Welcome to The Saw’s Butcher Shop. It’s Your Master Butcher, and I thought it was time to write about Obituary, again! (LOL) The Death Metal titans have dropped, yet, another single – the Title Track – from their upcoming new album, Dying of Everything. The album is due to be released on January 13, 2023 (Relapse), while the single of the same name is an incredible assault of your ear-holes! And while it is definitely classic Obituary, it is also true that it’s style and structure is new. And for good reason!

“Dying of Everything” is a crushing Death Metal banger! Its structure is different from the leading single, “The Wrong Time.” Perhaps the #1 reason for this is that Kenny Andrews (lead guitar) wrote the song, the first on an Obituary album (and 1 of 2 on the new album). Usually, Don Tardy (drums) and Trever Perez (rhythm guitar) handle song writing, with John Tardy (vocals) “feeling” the groove and writing lyrics; but over the years, Andrews has become a fixture and intricate part of the band. 

From the opening pounding, the song structure and composition are different. We even get a nasty bass line from Terry Butler. Quick, punching guitars and drums build-up to an Obituary, quick-paced heavy groove. The hook comes from the riff after the first verse, when the riff slows to a flowing swing. This pattern reoccurs until the first Andrews solo, midpoint. After which, spoken word (of sorts) by John sets up the Obituary stomp! Another solo by Andrews, and a building-up to the crushing main swing. It turns out that the main snare pattern to start the song is the main tempo throughout, featured at the end. 

And although “Dying of Everything” is written by the newest member, it is haunting in that it fits right in with classic Obituary songs from decades ago! Brilliant!! Just a great song! The lyrics hold no punches as John is very succinct, in his horrifying voice:

• “Patronize the living, in a dark and dying world. Recognizing evil as a darkened tale unfolds.” 
• “Will you come out?”
• “Satisfy the urges with a quick and mindless set. Falsify the data as a hard truth goes unmet.” 
• “Rectify the image as your word and mind are barred. Crawling on your hands and knees as a war-torn world is scarred.”
• “Will you come? Will you come out and play? Will you die? Dying of everything.”
• “You will… You will find yourself… You will find yourself living in the dark.” 
• “Fearing your every move. And as your heart beats, pounding out your chest, you’ll find your only choice is death.” 

Be sure to hit-up Relapse Records for your hard copy of Obituary’s Dying of Everything. 

Stay Metal,

THE SAW