This is Death's second studio album and was released in September 1988. It features metal god Chuck Schuldiner on lead guitar and lead vocals, Rick Rozz on guitar, Terry Butler on bass, and Bill Andrews on drums. Musically it was a more mature version of the brutal death metal found on their debut album "Scream Bloody Gore" as well as a better production. Lyrically it was more mature as well, dealing with many personal and world issues, as their debut was mainly influenced by horror movies.

The album kicks off with "Leprosy" a song about the horrible disease, and features great guitar riffing, brutal drumming, and incredible solos from Schuldiner and Rozz. Its sets the standard for the rest of the album. "Born Dead" is up next and is about the problem of world hunger in poorer third world countries, how its like if you're born into that particular society, you're born dead. Its a great brutal fast pounding number, one of the shorter ones on the album. "Forgotten Past" starts off with some great riffs and has some incredible solos at the middle, and lyrically is dealing with a murderer who seems to have blocked out his past, having gotten away with the killings, and one day is having all these flashbacks. "Left To Die" seems very personal, as its about the injustices soldiers have to face when they are sent to far off lands to fight. "Pull The Plug" for many is the highlight of the album, and it remained a constant in their live set through all of their career. It a song about a man lying in a coma, having his wishes gone unheard, while he hears plain as day everyone else's thoughts about what to do with him. "Open Casket" and "Primitive Ways" are more brutal unrelenting death metal masterpieces, and "Choke On It" is an awesome closer, featuring some more great solos between Schuldiner and Rozz.

Its hard for me to write this as I just found out today of Chuck Schuldiner's passing after two years of fighting cancer. May his music live on in your hearts, as it always has, and hopefully it will inspire a new legion of guitar gods playing true metal. We will miss you Chuck!