OBITUARY Drummer On Paris Terror Attacks: 'The Answer Was Not To Pack Our Bags And Run Home'

Metal Wani editor in chief Owais "Vitek" Nabi conducted an interview with OBITUARY drummer Donald Tardy before the band's November 20 concert in Berlin, Germany as part of the "Deathcrusher 2015" tour alongside CARCASS, NAPALM DEATH, VOIVOD and HEROD. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On whether the Paris terrorist attacks have affected his way of thinking while being on the road:

"Yeah, I mean, it does. You wouldn't be human if it didn't affect you. What are you supposed to say? It's a terrible thing that happened. To stay focused on stage is a little bit different now, 'cause, in the back of your mind, you know what happened in Paris. It wasn't just targeted to a metal crowd. I mean, people were having dinner and were murdered, and people were at a soccer stadium. So it wasn't about metal music or music in general; it's just terrorists and they're just cowards and they kill the innocent. So it's in the back of your mind. But we also know that, you know what? You can't allow fear to rule your life. And OBITUARY, just like CARCASS and just like NAPALM [DEATH], we knew the answer was not to pack our bags and run home and go hide in our closets. We knew that we had to just realize it's a terrible thing. We hope that local promoters and the venues take extra precautions just to be safe, to keep the bands and the fans safe. And we know that we're here for a job; we're here to let people enjoy themselves when they have a long week of work, or they get off work that day, to at least come for just a few hours and enjoy some music. And we know that's what we needed to do."

On performing in Paris ten days after the terrorist attacks:

"[The Paris fans] deserve to see this show. We just keep our fingers crossed and we just hope that everything's gonna be okay and we're gonna be safe. Because nowhere on this planet is safe right now. It's not like Paris is more dangerous than anywhere else. Nobody's safe, but you just have to move on with life. You've gotta just hope that you're gonna be okay and go on about your business."

OBITUARY's ninth studio album, "Inked In Blood", sold around 5,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 75 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The band's first full-length CD in over five years, "Inked In Blood" was recorded by OBITUARY in April 2014 at the group's own RedNeck Studio in Gibsonton, Florida.