Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If it ain't broken, why fix it?, September 30, 2005
After several long years, Floridian death metal legends Obituary return with an album which has my vote for one of the year's best metal releases.
Now, since this is their first record in years, I think it's pretty obvious that some of "Frozen In Time" is going to sound sort similar to past albums. This is a comeback album, and comeback albums should doubtlessly be great, so it's wise of the band to stick to what they know best. It's as the old cliche goes: if it ain't broken, don't fix it! Think about it: do you listen to a comeback album and think "dang, it's good to have these guys back?" Or do you wish they would have made an experimental album, which isn't guaranteed to be great?
Plus, few albums sound like this one anymore, because few bands sound as well as they did back when they first formed. Isn't it kind of refreshing to hear a C.D. from a band that hasn't attempted to latch on to a more popular genre, like nu-metal or metalcore? And finally, I don't see how anyone can complain about this album when it sounds this great!
The vocals are good and the musicianship is top-notch. The instrumental album opener, "Redneck Stomp," is a personal favorite of mine, but track three, "Insane," with propulsive, occasionally rhythmic riffs, might be another high point of the album. And it's just as easy to like "Blindsided," which has a stomping, churning main riff, and the blistering, old-school Sepultura-esque "Back Inside." Other standout tracks include the stop-start, almost cascading riffs of "Slow Death," and the album ending "Lockjaw," which has a catchy beat and chugging, running guitar work.
I like this album best when its pace is fast, and even when it slows down a bit, it sounds fine. Plus, though there are a few slow songs to break up the monotony (like track six, "Mindset"), the album's pace picks back up for the very next track and the rest of the album.
The bottom line is from front to back, "Frozen In Time" is a very enjoyable, excellent listen. This is half an hour of good, grooving, riff-heavy metal. Old school, nostalgic Obituary fans and newcomers alike should gladly cough up the money for this C.D.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Obituary in a decade, August 26, 2005
There is nothing progressive or revolutionary here, but if you're interested in buying the new Obituary, you're probably glad to hear that. Gone is the pseudo-politics of WORLD DEMISE, and the abyssmal experimentation of BACK FROM THE DEAD. On FROZEN IN TIME, Obituary is doing what they do best, straight forward, mid-90s Florida death metal. Think THE END COMPLETE with the spunk of SLOWLY WE ROT. John Tardy's voice is as ghoulish as ever, and, while the song writing is very formulaic, it seems fresh and more energetic then their previous 2 efforts. Highlights include the relentless "On the Floor," the Celtic Frost-style "Stand Alone," and the incredible closer "Lockjaw" which is quite possibly one of my favorite Obituary songs of all time. Death Metal lives!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solid Obituary, September 2, 2005
I didnt even know Obituary had even made another record, but once I found out I couldnt wait, and it didnt disappoint. I think its kind of a mix between The End Complete (their best in my opinion) and Back From the Dead (their worst, but still with a few good songs). If this had been some new band fresh off the shelves, I would rate it a lower, but seeing as Obituary are one of the originators of the genre, staying with the "old school" stuff is not only acceptable in my book its actually somewhat refreshing. Maybe it just brings me back to 1989 when I bought Slowly We Rot and was almost crushed by the sheer weight of the music and couldnt believe my ears, but I found this very enjoyable. People looking for something new and original will not be that excited about this offering, but Obituary fans or any death metal fan wanting to remember the "good old days" will find it well worth the price.
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