OBITUARY Fans Shouldn't Expect Surprises On Next Album: 'We Don't Like To Evolve Too Much'

OBITUARY frontman John Tardy has confirmed to France's United Rock Nations that the band has used some of the downtime during the coronavirus pandemic to work on material for a new studio album. "We've definitely been working on new tunes, and we've been taking our time," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "We didn't feel like releasing [a new album] now in the middle of the pandemic when you can't go on tour and support it is not what we wanted to do, so we're in no hurry. But by the time next year comes around, we're gonna be hitting the road again. We're getting tours set up, and we will be releasing another album next year before we hit the road and start touring again. So we are currently working on new material."

Asked what fans can expect from the follow-up to OBITUARY's 2017 self-titled album, John said: "I think it's just gonna sound like OBITUARY. [Laughs] You know us — we're kind of cavemen; we don't like to evolve too much. We like to change it up and do a little here and there, but we're getting too old to change too much, I think. So as long as it's heavy and pounding, then that's what you can expect."

John's latest comments echo those made by his brother, drummer Donald Tardy, who told Italy's "Heavy Demons" radio show that he and his bandmates are "very excited about the new songs. [They're] very OBITUARY style, but just like a good red wine that's been opened, it's just getting tastier and tastier. Some of these riffs and some of these songs that we have for the new album fans are really gonna love. We stick to our roots. We are OBITUARY. We do not try to play a million miles an hour. We want it to be midtempo and groovy and heavy, and that's really what we're trying to deliver to our fans."

Earlier in the month, OBITUARY announced a new two-part spring livestream series. The band performed its favorite songs on March 27 and will run through its classic third album, 1992's "The End Complete", in its entirety on April 3.

Tickets, t-shirts and bundles are available at www.obituarylive.com.

Last October, OBITUARY took part in a three-part "live stream concert series" featuring full-album performances of "Slowly We Rot", "Cause Of Death" and rare classics. The first two streams — a "Slowly We Rot" set; and a "Cause Of Death" set — were live from the ESI Streaming Studio in Tampa, Florida. The third stream, featuring rare classics and special tracks, was broadcasted live from OBITUARY's recording studio in Gibsonton, Florida.

Photo credit: Stefan Schippe