RECENZIJA: Obituary – “Dying Of Everything”

Very soon, on January 24, an ambitious concert will be held in the club “Melnā Piektdiena” with the participation of three very serious foreign heavy music groups. As “headliners”, the German extreme metal group “Heaven Shall Burn” is allegedly announced, but the legendary Florida “brutal death” representatives “Obituary” (and also the English “Malevolence”) are considered as their warm-up or supporters, but there is still a question, who is a stronger magnet for attracting the public. Especially since “Obituary” literally just released a new and therefore still hot studio album.

“Dying Of Everything” was officially released on January 13, so it is one of the first albums of 2023, not only in heavy music, but in the context of the world in general. This is Obituary’s 11th studio masterpiece by number, its predecessor with the short and concise name “Obituary” was released in 2017. There are no surprises in the composition of the group – it still includes John Tardy (vocals), Trevor Perez (rhythm guitar) and Donald Tardy (drums), who have been in the lineup since the very beginning (so 1988), as well as guitarist Terry Butler (he has been playing with “Obituary” since 2010, noted also in such greats as “Death”, “Massacre”, “Six Feet Under” etc.) and bass guitarist Ken Andrews (since 2012). Stylistically, nothing has changed either – the same “old-fashioned” “deadbeat” metal with Tardy’s ear-splitting vocals on the trumpet.

PAR. “Obituary” is alive, healthy, fierce, full of energy and in great shape – “Dying Of Everything” proves it in all its glory! Listening to the collection of ten songs goes by in one breath, every now and then catching some particularly good pieces, among which “The Wrong Time”, “Dying Of Everything”, “Weaponize The Hate” and especially the super “War” should be added. It must be admitted that sometimes subjectively I get tired of the modern metal art of recent times, that something so simple and true to the bone is exactly what is needed.

There are vocalists who have been imitated by many (Brian Johnson of AC/DC, Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, the legendary Lemmy of Motorhead, etc.), but the original has always surpassed them, and one such man is Tardy, who gives “Obituary” this unique, unmistakable sound. More than ten years ago (to be more precise, in April 2011) these Americans already performed in Riga and left a very good impression, but their new album has only strengthened the already strong conviction that one should go to their concert again.

AGAINST. Of course, the new album is neither “Slowly We Rot” (1989) nor “Cause Of Death” (1990), of course there are no novelties in it, and of course “Obituary” has been humming like this for years, but – is it really any of they want to expect something else?!