NEWS 2006

Day of Remembrance
Message from Chuck's mom:

Hello friends and fans,

I want to say I am grateful to have all the emails and postal mail today acknowledging this anniversary. It is a comfort as always to know you're out there remembering Chuck, especially today.

To the ones who think that it has been a long time since December 13, 2001, not to me it hasn't. I have lost a son before, Chuck's brother, so to think grief will ever end is not an option for me, but through the loss of Frank, I do know that as time passes all things are made more bearable.

You ask what I think, I think my sons are just around the corner, somewhere very near. The memoriam I have for this year was written by a fan and it really touched me deeply. Thank you, Barry.

Sincerely,
Jane Schuldiner
Spoken throughout,
Silence drapes a memory
Without touch or sight
Emptiness fills the void

What you cannot see
Hurts so much more
But finally, a reason
To rest and wait

Do not fill this space
With tears, remember
Emptiness is draped
With your memories
In human form

Hardly A Day Goes By

Five years… Today, December 13th 2006, on the 5th anniversary of Chuck’s passing, we were thinking of changing our tracks. No interview, no video, no special, but something completely different, so please turn on your sound and listen while reading the words below. Do we hear some Voice of the Soul…? Anyway, it’s one of the hidden treasures that we want to share with you (thanks Craig).

“I wrote the song about 10 years ago as a tribute to Randy Rhoads from Ozzys band. Chuck recorded it for me one Sunday afternoon. I play all rythm guitars and do all the vocals. Scott Clendenin is playing bass Chris Williams on drums who played with Control Denied for a year or so. Chris was killed in an auto accident 1 year and 1 day before Chuck passed away.

Chuck spent several hours writing and recording the lead solos which I'm sure you will agree are some of the most feelingful notes he ever recorded. He was really proud of how it turned out. This is one of my most valued possessions. I will always remember and appreciate his kindness and profesionalism. He will be forever missed.” [Craig Sease, July 2002]…

…“With each passing year I find more and more reasons to be proud of this song and the memories I have of the people who made it happen. Chris Williams was one of the best friends I've ever had. There are lots of others who would say the same thing. Soon after meeting Chuck I realized he was someone special too. He loved life, music and good friends. I guess at the time I didn't even know what a musical legend he was. Thats because he was a down to earth regular guy just like all of us.

Scott and I will always remember the day the four of us spent recording this song and every year gather with family and friends at this time to pay tribute to the lives and music of Chris Williams and Chuck Schuldiner. I know one day we will meet again. Thank you my Metal Brothers!!!” [Craig Sease, December 2006]

With that we draw your attention to the many tribute concerts that are being organised in Chuck's honour this time of year (check the benefit page), for which the organizers and the musicians have our as well as Chuck’s family’s special thanks. Whenever there’s a tribute that's not on the site, please let us know and we will add it to the list. Thanks again.

Okay, one album review though: The Fragile Art of Existence (from Sea of Tranquility). Enjoy! And because we just can’t help it, we received in the nick of time an interview with Chuck from 1998 + a concert review, both from the Greek Metal Hammer (thanks Konstantinos). That’s really all for now ;). Enjoy again and Happy Holidays. See you next year, EmptyWords’ 9th!

EW

p.s: below some “empty words” from the guestbook:

Just think about how very different the whole death metal world would have been without Chuck. If Death hadn't existed I wonder would Repulsion have existed? And without Repulsion certainly not Napalm Death or even Carcass, let alone all the US bands like Obituary and Massacre, certainly not Cannibal Corpse, and the Scandinavian bands like Entombed, Carnage and Dismember, and tons of others. And would there have been a Sepultura? And what bands would there have been then without all these great bands that Death in a way helped happen and who in turn helped shape the metal world as we know it today. Who was not influenced by Death or by bands that were not in turn inspired by Death? It's crazy when you think about it. The musical world would definitely not have been the same if Chuck hadn't lived. Chuck was a real pioneer, and always with a great attitude towards his work and people around him. The musical world owes him. [Alex, November 28th 2006, 06:26:44 AM]
Sunday November 26 2006
They just keep coming: another tribute to Chuck, please check out the Benefit page for December 16th in Russia (thanks Andrew).

Wednesday November 22 2006
And another one, please check out the Benefit page for December 16th in Finland.

Tuesday November 21 2006
Especially for the Macedonian fans, please check out the Benefit page for December 12th (thanks Goldsmith & Miroslav).

Sunday November 19 2006
We added another benefit in Peru, please check out the Benefit page for December 16th (thanks Fernando).

Thursday November 16 2006
Especially for the fans from Lithuania and Holland, check out the Benefit page for December 15th & 16th (thanks Giedrius & Michiel).

Friday September 22 2006
Long time no speak! We updated the Benefit page with a flyer from the benefit in Peru coming later this year (thanks Fernando) and a flyer for an Italian benefit (thanks Fabio).

Saturday May 13 2006
Today, on Chuck's 39th birthday, we have a video interview that Chuck did for Viva 2 (now Viva Plus, a German Music TV station) which dates back to '98 (thanks Mariusz Gumowski). The interview also features extensive live footage of the show in Köln on October 8, during what would be Death's last tour, "The Sound Of Perseverance World Tour," almost eight years ago! Time flies...

