Scandinavia has been dominating death metal since the '90s, but it is important to remember that many of the early death metal bands were from the United States (Death, Slayer, Deicide, Morbid Angel) and England (Napalm Death, Carcass).

Those were some of the pioneers -- the bands that, in the '80s, took thrash metal to a brutal extreme and paved the way for the Scandinavian death metal explosion of the '90s.

And the phrase "death metal pioneers" certainly applies to Obituary, who were formed in 1984 and celebrated their 23rd anniversary in 2007.

This 2007 release lets listeners know that time has not mellowed the Floridians, who still favor a take-no-prisoners approach after all these years.

Xecutioner's Return doesn't break any new ground for the band; the Obituary of 2007 don't sound much different from the Obituary of the late '80s and early '90s.

But that doesn't make this 40-minute CD any less inspired -- not at all.

Obituary continue to play loud, confrontational, Florida-style death metal with plenty of conviction; they sound very focused on fast, thrashy, hyper material as well as when they slow things down and play in a doomy, Black Sabbath-influenced fashion (which is exactly what happens on "Feel the Pain").

And there is still plenty of punkiness in their approach; Obituary still play like a band that is well aware of death metal's punk, thrash, and hardcore roots and isn't going to forget them.

Longtime Obituary fans will be happy to know that the American death metal veterans are very much on top of their game on the rewarding Xecutioner's Return.