Obituary

Cause of Death (1990)

Cause of Death builds upon the pervasive Celtic Frost influence of their debut Slowly We Rot, soaks it death, shreds the reliance on rhythmic expectation, and adopts a far more phrasal approach. Riffs are sliced and diced, churned and spat out, and infused with melodic epihonies that reach a soaring conclusion within each song. Obituary also up their ante considerably in terms of dynamic, their full-blooded sound is in full-flight here. The guitars are often allowed to slow down, and the depth in distortion becomes much more apparent. This also allows the band to add basic, but tasteful drumming, to set the confines of their sound, and allow the listener to become fully immersed in the sound (much like an ambient record). If anything, listening to Cause of Death is the equivalent of sinking further and further into the abyss. Riffs lurch and twist, and bludgeon the listener into submission via calculated and highly effective delivery. 

This is Obituary's grand statement, their voyage into the unknown depths of death.