and “Ten Thousand Ways To Die”.

“Loathe” is a slower doom oriented track, with a heavy droney feel. It has the classic Obituary guttural vocal delivery, and while not exactly treading brand new ground, “Loathe” is a well-done Obituary slow burner. The song that really caught my attention was title track “Ten Thousand Ways To Die”. With a faster more mid-tempo death metal vibe it features both crushing riffs and great lead guitar work. The vocals are engaging and well thought out, with a nice nod to Obituary’s gore oriented back catalogue. “Ten Thousand Ways To Die” could easily appeal to both the hardcore community that likes to dip their toes into the death metal pool, as well as standard metal fans. The title track, and stand out offering from this single/live CD, offers both crushing heaviness and the awesome musicianship we have come to expect from Obituary over the years. While I wish there was more new material than just two tracks, Ten Thousand Ways To Die has definitely piqued my interest in getting a hold of the upcoming full length scheduled for spring 2017.