Death
Human

THE REVIEW

The first step towards techno-death. With this simple phrase, we can define another great work by Schuldiner.

Released in 1991, the year of the genre's explosion, "Human" is the first Death album that goes beyond the classic death-metal sounds. This record, together with "Unquestionable Presence" by Atheist and "Testimony of the Ancients" by Pestilence, marks the beginning of prog/death, more commonly called techno death.

Techno stands for "technical," indicating a genre contaminated by jazz, fusion, and prog influences. The band, originating from Florida, does not try to change its sound but enriches it, evolving its technique. Chuck Schuldiner leads his band into a tangle of melodies and complex, technically prohibitive rhythms. Aside from the usual "frontal attack" that Death unleashes in previous records, there’s a noticeable and very complicated musical elaboration. Indeed, the absurd technique and "cerebral" sounds make listening to the album fascinating.

Especially in the rhythmic base, bass - drums, the changes are evident. It's no coincidence that the presence of the legendary Steve DiGiorgio, who executes extraordinary bass lines. The drums, led by Sean Reinert, smash everything in their path, forcefully entering each piece and thus devastating our excited eardrums! The riffs created by Schuldiner and Masvidal are always furious and lightning-fast. Chuck, in addition to performing electrifying solos, explodes with his purely destructive voice. Songs like “Lack Of Comprehension” or “Together As One,” are the "living" proof of the album's ferocity! The lyrics are extremely heavy, with content concerning the deepest interiors of the soul and the human mind.

Fast, powerful, melancholic, angry, elaborate, technical, psychopathic, and devastating! On an emotional level, the best death metal album ever. Wonderful to listen to but difficult to interpret without good concentration.