OBITUARY: “World Demise” (Roadrunner)

EVEN WITH metal in the middle of a post-grunge identity crisis there is still a sizeable core of bands unashamed to be classified as part of the genre. While others have seen, and taken, a chance to attract the moderate metal/grunge/indie fringes with a watered-down mix of cast-off Sabbath riffs, punk influences (second-rate musicianship to its friends) and “intelligent” lyrics, others, such as Slayer, Sepultura and, indeed, Obituary have kept unerringly to their original course. At least it was original in Slayer’s case.

With this, their fourth album, Obituary seem to be hoping that the world has forgotten that Araya & Co and Metallica ever existed. They churn out one old speed/death/thrash riff/solo after another until the clichés are fighting for prominence. Yes indeed, one sub-Hammett rip-off follows another Hanneman-King “quote” and repeats to fade. And then there are the lyrics . . .

The scenes of ecological destruction, homelessness and drug abuse on the sleeve of World Demise, not to mention the name itself, give us some clues as to the songs’ lyrical content. Unfortunately, these are the only clues. Admittedly, “vocalist” John Tardy could be lamenting the problems of global air pollution, the killing of cute lickle baby seals or the lack of adequate housing for the poor. On the other hand, however, he could be bawling his shopping list, or the name of every species of gnat. I’m fucked if I know what he’s saying, even if he is using his best Satanesque voice, and “surprisingly” they haven’t provided a lyric sheet to enlighten us.

I would suspect, though, that this oversight won’t lose them any fans amongst the hordes of petrol pump attendants with suicidal tendencies and crap moustaches who make up their following. These are the people, after all, who put Slayer where they were while the aforementioned Tommy Araya spewed forth on subjects such as Satan’s little helpers indulging in a nice bit of necrophilia – (not the kind of folk who would really be expected to give a toss about furry mammals being clubbed to death).

So, then, I can’t see Obituary bothering their Roadrunner stablemates’ supremacy with this Acme Metal offering. Sepultura and those other tulips should continue to go “meep meep” into the distance while this lot become yet another Wile E. Coyote of heavy metal.

• Graham Neilan