Album Review: Obituary – Dying of Everything

THERE is no doubt Obituary had a rough run in the early 2000s but since Inked in Blood the band have found a fertile patch of ground that has seen them add some extra thrash and a pinch of hardcore to their well worn death groove. Continuing to improve on this purple patch, Barely Alive kicks things in with some of the fastest footwork drummer Donald Tardy has ever done, showing off a side of the band that has rarely been investigated before.

‘The Wrong Time’ takes it back just enough to be a familiar track with enough of the modern spice to keep newer listeners interested after the punch to the face of the album opener. And from here the band continue to blaze through a set of tracks that feels as fresh as can be such as ‘War’ or the title track where they adjust their treacle heavy formula just enough to introduce heavy whispered vocals or the atmosphere of clean guitar tracks, as well as keeping it comfortable for the OG fans with tracks such as ‘Without a Conscience’ or ‘Torn Apart’ that have that familiar warmth and leave a copper like taste in the listeners mouth wanting more.

This album comes back to the pinnacle of the band in the early 90s right down to the half muddy production that manages to muddle everything but make it clear at the same time, a sound Obituary perfected before it was ‘cool’ to sound all lo-fi. Instead they achieve it by notching up everything into the red and hoping for the best. A classic sound indeed. This is an album that any and every fan of heavy music needs in their life. Motörhead played rock n roll like Obituary play death metal and both deserve their columns in the great pantheon of metal. Big hill for me to die on there I know, but a statement I firmly believe. If you are a fan of heavy music this should be amongst your collection.