When Wino brought back The Obsessed with a RINO (reunion in name only) album earlier this year, it was very well received. Even if the other musicians who played on Sacred weren’t previously part of the band’s lineup, it was good to hear the man slinging some killer riffs like back in the day. But the best was yet to come…
Not only does this reissue of The Obsessed’s self-titled debut (recorded in ’85, released in ’90) include remastered versions of the original nine songs, but there’s a whole buncha extra goodies as well, including the four-track Concrete Cancer demo tape as well as a full live set from April ’85. If you’re looking to hear The Obsessed in all its original glory, look no further!
The Obsessed comes grooving up slowly with “Tombstone Highway,” a mellow bluesy number with a stomping backbeat. The guitar tones are clean, but still slightly menacing. “The Way She Fly” is a more sinister stomp, with darker guitar and vocal tones. The foundations of doom can be heard in tunes like “Forever Midnight” and “Red Disaster” while the mid-tempo stomp of “Freedom” is vintage Wino. (Dig that guitar solo!) Hell, this album is the definition of vintage Wino…
The Concrete Cancer tracks are rawer, but in a similar vein. The sneering, nasal vocals on the leadoff title track sorta sound like Ozzy, while the political lyrics add to the unsettling guitar tones. This is a pretty quality tune. At just a shade over two minutes, the up-tempo “Feelingz” has more of a vintage punk rock vibe, while “Mental Kingdom” sounds like it could be a long lost Trouble tune. “Hiding Masque” has a melodic intro and an interlude that recalls Queensryche, but the riffage here is all Wino.
The eight-track live set includes songs from the album, from the demo, and a handful of tunes that aren’t on either, which tend to be a bit punkier. This one’s a pretty raw bootleg, with clipping vocals, buried bass and tinny drums. But man, those riffs still sound great!
THE OBSESSED w/ Clutch, Devin Townsend Project:
11/29/2017 Cone Denim Entertainment – Greensboro, NC
12/01/2017 House Of Blues – Myrtle Beach, SC
12/02/2017 Revolution – St. Petersburg, FL
12/03/2017 Revolution – Fort Lauderdale, FL
12/05/2017 Backyard Stage @ St. Augustine Amphitheater – St. Augustine, FL
12/06/2017 Vinyl Music Hall – Pensacola, FL
12/08/2017 Varsity Theater – Baton Rouge, LA
12/09/2017 The Aztec Theater – San Antonio, TX
12/10/2017 House Of Blues – Houston, TX
12/12/2017 Gillioz Theater – Springfield, MO
12/13/2017 Bourbon Theater – Lincoln, NE
12/15/2017 Limelight Eventplex – Peoria, IL
12/16/2017 Marathon Music Works – Nashville, TN
12/27/2017 Upstate Concert Hall – Clifton Park, NY
12/28/2017 Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ
12/29/2017 The National – Richmond, VA
12/30/2017 The International – Knoxville, TN
12/31/2017 Express Live – Columbus, OH
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http://www.relapserecords.bandcamp.com
