Open Web Player
Obituary's second studio album from 1990, "Cause of Death" is truly without question a true essential death metal masterpiece, and it is also my favorite Obituary album ever hands down as well. Along with Suffocation's "Effigy of the Forgotten", Deicide's 1990 self titled debut and 1992 sophomore release "Legion", Death's "Human", Cannibal Corpse's "The Bleeding", Dismember's "Like an Everflowing Stream", and Morbid Angel's "Covenant", Obituary's "Cause of Death" is definitely one of the greatest and most important death metal albums to be released in the 90's. Words just cannot describe how awesome this beast of an album truly is. It has got absolutely everything that a death metal fan like myself could ask for: Wickedly sick and evil sounding vocals, sick and twisted heavy riffs (a mixture of blisteringly fast and slow, bone crushing) and ripping, shredding, yet very technical and melodic sounding solos, killer rhythms, tight, beefy, brutal drumming, I mean it's all on here, believe me. The album art cover is really awesome as it just gives you that dark, twisted, and eerie feeling throughout.
John Tardy just sounds absolutely evil and wicked throughout with his sick, evil, morbid, and inhuman vocals. This guy is definitely one of the best death metal vocalists ever, no questions asked. He is just an absolute monster on the mic throughout this album, as he bulldozes his way over everything in his path with his gruesome, beastly, and evil sounding vocals. Elsewhere, the guitars are another major highlight on the album here. First off, you have rhythm guitarist Trevor Peres who is in top form here as he busts and cranks out an endless abundance of heavy thick, grinding, meaty, crunchy, and tremolo-picked, riffing throughout one song after the next, and of course, you've got on lead guitar, legendary journeyman shredder James Murphy, who was fresh off his work on Death's classic third release, "Spiritual Healing" (which was released in 1990 before this album). His solos on here are just absolutely phenomenal, jaw-dropping, eargasmic and godly throughout, and fully guaranteed to make your face melt and teeth grin with pure delight. While Allen West's guitar solos on Obituary's classic 1989 debut, "Slowly We Rot" were more chaotic, blazing and fast paced, James Murphy's solos on here are much more melodic, technical, atmospheric and classical influenced, and they really pack a ton of emotion as well. Meanwhile, Frank Watkins' bass is actually audible and very well heard throughout this album here as he pounds out tons of awesome, thick and fuzzy bass lines throughout, and of course, Donald Tardy (who is John's brother) is also a very talented and superb drummer as he delivers a fantastic performance behind the kit with all sorts of killer, beefy, thunderous beats, plenty of awesome double bass action, and everything else in between. The production by Scott Burns is also much more better sounding than it was on "Slowly We Rot" while not being too raw nor being too clean either.
Every song on this album is a classic including the wickedly great, classic opening cut, "Infected" which is just armed to the teeth with all kinds of wickedly evil and dark, gruesome riffs (including a sick, dark and foreboding opening riff), plus some awesome, ripping, shredding, yet tastefully melodic solos from James Murphy, as well as beefy, tight, pounding double bass drumming from Donald Tardy, and sick, killer, beastly, and gruesome vocals from John Tardy, especially during that part at 3:35 in which he screams "INFECTEEEEEED" which is guaranteed to send chills down your spine. Next up, "Body Bag" is an excellent second track that features a very catchy and sinister opening riff (which is without a doubt, one of the most catchiest and most memorable riffs on the whole album), along with more great, sick, brutal, blood-soaked riffing throughout, plus sick, gruesome vocal patterns from John, along with blistering, beefy, pounding double bass drumming, and Murphy also uncorks another excellent solo to boot as well. Track three, "Chopped in Half" is also another classic death metal track that features a great opening in which John screams: "CHOPPED IN HALF/FEEL THE BLOOD SPILL FROM YOUR MOUTH"!!! over a great, crunchy and lurching opening riff, plus this song also features yet more savage fast tempos (including brutal, seething, chainsaw-like riffing and vicious, tight, hammering drums), plus another deliciously winding and melodic, shred-worthy solo by Murphy near the end as well. Following that, the band decides to treat us with an excellent cover of Celtic Frost's "Circle of the Tyrants", and believe me, they guys from Obituary here really nailed this cover to absolute perfection, and it's certainly no secret you can truly hear the CF influence in Obituary's sound, and this cover shows it.
Next up, we have track five, "Dying" which is another one of my favorites on here with the first half being mostly instrumental features great catchy, groovy, pummeling riff work and hypnotic double bass beats and another wicked solo from James, meanwhile and the second half features some wicked and menacing growls from John, and then the song works right into the next track, "Find the Arise" which of course is another classic. I just love how the song starts off with that explosion sound and then John screams out "STOP"! FIND THE ARISE, KILL AT FIRST SITE"! This song also includes more breakneck riffing and fantastic soloing, and violent fast drumming as well. The album's title track, "Cause of Death" is yet another classic here that features a very slow and creepy, yet fantastic, winding, melodic guitar solo by James in the opening, and also features yet more amazingly wicked riffs, killer vocals from John, and blistering double bass drum work from Donald, and the chorus in this song is also top notch as well too. Meanwhile, track eight, "Memories Remain" is another one of my favorites that is highlighted by yet more delicious, face melting, and melodic soloing by James, plus more beastly screams from John, as well as an amazing chorus which includes such an amazing death/doom-like atmosphere, especially when John growls: "LIFE GOES ON...EVEN AFTER DEATH...LIFE GOES ON!!!", and the album's final track "Turned Inside Out" which is just an all around wicked and fantastic album closer that is highlighted by some catchy, hefty, meaty, pounding, chugging riff work and evil, killer grooves, along with some beefy double bass drumming, plus awesome soloing, and brutal, gruesome, and hellish vocals throughout to boot.
Overall, "Cause of Death" is a true death metal classic, and is definitely one of the greatest albums in the history of death metal music as well. Every single song on this album is a classic, I mean they all just stand out from beginning to end. In other words, they all rule. As an added bonus, we're also treated with some bonus demo versions of "Infected", "Memories Remain", and "Chopped in Half" as well. If there ever was a certain death metal album that always gets me in the right frame of mind especially whenever I'm having a rough day or something, then "Cause of Death" is definitely that one album. I just absolutely love this album from front to back, and it also happens to be my favorite death metal album of all time (and favorite Obituary album) to this very day as well, and has been especially since when I first bought it back in 2003 along with "Slowly We Rot". Anyways, if you loved "Slowly We Rot", then by all means you will definitely love "Cause of Death". Highly Recommended!!! LONG LIVE OBITUARY!!! \m/ \m/
Jeremy
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Frequently bought together
$11.44
Get it as soon as Monday, May 13
Only 3 left in stock - order soon.
+
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Similar items that may ship from close to you
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2018
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2024
Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2023
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2023
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2012
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2022
Top reviews from other countries
marco conti
No Red Vinyl
Reviewed in Italy on August 5, 2020
marco conti
Reviewed in Italy on August 5, 2020
In questa versione sono stati aggiunti tre demo notevoli e il disco suona veramente bene!!! Buon prezzo e pacco arrivato in largo anticipo!!!! Unica cosa: doveva essere un “red vinyl” ma mi è arrivato “marble”...forse è anche più bello del rosso!!!!
Images in this review
