Turned Inside Out - The Official Story of Obituary

by David E. Gehlke

Tampa, Florida’s Obituary have been a death metal institution since 1984. Guided by the inhuman, if not unfathomably deranged, vocals of John Tardy, the obscenely brutal guitar tone of Trevor Peres and rhythmic brilliance of drummer Donald Tardy, Obituary defined heaviness throughout the 1990s. Their 1989 ‘Slowly We Rot’ and 1990 ‘Cause of Death’ studio albums are undisputed classics, but their live prowess and unwavering dedication to their fans made them one of the metal underground’s most respected bands.

An unexpected five-year hiatus starting in 1998 only saw Obituary’s stature grow when a new generation of bands adopted their sonic trademarks. However, their post-reformation efforts were nearly sidetracked by the perils of the music industry and inter-band tumult. Through the unbreakable bond between the Tardy brothers and Peres, Obituary emerged stronger than ever, entrenched in their rightful position as death metal vanguards.

Penned by David E. Gehlke, author of ‘No Celebration: The Official Story of Paradise Lost,’ and featuring a foreword by Soulfly/Cavalera Conspiracy/ex-Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera, ‘Turned Inside Out: The Official Story of Obituary’ is the first fully authorized biography of Obituary, providing an unprecedented look into the band’s career through in-depth interviews, studio recollections, road stories and scores of exclusive photos. This 328 page tome available exclusively through dB Books.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

309 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[GregoryOvDoom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly couldn’t put this book down. Absolutely mesmerized by the story of one of my favorite death metal bands, their long and continuously strong career, and them finally being rewarded for all their hard work and sacrifices. Some really inspiring stuff, and some statements and stories that just made me like them even more. They seem like the nicest dudes ever. Having seen them a few times live, they’re for sure the best sounding live band I may have ever seen, and this book has me so excited to see them next month on their upcoming tour. Highly recommended for any and every Obituary fan.

[Alex Crnko · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining memoir of one of the formative bands of the Florida death metal scene. Uneventful at times compared to more out-there memoirs but still a good read for anyone interested in metal history.

[Dr. Satan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid book with a lot of great quotes. You can tell it’s an official release at times as it gets a bit PR-ish and some things are definitely brushed over but still very good. Closer to 3.5 than 4.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Metal is as metal does.

[Enzo Ferlazzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libro da avere assolutamente per qualsiasi fan degli Obituary

[David Dewata · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is a killer. Highly recommended!

[Eli H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredibly informative. My only complaint is I wish it were longer!