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Class 6(66)
Death: The sound of perseverance
11/02/11 || InquisitorGeneralis
Introduction
Do I really need to write one? Death gets a lot of love and bromantic attention here at Global Domination because they fucken deserve it. Chuck Schuldiner was the greatest mind and talent in the history of extreme metal music. Just see how many lists Death is included on. If you actually look at all those links, you would have seen that “The Sound Of Perseverance” shows up twice; once on our “Best of the 90’s” and again on “Best Albums to End a Career”. Know why, cocksmoker? Because it fucken rules. That’s why. Even with his attention focused on side project Control Denied and record label issues Chuck still managed to put together a fantastic line-up of musicians and deliver a record that holds up against anything in the band’s lengthy and accomplished discography.
And what about after this record’s release and Chuck’s untimely death? Pretty much any death metal band since that fancies themselves “technical” or “progressive” is pretty much doing something that was already done on “The Sound of Perseverance” or on its predecessor “Symbolic”, an album a happily gave a 10 to a few months back. “The Sound of My Penis” is not quite up to the insane level of awesomeness set by “Symbolic”, but it is damn fucken close. See, I started by bromance with Death with their later years and eventually worked my way to the 80’s and early 90’s stuff. The more progressive, mid to late 90’s stuff is what really gives me Schuldinaboner and is hands down my favorite Death era in terms of sound and style. Even so, “Sound of Perseverance” is unlike any other Death record because it pushes the progressive elements further than any other and has a hard-hitting production that is instant recognizable. More on that later…
“The Sound of Perseverance” is one of the greatest final records ever and you could make an argument that is Death’s best. When you listen to this combined with Control Denied’s The Fragile Art of Existence you know that Chuck was just getting started on a new path in his career that would have taken to him even high levels of success and recognition. There is no other extreme metal artist or band who will ever achieve Chuck’s level of skill, creativity, or recognition. The dude was legit, and so is “The Sound of Perseverance”. Let’s do this.
Songwriting
8.5. Just like on every other Death album, the songs on “The Sound of Perseverance” feature an excellent mix of tempos, styles, and speeds. The score for songwriting here is not in the 9-10 range because there are a few moments on here that feel a bit like filler. Mind you, Death’s filler still forces its cock down the throat of 99% of most other band’s best work. Putting my unrelenting Death fanboyness aside, I would say the songs on here are a slight step down from those on “Symbolic” and “Individual Thought Patterns”. Still, the songwriting on “The Sound of Perseverance” is excellent and, just like every other Death record, it has its own distinct sound and feel completely separate from the records that Chuck made before it.
Songs like “Spirit crusher”, “A moment of clarity” and “The flesh and the power it holds” stand up there with any other material from earlier records in terms of creativity and technical skill. Others like “Scavenger of human sorrow”, “Bite the pain”, and “To forgive is to suffer” up the heaviness level considerably and show that Chuck was still capable to putting together serious death metal that could be progressive and aggressive (you like that?) all at the same time. Fuck, one second in to “Scavenger…” you know that Death is not fucking around on here and that things are going to be serious. Fuck, Chuck even nails the all-guitar instrumental “Voice of the soul”. The dude could do it all. Oh, and the cover of “Painkiller” rules too. Death and Priest combined? That is like having sex, blowing coke, and eating a big Cheesesteak hoagie at the same time!
Production
8.5. “The Sound of Perseverance” hits a lot harder than most other Death albums, especially the drums. The bass and guitars sound great too. The only thing that lowers the score here a bit is that the vocals and drums are a bit too high and sometimes overshadow the rest of the high-caliber asskicking the band is pumping out. Still, this is a minor issue and overall the sound is pretty damn good.
Guitars
9.5. Chuck’s game is still ballin’ on here, and Shannon Hamm does a nice job playing second fiddle to one of the best guitarists in all ov Metal Earth. Again, the beginning of “Flesh and the power it holds” needs to be mentioned because the guitar work it contains is awesome. The breakdown and solo of “Scavenger of human sorrow” is another outstanding guitar moment, maybe the album’s best. Chuck knew better than anyone else how to write interesting, complicated guitar lines that would instant instantly interest you in the song. Need an example? Check out “Story to tell” and than tell me that you were not instantly hooked by the songs introduction.
