Metal Community Mourns Death Of Former Obituary Bassist Frank Watkins

Frank Watkins, former bassist of Obituary has passed away after a long battle with cancer. Aged just 47 years old, Watkins was a fixture of the heavy metal community, having also played most recently with Norwegian black metal band Gorgoroth.

He was also beloved for helping countless other bands and artists out along the way via his management firm Back From The Dead Productions. Today, many within the metal community have mourned his passing.

Obituary, which Watkins left in 2010 on acrimonious terms, payed tribute to their former bassist posting the following photo and caption to their Facebook page.

Having joined the band in 1989, after they had completed their debut album, Slowly We Rot, Watkins went on to contribute to the band's landmark 1990 LP, Cause Of Death. Breaking up in 1997, the band regrouped in 2003, with Watkins remaining a member through the recording of 2009's Darkest Day LP. Obituary were far from Watkins' only musical outlet, with the bassist joining Gorgoroth in late 2007, playing on their 2009 album Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt. Having also toured extensively throughout his career sharing stages with many of metal's biggest names and faces, the industry as a whole is mourning his passing with the likes of Fear Factory frontman Burton C. Bell, Hatebreed, Gwar and more taking to social media to pay their respects to the later musician. See some tributes below. https://instagram.com/p/8_yvdJjgNjGgVEsNVf-mVOCXY97Mga5_KEw8U0/