It's another double shot! Here I'm going to take a look at two other highly anticipated releases in the metal world (isn't it great that there have been so many this year?). Both are veterans and pioneers to the world of death metal. They are Florida's Obituary and Sweden's Entombed.

Obituary
Xecutioner's Return
You know the old saying, “if it's not broke, don't fix it?” Well, these guys, just like AC/DC, follow it to a tee. Over the last 20 years, Obituary has been producing grinding, grooving death metal with a unique voice behind it, thanks to Donald Tardy.

Slow, mid and fast temp riffs and beats (minus any real blast beats) are found all throughout Obituary's latest work, much like their other releases.

Tardy's has his unique and incomprehensible vocal delivery match right along with the changes in pace, just like the other albums.

Actually, I can just end this review right now. Xecutioner's Return is just like the other Obituary releases. There are some songs that you'll skip and some songs that will catch you off guard and have you going back for more head bobbing action. Solid release, but it's just more of the same!

I will say, on a side note, that there are different formats to this release. You can get the regular edition, the special edition (that just has a black slipcase) or you can shell out, like I did, for the limited edition box set (2000 copies out there).

Candlelight records sold out of the box set immediately, but I got mine on Ebay for about $15. The CD comes in a digipak case and is shipped in a box and comes with a poster, just like the limited edition of the new Korn CD. The only thing that sucks is that there's no booklet with production or liner notes. Very odd. If anyone out there has one of the other editions and it does come with a booklet, can you let me know?

Entombed
Serpent Saints: The Ten Amendments
Oh my, what do we have here? An Entombed release that can actually match the fury and power of the classics Wolverine Blues, Left Hand Path and Clandestine? I can't believe it! After a couple of years of doing what the metal media had tagged as “death and roll,” Entombed have finally striked back at the critics and best of all, themselves.

This is the best thing Entombed has recorded and released in over 10 years. Classic death metal riffing and drumming are found throughout and vocalist LG Petrov sounds even more evil than ever.

There are many memorable tracks on this one: “When In Sodom” and “Serpent Saints” are hard hitting and full of metal sludge, while “Masters of Death” is a catchy tune that lyrically gives props to the bands that have inspired Entombed.

I can honestly say that after the garbage that Entombed have presented to me over the last couple of years, I wasn't going to get this one. Thank goodness for Ebay, beer and impromptu purchasing decisions because, although this one took about four years to deliver, I'm now looking forward to spinning this one for another four years constantly until I'm there on release day to get their next one.

Welcome back, boys!