Obituary

The words "limited edition" don't mean a lot if one has only a casual interest in a band, but they are a real attention-grabber if a label is going after the type of serious collectors and obsessive fans who are interested in everything the band does. "Limited edition" indicates that the consumer is acquiring a rarity, and rarities have a lot of appeal if one falls into the obsessive fan category. Marketed as a "limited-edition tour EP," Left to Die is clearly aimed at hardcore collectors rather than a more casual listener who is happy owning only two or three Obituary releases. Left to Die, like other EPs of this nature, favors an odds-and-ends approach; the material ranges from two new songs ("Left to Die" and "Forces Realign") to a cover of Celtic Frost's "Dethroned Emperor" to a re-recording of the title track of Obituary's 1989 album Slowly We Rot. In addition to those four audio tracks, this disc also contains a video for "Evil Ways" (which is one of the songs that appeared on Obituary's Xecutioner's Return album of 2007 and should not be confused with the Latin-influenced gem that was a major hit for Santana in 1969). Although enjoyable, this 2008 release is hardly essential. But then, limited-edition releases aren't meant to be essential. They are aimed at the true believers, and Obituary's true believers are obviously the target of Left to Die. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide