Cause of Death | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 19, 1990 | |||
Recorded | 1990 | |||
Studio | Morrisound Recording, Tampa, Florida | |||
Genre | Death metal | |||
Length | 41:02 | |||
Label | Roadrunner | |||
Producer | Scott Burns, Obituary | |||
Obituary chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 7/10 [2] |
Select | [3] |
Cause of Death is the second album by Florida death metal band Obituary, released on September 19, 1990 through Roadrunner Records.
Cause of Death is considered a classic album in the history of death metal. [4] The artwork was done by artist Michael Whelan. It is their first release with longtime member Frank Watkins on bass, and also their first and only album with guitarist James Murphy, previously of Death. Murphy did not contribute to the songwriting as the riffs he showed to the band would end up appearing on Disincarnate's Dreams of the Carrion Kind . [5]
The cover art of this album was used in an H. P. Lovecraft collection, Lovecraft's Nightmare A. It was intended to be used as the cover artwork of Sepultura's album Beneath the Remains which released the year before Cause of Death. However, Roadrunner Records sent the original album cover of Beneath the Remains to Obituary. Monte Conner of Roadrunner forced Sepultura to use another Michael Whelan illustration for Beneath the Remains, Nightmare in Red. The second portion of the painting, Lovecraft's Nightmare B was used by Demolition Hammer for their 1992 album Epidemic of Violence . The incident with Sepultura led to Igor Cavalera becoming upset with Monte Conner, with Cavalera notably having a tattoo of the cover on his arm. [5]
Obituary played Cause of Death in its entirety at the 2019 Decibel Metal & Beer Fest in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [6]
Cause of Death contains a cover of Celtic Frost's "Circle of the Tyrants". Celtic Frost frontman Tom G. Warrior has since endorsed the cover. [5]
Obituary went on tour in the United States to support Cause of Death in November 1990 together with label mates Sepultura as headliner and Sadus, starting in Florida. They continued their tour activities in Europe in mid-1991. [7]
All lyrics are written by John Tardy, except where noted; all music is composed by Trevor Peres and Donald Tardy, except where noted
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Infected" | 5:34 | ||
2. | "Body Bag" | 5:49 | ||
3. | "Chopped in Half" | 3:43 | ||
4. | "Circle of the Tyrants" (Celtic Frost cover) | T. G. Warrior | T. G. Warrior | 4:25 |
5. | "Dying" | 4:29 | ||
6. | "Find the Arise" | 2:51 | ||
7. | "Cause of Death" | Allen West, Peres | 5:38 | |
8. | "Memories Remain" | 3:44 | ||
9. | "Turned Inside Out" | 4:57 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
10. | "Infected" (Demo Version) | 4:16 |
11. | "Memories Remain" (Demo Version) | 3:34 |
12. | "Chopped in Half" (Demo Version) | 3:45 |
Total length: | 52:37 |
Obituary is a Florida death metal band formed in Tampa, Florida, in 1984. Initially called Executioner, they were one of the fundamental acts in the development of the death metal genre, and are one of the genre's most successful bands of all time. Obituary has released eleven studio albums, and with the exception of a six-year hiatus from 1997 to 2003, they continue to perform live.
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band formed in Belo Horizonte in 1984 by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera. Initially a black metal band, they were a major force in the groove metal, thrash metal and death metal genres during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments drawing influence from alternative metal, world music, nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial metal. Sepultura is also considered part of the second wave of thrash metal acts from the late 1980s to early-to-mid-1990s.
Chaos A.D. is the fifth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1993 by Roadrunner Records. The album saw a stylistic departure from the band's earlier thrash metal style, by featuring a new groove metal sound. Chaos A.D. is also Sepultura's only album on Epic Records, who handled its release for North American distribution, as well as the first album to feature Paulo Jr. on bass after having played with the band in a live capacity since 1984.
Beneath the Remains is the third studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released on April 7, 1989. It was their first release by Roadrunner Records.
Roots is the sixth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura. It was released in Europe on February 20, 1996 and in the U.S. three weeks later on March 12 by Roadrunner Records. It is the band's last studio album to feature founding member and vocalist/rhythm guitarist Max Cavalera.
Bestial Devastation is an EP by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1985 through Cogumelo Records. It is their first official release, and originally appeared alongside Overdose's Século XX as a split album. The EP's songs were later released as bonus tracks on the CD version of Morbid Visions.
Igor Graziano Cavalera is a Brazilian musician, best known as the former drummer for the heavy metal band Sepultura, which he co-founded with his brother Max in 1984. Max left the band in 1996, and Igor himself would depart ten years later, making him the last original member of Sepultura to leave the band. The brothers have since reunited in the band Cavalera Conspiracy.
The End Complete is the third album by Florida death metal band Obituary, released on April 21, 1992 through Roadrunner Records.
Frozen in Time is the sixth album by American death metal band Obituary. It was released on July 12, 2005, and was the band's first album in eight years since 1997's Back from the Dead, the last to feature guitarist Allen West, and their last album produced for Roadrunner Records.
World Demise is the fourth album by American death metal band Obituary. It was released on September 6, 1994. A music video was made for the track "Don't Care".
Slowly We Rot is the debut studio album by Florida death metal band Obituary, released in 1989 through Roadrunner Records.
Anthology is a 2001 greatest hits album by American death metal band Obituary. It contains songs recorded during the band's early career, from 1989's Slowly We Rot to 1997's Back from the Dead. The compilation also contains two previously unreleased tracks, recorded in 1998 before the band separated.
Arise is the fourth studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1991 by Roadrunner Records. Upon its release, the album received top reviews from heavy metal magazines such as Rock Hard, Kerrang! and Metal Forces. Arise is considered Sepultura's finest hour among longtime fans. While the music on Arise was mostly in the same death/thrash style as their previous album, Beneath the Remains, it was clear that the Sepultura sound was acquiring an experimental edge.
Xecutioner's Return is the seventh studio album by American death metal band Obituary, released on August 28, 2007 through Candlelight Records. The title of the album is derived from the band's original band name, which was Xecutioner. The album is their first album since 1990's Cause of Death to be recorded without guitarist Allen West and the first album to feature guitarist Ralph Santolla. Though hailed as a partial return to the more speed-based style of the band's early work, it received positive reviews from critics but mixed reviews from the fanbase.
The Best of Obituary is a compilation album by death metal band Obituary, released in 2008.
Darkest Day is the eighth studio album by the American death metal band Obituary. It was released on June 30, 2009, through Candlelight Records. Darkest Day is the final Obituary album to feature both longtime bassist Frank Watkins, who had played in the band since Cause of Death (1990), and guitarist Ralph Santolla.
Epidemic of Violence is the second album by American thrash metal band Demolition Hammer. It was released in early 1992 to critical acclaim and is considered a cult classic in the thrash metal and death metal genres.
Inked in Blood is the ninth studio album by American death metal band Obituary. It was crowdfunded via Kickstarter and then released on October 28, 2014 through Gibtown Music/Relapse Records. It is the first studio album with bassist Terry Butler and lead guitarist Kenny Andrews, making this the first Obituary album not to feature Frank Watkins on bass since 1989's Slowly We Rot. A deluxe edition of the album was also released containing two bonus tracks. It is their first album to appear on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 5,200 copies in its first week and peaking at 75.
Obituary is the tenth studio album by American death metal band Obituary, released on March 17, 2017.