It's an oft-held theory amongst
those without a taste for it and people with no ears that death
metal - thrash metal's uglier, less well behaved younger sibling
- is nothing more than untalented, unrefined noise. It's certainly
noisy and it can be hard to get beyond those serrated guitars
and vocals that sound like a bear crapping a wasp's nest but afficionados
will also point out how technically accomplished, precise and
demanding the form can be.
Floridian pioneers Death were one of its foremost exponents until
founder member Chuck Schuldiner's untimely death from cancer in
2001. A massively influential guitarist, vocalist and songwriter,
Schuldiner helped shape the modern metal scene and Death's 1995
album Symbolic - one of the band's most progressive works but
still possessed of that trademark brutality - stands as one of
the scene's finest moments.
Remastered and with five bonus demo tracks culled from the album's
recording sessions, the reissue serves as a reminder of the talent
the metal scene lost. Chuck Schuldiner RIP.
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