OBITUARY's JOHN TARDY Says Opening For SLAYER On 2018 European Tour Was 'Awesome': 'Those Guys Were Super Cool'

During an appearance on a recent episode of the "Talk Toomey" podcast, vocalist John Tardy of Florida death metallers OBITUARY reflected on what it was like to open for SLAYER on the legendary thrash metal band's fall 2018 European tour with LAMB OF GOD and ANTHRAX. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'll tell you what: thirty years ago, I would not wanna have opened for SLAYER. [Laughs] 'Cause if you remember, at those SLAYER shows, those SLAYER fans wanted no part of any band. I didn't care who you were, all you heard were 'SLAYER' chants the whole time. But we did get invited. And it was the last time we were in Europe. And we did the SLAYER tour with them. And that was awesome. Those guys were super cool. Their crew was way nicer than they needed to be to us. And we had their stage manager come up to us, and he was, like, 'I've never seen arenas near full when the first band was going on.' And that was awesome, like I said. That was a really fun tour too — with LAMB OF GOD. I love those guys; I get along great with those. And to hit that bucket list and get to play with SLAYER, that was awesome. 'Cause time was running out. We saw that SLAYER was getting ready to wrap things up [and retire from touring], so we were really glad to get that phone call also… I sat out front and watched SLAYERevery night of that tour. No doubt."

OBITUARY released its new studio album, "Dying Of Everything", on January 13 via Relapse Records. The LP destroys in the time-honored tradition of early OBITUARY classics "Slowly We Rot" and "Cause Of Death" while maintaining the killer studio sound that the band has been perfecting in its own studio since 2007's monstrous "Xecutioner's Return".

You can hear the results on lead single "The Wrong Time", which boasts a slamming mid-tempo groove. Meanwhile, the title track boasts punishing riffs and songwriting by Ken Andrews. The album's third single, "My Will To Live", is a total skull-crusher. Track after track, OBITUARY solidify their legacy as a death metal institution, churning out some of the heaviest riffs in their career.

Like just about every album in OBITUARY's vast catalog, "Dying Of Everything" is instantly memorable; it's a skill that OBITUARY have only improved upon over the years. It’s unusual for a band that's been around since the '80s to be doing some of their best work in the 2020s, but that's exactly what OBITUARY have accomplished through their do-it-yourself attitude and relentless touring on a worldwide level.

Last year, Decibel Books released "Turned Inside Out: The Official Story Of Obituary", the fully authorized biography of OBITUARY.