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Rating: Next December 13 marks the fifteenth anniversary of the passing of Chuck "Evil" Schuldiner, struck by a devastating brain tumor that killed him at just 34 years of age. He was the founder and mastermind of Death. If I had to choose just one album to deliver to immortality in the realm of Death Metal, I have had no doubts about it for decades: I would opt for "Human" released in 1991; an album that managed to combine the raw ferocity of the beginnings with an unprecedented technical level in terms of musical extremism.
I want to remember him with a concert of a band born in his honor; I will have to resurrect from its mortal slumber GenitalGrinder, which three years ago attended that unforgettable evening.
This is his report: and it's all for you.
"It is one of the most anticipated and discussed reunions, if we can speak of a reunion, of the year regarding extreme music: Death reformed, with the lineup of the album “Human”, for a tribute tour to that musical genius named Chuck Schuldiner.
The evening does not start in the best way: due to a friend's work commitments, we arrive in Romagnano Sesia just before 10 PM; we enter the venue while the Obscura are finishing their concert: there will certainly be other opportunities to see the Teutonic band in action. But tonight, I am here solely and exclusively for Death To All.
After raising a backdrop with the historic Death logo at the back of the stage, at 10:45 PM, drummer Sean Reinert takes the stage and the first percussive notes of “Flattening of Emotions” begin: a better start could not be asked for. The sound is not excellent, perhaps due to an excessively high volume. Both Steve DiGiorgio and Paul Masvidal insistently request a better volume adjustment. What immediately impresses instead is the physical resemblance of the singer Max Phelps, who has the difficult task of replacing a charismatic figure like Chuck; a task he performs excellently without trying to overdo it.
The real highlights of the evening, however, are Steve and Paul. The former alternates between a very unusual three-string bass and a six-string one and constantly seeks contact with the audience closest to the stage; Paul, on the other hand, does not stop for a moment, hopping back and forth across the stage, filling the cramped venue with a continuous and deadly cascade of UltraHeavy notes. Songs from all seven albums composed by Chuck in his short career are proposed, with a particular preference for “Human” from which five songs are drawn; the sound, after an uncertain start, becomes increasingly powerful and compact, and masterpieces like “Leprosy”, “Suicide Machine”, “In Human Form” follow one another at a dizzying pace. After concluding the instrumental “Cosmic Sea”, with a devastating solo by Steve, there is a short break with a tribute film that retraces Chuck’s musical career: there is a strong emotion from the numerous audience present, and my mind goes back to the months of October 1995 and 1998 when I had the chance to see the real Death at the Rainbow in Milan.
The emotion is wiped away by the return of our guys on stage, and it restarts with the vehement duo “Zombie Ritual”/”Baptized in Blood” (taken from "Scream Bloody Gore", the first seminal chapter of Death) which triggers a wild mosh pit near the stage; my heartfelt participation in all of this is only natural. During the performance of “Crystal Mountain”, there is a drummer change: Hannes Grossmann from Obscura comes on stage, who also plays on the subsequent “Spirit Crusher” sung by a superb Steffen Kummerer, leader of the same band.
The concert concludes after about an hour and a half with the terrifying “Pull The Plug” sung in unison by a good portion of the audience present; the musicians' ritual photos, who thank for the warm welcome, and under resounding applause, the black curtain falls."
Setlist:
Flattening of Emotions
Leprosy / Left to Die
Suicide Machine
In Human Form
Spiritual Healing / Within the Mind
Cosmic Sea
Intermission
Zombie Ritual / Baptized in Blood
Together as One
Crystal Mountain (Hannes Grossmann of Obscura on drums)
Spirit Crusher (Steffen Kummerer of Obscura)
Lack of Comprehension
Pull the Plug
I conclude with a quote from "Evil" Chuck: "Support music, not rumors". His Music will remain, forever...Welcome To Empty Words...
Ad Maiora.
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