Vocals
9. Chuck’s vocals continued their progression towards a more high-pitched growl on “The Sound of Perseverance” and they fit right in with the songs’ heavy, progressive feel. I have heart some grumbling about the vocals on this record but they mean jack shit to me. You will not find a better Death vocal moment than the chorus of “The flesh and the power it holds” when Chuck snarls…
It’ll take you in, and it’ll spit you out… behold, the flesh and the power it holds!
Bass
9. It’s hard to follow up great bass players like Steve DiGiorgio but on “The Sound of Perseverance” Scott Clendenin makes a very strong impression. Who doesn’t love a good bass-line intro like the one on “Spirit crusher”? Combine Scotty with drummer Richard Christy and you have a tight rhythm section that probably does not receive as much attention as other ones from earlier Death records, but is every bit as good.
Drums
9. Besides this and Control Denied’s “The Fragile Art of Existence”, everything else Richard Christy has done sucks teh nuts. However, his performance on “The Sound of Perseverance” is fucking awesome. He did not try to replace the irreplaceable Gene Hoglan, Christy brought a new style and feel to the Death Dynamic. Gone are Gene’s hyper speed and fills and kick drum triplets. Christy certainly has his fast moments here and there but the emphasis is definitely on heaviness and groove. His playing during the beginning of “Flesh and power it holds” still impressed me after 100,000 listens. He immediately makes an emphatic statement on “The Sound of Perseverance” with the double bass heavy beginning of “Scavenger of human sorrow”. Other stand-out moments are the middle section of “Bite the pain” which gets real tech-deathy and all of “To forgive is to suffer”. While his stuff nowadays is teh suck, for this moment in time Richard Christy was kicking ass with the best of them.
Lyrics
9. Bro, you know you have rocked out like you were on American Idol during the chorus of “Spirit crusher” when Chuck rips out…
No guilt, it feeds in plain sight
Spirit CRUSHEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The lyrics on here continue on with the same philosophical and spiritual themes from the previous records. Long before this Chuck abandoned the gore and zombies in favor of more serious stuff and I think the band and the music greatly benefitted from it. There are too many cool lines to point out, but the following from “Scavenger of human sorrow” might be my favorite…
Live how you want
Just don’t feed on me
If you doubt what I say
I will make you believe
Shallow are words from those who starve
For a dream not their own to slash and scar
Logo
10. Death’s logo was, and still is, one of the best ever. It features the band’s name in evil letters with a scythe. Aces.
Cover
7.5. This is definitely one of the more less-memorable Death covers, but it is still pretty fucking cool. It lacks distinctive individual figures and/or images that the skeleton-king from “Scream Bloody Gore”, the preacher from “Spiritual Healing”, or the Hand/Eye thingy from “Symbolic”. Still, I dig it because it is a bit different… just like the record behind it. I think the image on the front is a screaming face, or a mountain on fire, or K’s vagina while listening to Paramore. Either way, I like it.
Booklet
N/A. I have the pre-mastered edition that came with the “Live in Eindhoven” DVD. However, I can’t fucken find the booklet anywhere. Sorry.
Overall and Ending Rant
With this review, I finally finish off my trio of Class6(66) review for the final, and mind-blowingly awesome records of Death’s career. I dropped 10 bombs on “Symbolic” and “Individual Thought Penises” and I still stand by my thoughts on those records being fucking perfect. “The Sound of Perseverance” is not. There are some minor production issues and not every song is a masterpiece. However, this is still a record that any fan of death metal needs to own. There are no other Death records that sound anything like it. Fuck, nothing by anyone sounds like this. This is probably the most progressive, experiment Death record and if this is where Chuck was going than there is no doubt that the band would still be a driving force in the metal world today.
Since the day I bought it “The Sound of Perseverance” has been one of my favorite and most listened to albums. It has everything you need; technical skill, heaviness, memorable songs (even instrumentals!), and top notch musicianship. Chuck went out on top, and you can’t ask for much more than that, other than him still being around today to play this shit live.
- Information
- Released: 1998
- Label: Nuclear Blast
- Website: www.emptywords.org
- Band
- Chuck Schuldiner: guitar, vocals
- Shannon Hamm: guitar
- Richard Christy: drums
- Scott Clendenin: bass
- Tracklist
- 01. Scavenger Of Human Sorrow
- 02. Bite The Pain
- 03. Spirit Crusher
- 04. Story To Tell
- 05. Flesh And The Power It Holds
- 06. Voice Of The Soul
- 07. To Forgive Is To Suffer
- 08. A Moment Of Clarity
- 09. Painkiller (Judas Priest cover)
