Guitarist Andy Williams (ex-Every Time I Die) Dies at 48
The founding guitarist of metalcore mainstays Every Time I Die and the professional wrestler known as The Butcher, has died at 48.
Andy Williams, founding guitarist of Buffalo metalcore band Every Time I Die and the professional wrestler known as The Butcher, has died at 48.
Williams suffered a medical emergency Saturday night, September 5, near the end of a tag-team match at Enjoy Wrestling's fifth-anniversary event at Mr. Small's Theatre in Millvale, Pennsylvania. He was teaming with longtime partner The Blade against TME.
In a statement, Enjoy Wrestling said doctors at the venue immediately began administering CPR and continued until an ambulance arrived. The promotion ended the show as Williams was transported to a hospital. His death was subsequently confirmed by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office, according to Sports Illustrated. A cause of death has not been announced.
For music fans, Williams was the imposing rhythm guitarist whose riffs and stage presence were central to Every Time I Die. He helped form the band in 1998 and remained with the group throughout its entire run, which ended in 2022. Across records including Hot Damn!, The Big Dirty, Low Teens and the band's final album, Radical, Every Time I Die fused metalcore, hardcore, and Southern rock that made the group one of the most unique, defining heavy bands of its generation.
Williams later returned to music with Atomic Rule. The band released its first recorded material in 2025, issuing With Skull Crushing Force in September and The Golden Rose in December. Both releases featured Williams on guitar.
His longtime interest in professional wrestling eventually developed into a second career. Performing as The Butcher, Williams debuted in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) alongside The Blade in 2019, bringing the same unmistakable presence he carried onstage into the ring. The team departed AEW in June 2026, with Williams subsequently returning to the independent wrestling circuit.
Williams leaves behind a singular legacy spanning the interconnected worlds of heavy music and professional wrestling. Our condolences go out to his family, friends, bandmates, and colleagues.
