Bassist FRANK WATKINS: 'I Am NOT Playing With OBITUARY Anymore'

September 14, 2010

Bassist Frank Watkins has confirmed to BLABBERMOUTH.NET that he is no longer a member of the veteran Florida death metal act OBITUARY.

SIX FEET UNDER/ex-MASSACRE bassist Terry Butler has been playing bass for OBITUARY on some of the band's most recent dates, leading to speculation that Watkins had left the group.

When asked about Frank's absence from OBITUARY's recent tours and whether Butler is a permanent addition to the band's lineup, OBITUARY guitarist Trevor Peres said late last month in an interview with Contraband Candy, "Nothing's permanent. We want [Terry] to be our bass player permanently. Obviously he plays in SIX FEET UNDER, and we're trying to make the schedules work like a puzzle so he can play in both bands. He doesn't really wanna jump ship from SIX FEET, 'cause he has a good situation there, but we want him to play with us, so it's all good. And the reason we don't have Frank Watkins anymore is... just because."

When BLABBERMOUTH.NET contacted Watkins via e-mail and asked him for a clarification regarding his position in OBITUARY, he replied, "I cannot elaborate on what is going on at the moment but I am NOT playing with OBITUARY anymore!"

Watkins has been a touring and recording member of the Norwegian black metal band GORGOROTH since December 2007.

OBITUARY's new concert DVD, "Live Xecution - Party.San 2008", was filmed at 2008's Party.San Open Air festival, which was held in Bad Berka, Germany.

Night Of The Vinyl Dead Records recently released a limited-edition vinyl version of OBITUARY's "Left To Die" EP. Only 500 hand-numbered copies were made available on hand-splattered bloody vinyl, including an insert.

"Left to Die" contains four songs: two new originals ("Forces Realign" and "Left To Die"),a 2008 studio recording of "Slowly We Rot", and a cover of "Dethroned Emperor" by CELTIC FROST.

For more information, go to this location.

"Darkest Day", the latest album from OBITUARY, landed at position No. 32 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

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