CR: Well the band is back and that’s what’s important to all the fans, do you think now that the cease of activity by Obituary actually helped you guys, or if you could, you would go back and never stopped playing?
John Tardy: It is just the way it went. Really for no reason! I think the break was good for us though. We all feel refreshed with what we are doing!

CR: No more Roarunners Records for Obituary, why? Any other label that you guys would like to sing up with?
John Tardy: We are done with Roarunners Records and happy about it! We are currently talking with other labels and considering all possibilities that come our way.

CR: How does it feel to be referred to as a death metal legend? Do you think those kind of comments put a lot of pressure on the band and its new releases?
John Tardy: It feels great but I really don’t feel added pressure. We have always been a band that does what we like to do and when we want to do it. It is just the way we our!

CR: Tell me about this year shows, if I’m not mistaken you guys are or were sort of mini touring the U.S.A, and then going to Europe, I’m right? How’s the reaction of the fans on this shows?
John Tardy: We are on the road with Sadus and Dead To Fall in the U.S. and it is going pretty good! We are having a great time and some good shows! After this we are on our way for a brutal schedule of festivals in Europe!

CR: Do you see a lot of kids getting into Obituary; you know do you get to see a lot of young faces on the gigs you have been playing since Obituary started working again.
John Tardy: There are a lot of young and kids and a lot of them tell me things like “the last time you guys came out I was only 12 and couldn’t go to the show”. So it is kind of cool!

CR: Some critics bicth about bands that change too much their style from album to album, others bicth if a band doesn’t change at all, Obituary seems to be getting those who complain because they say the band sounds the same in every album, what do you think of such allegations? What do you think when someone says that Obituary haven’t change at all it’s style of playing death metal and that, that is a bad thing?
John Tardy: You can never make everyone happy all the time and we don’t even try. We do what we do and write what we feel like and find if we are happy most of our fans will be too!

CR: Lets talk about “Frozen in Time” how did you expected fans to react to this record, after all it was more than 9 years since “Back From The Dead”?
John Tardy: We have never been a band that does a CD every year. It was several years before we did Back From the Dead. It is just the way it goes. We record when we are ready to!

CR: It sounds in “Frozen in Time” like Obituary really never left; every riff still has that distinctive sound you guys always knew how to do, did you guys wrote the songs before you knew Obituary was back on track or once you guys decided to resume Obituary you decided to start working on new songs?
John Tardy: Frozen in Time came together really easy for us. When we got back to jamming the new songs just flowed out! We really had a good time with it and I think even we were surprised by how much it sounded like “Obituary”.

CR: Did you guys have any specific sound that you wanted to achieve in “Frozen in Time” I mean did you wanted to make it sound a bit more old school, or the whole sound of it just sort of happened? How much did Scott Burns helped on this latest effort?
John Tardy: We never go into any new song/CD and think about how we want it to sound. We just start jamming and what comes out is what comes out! Scott Burns is just a really good friend and when we told him we were going into the studio he was just like I will be there. It was nice to have him around and give his input on what he thought!

CR: Personally I see the record “Cause Of Death” as the one that established Obituary as one of the most influential bands in the whole Florida metal scene, what album would you say helped Obituary come out of the “underground” scene and into the world?
John Tardy: Not really sure. I think a lot of people liked Cause but I think our new CD really made a statement!

	Pic courtesy of: Obituary "Frozen in Time came together really easy for us. When we got back to jamming the new songs just flowed out! We really had a good time with it and I think even we were surprised by how much it sounded like “Obituary"

CR: Lets talk about your first record “Slowly We Rot” when that album came out many have said that your vocals completely revolutionized the death metal scene, taking everything to a higher level of brutality; was that certain “style” of singing always your way of doing things, or did you wanted to reproduce and improved a certain sound you had probably heard before recording “Slowly We Rot”?
John Tardy: That is good to hear but it is not something I really think a lot about. I just do things the way I do them and that is the way it goes. The fact that some of our songs don’t even have lyrics is probably something that hasn’t been done before but it wasn’t by design. It is just what came out when we wrote the songs!

CR: Now looking back at “Slowly We Rot” what is the thing that amazes you the most about that album, not only on the sound of it, but what it meant to your career?
John Tardy: The fact that it was done in an 8 track studio is amazing but when we wrote that album we never even planned on releasing it. We just enjoyed listening to it. When we did release and I got that first copy I was really proud of what we had done!

CR: Of what you can remember, what was the most difficult thing about been a death metal band in the late 80’s early 90’s?
John Tardy: Touring! It really takes a lot out of you especially when you sing as hard as I do. We also would go and play like 19 shows in a row, have a day off and then play like 10 more.

CR: In the album “Back From The Dead” you guys feature Skinner T. and Diablo D. (The Bully Boys) for the track Bullituary (remix); that album to me was one of the catchiest made by Obituary, but a lot of critics (nowadays) slander that album because it feature rappers, do you think some people now don’t like the idea of a death metal band with rappers on it simply because rap has been taking over the pop world created by MTV? Would you guys do something like that again?
John Tardy: First, that wasn’t a planned song. The Bully Boys are good friends if ours and we were down in Miami recording when they were just hanging out! One thing lead to another and they just started going off! We enjoyed and decided to put it on the CD. It is just a song and if our traditional fan doesn’t like it…fast forward past the song! I thought it was heavy!

CR: For you what has been the most rewarding moment on the career of Obituary?
John Tardy: Our fans! I really appreciated all the support they give us and I do take a lot of time talking with them through our website! Obituary.cc

CR: If you had a change to go back, what would you do differently and why?
John Tardy: Road Runner Records! I think another label would have been better for us!

CR: What does death metal mean to you?
John Tardy: It is just what we like to play!

CR: Has Obituary toured Latin America? Are you going to?
John Tardy: We have played in Mexico and Argentina but have not done near enough down there. We are working on setting up more shows and look forward to it.

CR: Are you guys thinking about doing a DVD?
John Tardy: We are working on it right now!

CR: Have you heard the new Celtic Frost album? What do you think?
John Tardy: I have and it has some good stuff on it. It is definitely a lot heavier than some of their other later stuff.

CR: Well thank you very much, it really has been an honor, and please if you have something to say to all your Costarrican fans, please do.
John Tardy: Thank you and thanks for all your support! Hopefully we will see you all soon!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!