OBITUARY – Dying of Everything

Obituary is hardly a newcomer or unaware of their strengths. Over the years, they’ve defined death metal, and albums like Slowly We Rot, Cause of Death, and The End Complete are genre essentials. John Tardy’s band moves forward without sacrificing identity, never radically changing their formula, always honoring the Florida old-school roots key to extreme music. This is clear in Inked in Blood, Obituary, and especially Dying of Everything. Even Mariusz Lewandowski’s striking artwork fits: Obituary doesn’t need reinvention. Their philosophy is clear—if it works, don’t change it.

 

Continuing this consistency, Barely Alive kicks things off with thrashy energy, taking us to Slayer-esque territory through Donald Tardy’s pounding drums, Terry Butler’s driving bass, and Kenny Andrews and Trevor Peres’ lightning-fast solos. From there, The Wrong Time slows the pace but hits hard with massive riffs, while Without a Conscience recalls 2005’s Frozen in Time, blending hardcore-inspired grooves with mid-tempo, headbanging passages reminiscent of songs like Blindsided. The escalation continues as War ramps up the intensity with cinematic touches, which are mirrored in the title track, which feels right at home in their old-school repertoire. My Will to Live and Weaponize the Hate hold the momentum steady, before the album closes with Torn Apart and Be Warned, the latter standing out with its longer runtime and doom- and stoner-leaning atmosphere.

 

Summing up these elements, with Dying of Everything, Obituary proves they’re still at the top of their game. While it might not surpass the classics, compared to their recent output, it’s among the strongest. There are no dull moments, and even when riffs feel familiar, they underscore the band’s vitality. These giants have no intention of slowing down—they’re still eager to assert themselves in the genre they helped define.