In a time of absolute dreary gloom and unanticipated turmoil, there will undeniably be days where the typical poppy playlist isn’t going to help you make it through the workweek. Avoiding problems by relegating the real world to the ranks of radio-friendly hits can get the job done when it needs to, but sometimes you have to tackle things head-on. Luckily, this is a problem Bay Area-based doom metal multi-instrumentalist Iva Toric is keenly aware of, and her new single, the aptly-titled “Time to Die,” is on the scene for some much-needed counter-programming.
Adding to the rollout of the upcoming album from Toric, Dead Reckoning, “Time to Die” has a lot on its mind. From the pandemic to the protests around police brutality that made 2020 such a landmark year, the song tackles heavy subject material — with a title like “Time to Die,” I suppose that’s to be expected. The unfortunate, ever-turning clock of global destruction seems hellbent on keeping the song’s subject matter relevant, too, as the lyrics can easily be pointed towards more recent events such as the war in Ukraine.
As brilliant as it is the anxiety and stress-induced songwriting approach seems to be entirely based on relieving some of the uncertainty that comes with being alive in the modern world, and Iva Toric uses the genre of doom metal to portray a very specific headspace tethered to these exact worries. The heavy production and blunt lyricism mesh well, as there’s a great deal to chew on across the single’s running time. “Time to Die” wisely gives listeners a heavy dose of black raincloud-driven reflection time towards events we’ve all lived through, but the shared misery is seen as a reflective surface that will lead to mutual discussion, not a puddle that the musicians are gleefully jumping in.
“Time to Die” wisely refuses to dwell in its sorrow, making do with what it’s able to and bringing light to the rest without drowning in it. After two years indoors, you would be off-base to continue to commiserate about lost time; the only thing left to do is move on and continue to try your best. Or, of course, as the chorus says: “You seem wary but our love won’t carry through the night. Lay down your life, it’s time to die.”
It should be stated that I don’t think Toric is as set on giving in to death as the song’s title might persuade less attentive listeners to think, as the overall use of death-driven imagery comes in the form of risking it all and risking potential death as much as you’ll risk potential life. The heavy production on the track and the overall metal-forward sound will leave listeners feeling a little bit overwhelmed with the whole State of Things that the world has going on, but Toric seems to be asking, “If you refuse to see this as a time to die, are you willing to put things on the line for a chance at a time to live?” “Time to Die” is intent on making listeners aware of their mortality and the way we all spend (and sometimes waste) our time, and it’s safe to say that Iva Toric is using her time wisely.
Claire Uebelacker