Obituary - Xecutioner's Return
March 23 2008 at 06:57:10 PM
In the days when the names Morbid Angel, Deicide, and Acheron accurately described the feeling and effects of their respective sounds, it was Obituary who first held rule over the Southern marshland of Florida, then the center of American Death Metal. But after three albums, inevitable fatigue had set in and personal as well creative problems would obtund their reign to a bitter and embarrassing end. After an ill-considered reunion and one desperately rushed album (
Frozen in Time) in 2005, the band seems to have now comfortably regressed back to formula. For despite advertising one of the most infantile and poorly matched paintings ever hatched by famed heavy metal artist Andreas Marschall,
Xecutioner's Return (a reference to their original moniker, now a glossy cartoon character) appears from all other angles as a small but noticeably improved effort.
Paraphrasing blunt-toned guitar grunts styled after Celtic Frost, Obituary may be unable to measure up to their best-regarded Cause of Death-era, but at least provides the salve critics of
Monotheist have since vocally pined for. Aside from briefly crossing over into hardcore punk ("Seal Your Fate") and the addition of session guitarist Ralph Santolla —mercenary of choice for Florida's once untouchable brood — as a likely permanent replacement for the recently incarcerated Allen West, few other surprises are in store. Needless to say, Santolla is by far the most talented and versatile performer on record, is undoubtedly a better fit here than his prior stint in Deicide and is likely due to receive the same unequal share of praise with his lavish and at times clever lead work carrying much of the material. Meanwhile, vocalist John Tardy, no longer fresh off a collaborative payday with death-rapper Necro, keeps such tendencies nil. 10 tracks. 40 minutes.
[Todd DePalma]
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