Thirty years ago on this very day the world’s Metal fans would get their first proper introduction to the band Death as the band’s debut album “Scream Bloody Gore” was released on the Combat Records label. The band was formed in 1983 by lead guitarist/vocalist Chuck Schuldiner and four years after their genesis, Schuldiner and drummer Chris Reifert. They were the only musicians doing the recording as Chuck would handle all guitars along with the vocals and while the band Possessed had released a body of work two years prior, “Scream Bloody Gore” is cited as the first true Death Metal Record from a band that was considered the first proper Death Metal band. It’s interesting to realize how both bands were coming up at the same time and had quite a few similar musical principles but when it all comes down to it Death is considered the first in the line of the budding genre. Remember that band’s such as Slayer, Metallica, Anthrax, Testament and Overkill were all deftly delivering the Thrash Metal but thanks to the likes of Venom with their darker topics in songwriting, the ground was open for even more to be done.
In 1987, I was not listening to anything like this at all, and was still trying hard to keep up with the friends who were listening to the Thrash Metal stuff. I was enjoying the new Power Metal stuff that I was learning about from the band Helloween who had also released some tasty melodies with their “Keeper Of The Seven Keys, Part I”. Of course I owed my interest in the Helloween band thanks to the U68 “Power Hour” which is where I recall seeing that tune first. There was nothing like the band Death or even Possessed being showcased on this thing but I digress. It would be many, many years before I would even begin listening to any kind of Death Metal so I’ve embedded the albums official Wikipedia entry for you at the close since it’s not something I can easily speak about in terms of this particular album. The full track list of the original album is listed below. What were some of your favorite tracks and what made them so? I’d love to hear what sold you about the band way back in the day if you were an original listener or what did it for you once you finally got to hear them.
Continue reading “Scream Bloody Gore”; Death’s Debut @ Thirty Years (1987-2017) →
Fans of the music of the legendary Death and the memory of Chuck Schuldiner will be prepping their circle pit best as the next go round of touring was recently announced by the musical project known as “Death To All”. Yes, the Death To All Tours experience has informed us all that the “Swamp Leper Stomp ‘14” will not only bring you back to the greatest tunes from this much revered Death Metal band but also do so with support from the mighty Obituary, Massacre and Rivers Of Nihil. Whew is all I can say. Check out the poster below and then we can discuss this a little more based on the press copy that I received last night.
Press Release: DEATH (DTA Tours) has announced the Swamp Leper Stomp ’14 North American tour, a month long run with fellow death metal legends Obituary and Massacre plus up-and-comers Rivers of Nihil. A fitting tribute to the music of DEATH mastermind and extreme metal pioneer Chuck Schuldiner, the DEATH (DTA Tours) lineup consists of former DEATH members Sean Reinert (Cynic) on drums, Steve Di Giorgio (Control Denied, Autopsy, Sadus) on bass, and Bobby Koelble on guitar. Max Phelps (Cynic) who has been touring with DEATH (DTA Tours) will be once again handling the vocal and 2nd guitar duties. The Swamp Leper Stomp ’14 tour, which also features support from Untimely Demise on select dates, kicks off in Los Angeles, CA on November 14th and runs through December 13th in Tempe, AZ.
Continue reading Death To All Tours Unveil “The Swamp Leper Stomp ’14” →
The Scoop: The name of Chuck Schuldiner is one of legend in the Metal world for his innovative technique and skillful displays of brutality in his band Death. Formed way back in 1983 by the guitarist, the band paved the way for the still growing Death Metal scene and while not its first provider of mayhem, Chuck is often referred to as “The Father Of Death Metal” based on his incredible contributions. The band released seven studio albums and Chuck also had a group called Control Denied which he helmed after Death’s disbanding and sadly in 2001 we would lose this talented musician who died of pneumonia while at the same time was dealing with brain cancer. His music would never be forgotten and now in 2013 as an event to benefit the Sweet Relief Charity, musicians who had been a part of Deaths rich history will unite and perform in honor of Chuck to bring us the brutality once again. We can thank the folks of Livenation for putting some PiercingMetal fans into the room. Read on for contest details.
Continue reading Win Tix To See Death To All In NYC On 4/24/2013 →
Yes. It has been ten years since the Metal scene lost the creative energies that influenced so many with the passing of singer/guitarist/inspiration Chuck Schuldiner. The musician is rightly credited as being one of the founding forces for the Death Metal genre on the whole and is without question its leader when it came to the US Territory for sure. His band Death while popular across the genre at its time has now become one of those groups that is always cited as being a favorite influence or key factor in their own beginnings by many of the Extreme Metal musicians of the day. That my friends is impressive. Sadly after battling it for a couple of years, the world would lose Chuck to brain cancer at the far too young age of 34. Today we raise the horns in his memory for what he gave to Metal.
When Death formed in 1983 I was not a fan of the format at all, and was listening to the “safer” side of Metal in my classic stuff. It would be in the late eighties and nineties that I braved the heavier waters but still the kind of thing that Chuck was doing with Death eluded me. Sometimes it takes awhile to reach your musical psyche but hey, I am not afraid to admit that. I refuse to be one of those people who says “oh dude I was listening to them since their first demo came out” just to impress someone. Of course I do realize that some of you are out there when it comes to this particular band.
Continue reading Death’s Chuck Schuldiner: A Decade Gone (2001-2011) →
Where Heavy Music & Pop Culture Collide