Anyway, we had the video "torn to pieces" ;-) for easy download. For all five parts, please check out the downloads page. We also transcribed the interview for easy reading, less fun of course but in any case much less Mb ;) Enjoy watching or reading!

Speaking of reading: a Bulgarian fan came up with a lyric about Chuck and we think that he did a great job. We really like the poem, it has a good rhythm. Therefore we decided to put this on as well. So we have something special on a very special day, as always. Thanks Nickola.

A life of Death

Not long ago a man was born
with conscience pure, ideas bold
to them he was forever sworn
and gave them to the world to hold

His path was chosen by a death
a human close to him was gone
and so he chose by twist of fate
with death to do the thing he's done

And soon the world did find him out
a genius alone he stood
but still to some, there was a doubt
they couldn't think the way he could

And they even tried to accuse him
to put him through unneeded tests
"I'm just a musician" - he used to reply them
"And music is what I do best"

To many he was less than nothing
they'd left him in his time of need
but he was proud, and carried on
to plant the truth and end the greed

And so it was until that day
when death arrived to cut his path
by tragedy he came to us
with tragedy he said "goodbye"

Not long ago as man he died
his fragile mind just could not bare
the genius that there resided
to reach him, no one since has dared

He won't be ever forgotten
his memory gives us no rest
"I'm just a musician" - the testament echoes
"And music is what I do best"

Sunday March 12 2006
The first thing that strikes when listening to the album “Skymorphosis” by the Italian GORY BLISTER [!] is: how much Chuck Schuldiner is still missed and what kind of incredible void Death's brave guitar player, singer and songwriter left behind… But then a sigh of relief, because GORY BLISTER’s second full-length album (after the debut “Art Bleeds”, which could convince us already) entirely fits into the list of masterpieces such as “Spiritual Healing”, “Human”, “Individual Thought Patterns” or “Symbolic”, but also breathes something very unique. Further pillars of GORY BLISTER’s construction are Cynic, Meshuggah, Sadus, Atheist and our own fellow compatriots Sadist. This Southern European fourpiece really reaches the level of these heavenly legends. Perfectly (!) produced by the band themselves, the guys constantly give hell, then return to beautiful vocal passages, and come forward with a solution of wonderful riff attacks, before driving us to madness once more with a (mostly very thrashy) guitar solo. Thát’s the way to make name in the scene! Listening tip: the whole damm album… and the bonustrack “1,000 Eyes”, a more than ingenious cover version - with a real surprise at the end! - from, who else: Death.

Boris Kaiser, Rock Hard/Germany, February 2006
Translated & Edited for Empty©Words

[!] On tour with Sadus and Darkane

Monday February 20 2006
While we were in Florida this past November, we were able to also do some EmptyWords talk, and convinced Chuck’s mom to re-release some original Death album shirts, starting with either Scream Bloody Gore or Leprosy. With our urging on behalf of the fans she finally agreed: one album shirt at a time and a limited amount to keep it exclusive. Jane choose to start with Leprosy and we think she made an excellent choice.

Although Chuck’s mom still is handling the shipping of the shirts herself, we took over the order processing with an order form on the EW’s support page. This makes it easier for Jane and expedites the process. Also the prices have been changed: to make things more clear costs include the postage, the price you see is the price you pay.

So if you want to grab an exclusive shirt from Chuck’s personal environment, please support Chuck’s mom and fill in the form. Jane is looking forward to receiving your order. Thank you!

Thursday January 26 2006
Message from Chuck's mom:

Hello everybody,

I have finally received the order for the Leprosy shirts. I chose those because it was the most requested. When Chuck would record an album he would give me a vinyl record to add to my collection which I had framed and hung in my family room. The Leprosy album is the one I took to be copied onto the shirts, with the logo that is on the front of the album enlarged and put on the back.

I decided to stay true to the original artwork, and it turned out very well, I know you'll approve. As always, the shirts are 20$ plus postage in US funds. I have large and xlarge with a request in for a few medium sizes. As my scanner is not working, I am sending Yvonne pictures to put on the site. I still have a limited amount of the Let The Metal Flow shirts and also some books. Take care.

Sincerely,
Jane Schuldiner

Monday January 2 2006
Especially for the Finnish fans, check out the Benefit page for Friday, January 13th.

Sunday, New Year's Day 2006
Welcome to the new year. Today we added the next collection of Q&A’s (part 8, the -nrs- in red, remember?), and with that the first 50 Q&A’s are a reality!

After a 2 year hiatus Chuck’s mom decided to continue with the Perennial Questions. Thanks Jane. As said before: we don't want to flood Chuck's mom, so we will send her about 5 questions at a time, she wants to take her time to give the best possible answers, so it still might be a while before you find yours. Thanks!

We also added the first review of the reissue of The Sound of Perseverance Deluxe including Live in Cottbus. This one is from Sea Of Tranquility. And we’re pretty sure that there are more reviews to come this year! Enjoy! Stay tuned!

Empty©Words