Returning this year with the monstrous, Inked In Blood, everyone’s favourite Florida Rednecks rear their ugly head this evening at Camden’s Electric Ballroom. Originally slated for a much smaller Underworld club show, its clear that this show was up scaled and for good reason. Arriving just as the sounds of Mantas fronted, M:Pire Of Evil hit the stage, we’re treated to some average old school metal. Including Mantas of the fabled Venom, is really their only point of interest. The show that they put on was fairly unimaginative, with many of the songs sounding the same, save for one moment where Trevor Peres joined the band for a rendition of the Venom classic, “Black Metal“.

The same could not be said however for our Florida cousins, bursting onto the stage with the steamroller “Centuries Of Lies” and “Visions In My Head” the Tardy brothers brought it tonight. Mixing their set list to include classic cuts “Intoxicated” and ‘Til Death”  from Slowly We Rot, its clear that although Inked In Blood is a great album, people are here for the old school.  When the distant din of “Infected” rings in Obituary are a force to be reckoned with.  Playing live once again, let alone new material has given the band a much needed boost. As acclaimed as the band may be, there is no escaping, a lot of the music sounds the same. Seeing the band live renders this analogy redundant, the sheer energy that our swaying sermon singer John Tardy excerts when howling out his signature crypt calling vocals is tremendous. Not to mention the level of sound the band have brought with them, every instrument rings true, Trevor Peres signature crunchy tone backing up the tormented leads of Kenny Andrews to the echoing snare of Donald Tardy, particularly apparent in the drum solo before the encore of “Inked In Blood” the band are working full force.

Hardly speaking in between the shunting of songs the band work cohesively to make sure that every single member of the audience last night was banging their head. Therein lies the beauty of Obituary. Their songs may sometimes blend into one slightly, but all cherish that sense of groove. Whether beginning at a snail’s pace in “Dead Silence” or the roaring of “Blood Soaked” the boys know to have a great time. Rounding the night off with “I’m In Pain” and the death metal classic “Slowly We Rot” the rednecks most certainly stomped. They may not be to everyone’s liking but their bloodsoaked brand of death metal is unequivocally brilliant, if Inked In Blood was their renaissance then we can look forward to many more night like this to come.