OBITUARY Teases New Music: No Rush, Just Relentless Grind
In a candid chat with "Reckless" Rexx Ruger from Pod Scum, OBITUARY's stalwart bassist Terry Butler opened up about the band's plans for new music, making it clear that while there's no specific timeline, the creative wheels are definitely turning. "We’ve been talking about potentially, here in the real near future, to start throwing around some ideas," Butler shared, underscoring the band's desire to harness their collective energy for a new studio album. However, the approach remains fluid; no hard deadlines are in place, just the promise of inevitable creation.
Reflecting on the gap since their last release, "Dying Of Everything"—which dropped in January 2023 via Relapse Records—Butler noted the stark contrasts of the modern music landscape compared to the glory days of the '70s. "You don't sell as much product now, obviously, because of pirating and Spotify and all this stuff," he lamented, emphasizing that today's bands primarily thrive on the road, cranking out killer performances rather than rushing albums. With a back catalog of over a decade and a solid repertoire of 140 songs, the pressure to produce is lessened, leaving space for creativity to flourish.
Frontman John Tardy echoed this sentiment earlier this year, revealing how the band remains perpetually engaged in the creative process even amidst their grueling tour schedule. "Every time you soundcheck, Trevor [Peres] just turns his amp on, and you're in a cool room, and he’ll come up with something," said Tardy. The process of collecting riffs and ideas is an ongoing endeavor, and he hinted that 2023 could be the year they begin assembling these fragments into a cohesive album.
As the band looks to the future, drummer Donald Tardy weighed in on potential timelines for a new album, expressing the uncertainty inherent in the music industry. "In the rock and roll industry, you make plans and nothing ever sticks," he cautioned. Despite the ambiguous timelines, Tardy reassured fans that the passion for writing remains intact, hinting that the next record could materialize around 2026 or 2027, should they choose to embark on that journey. "We love writing music and we love the idea of a new album, but we will definitely take our time and write the best songs we possibly can," he said, evoking the band's commitment to quality over quantity.
In the meantime, fans can feast on their officially sanctioned biography, "Turned Inside Out: The Official Story Of Obituary," released by Decibel Books in 2022. Written by David E. Gehlke, the book provides an in-depth look at the band's legacy, serving as a fitting tribute to their relentless pursuit of death metal excellence.