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Rating: To respond to those who are fed up with reading only reviews of CoB, clicking on Painkiller, here I am ready to write about what I consider to be the best album in the history of metal: "The Sound Of Perseverance" by Death, often remembered as the "spiritual testament" of the great Chuck Schuldiner, who died in 2001 from cancer.
Chuck and company encapsulate in this CD the true essence of that damn genre so much scorned by goody-goody offspring, but which has been, since the '80s, a real "phenomenon" in the history of music... I believe Death is the more evil and "recent" transposition of the Beatles... (a somewhat bold comparison... but Death is the best). Having said this, I can dive headfirst into reviewing the extreme masterpiece of the legendary Chuck.
The furious guitars, the tight rhythms, and Schuldiner's unmistakable voice characterize the first tracks of this invaluable masterpiece. "Scavenger Of Human Sorrow" is the first gem of this collection and begins to charge the listener, in view of the great final outbursts... followed by "Bite The Pain", the beautiful "Spirit Crusher", and the frantic "A Story To Tell"... we reach the turning point with "Flesh And The Power It Holds". Then the CD stops, not because it's scratched from the factory, but because the frightening rhythm of the US quartet is slowed down by the enchanting, sublime, wonderful "Voice Of The Soul". This track is an instrumental gem, starting with an acoustic guitar line where the two electric guitars gradually make their way in, performing riffs in unison that can be identical or independent, creating a weave of harmonies as only dear old Chuck knew how to do. Sublime in the end the escalation dictated by Schuldiner. This is a piece that no one, not even the most extreme dance music listeners, will find ugly or unlistenable... regarding the speakers of the metal word... well, they already know what I'm talking about and perhaps, arriving at this point of the review, are listening to this instrumental piece which is much better than numerous tracks currently in circulation, even of the same genre. The last three tracks are "To Forgive Is To Suffer", "A Moment Of Clarity", and the sensational cover of "Painkiller" by Judas Priest. Extremely violent.
Chuck could not have left a better tangible work of his great contribution to past, present, and future metal. Hearing this work, which forces the listener to keep their ears keenly tuned for all 54 minutes of the disc, one can't help but think that, with Chuck's death, the world of music truly lost something important.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Scavenger of Human Sorrow (06:54)
What pain will it take
To satisfy your sick appetite
Go in for the kill
Always in sight-prey
The time always right-feast
Feed on the pain-taste
Sorrow made flesh-sweet
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
Big words, Small mind
Behind the pain you will find
A scavenger of human sorrow
Scavenger
Abstract theory the weapon of choice
Used by scavenger of human sorrow
Scavenger
So you have traveled far across the sea
To spread yor written brand of misery
03 Spirit Crusher (06:44)
It comes from the depths
Of a place unknown to the
Keeper of dreams
If it could then it would steal
The sun and the moon from the sky
Beware
Human at sight, Monster at heart
Don't let it inside it could
Tear you right apart
No guilt, It feeds in plain sight
Spirit Crusher
Stay strong and hold on tight
Spirit Crusher
Speaking in killing words
The vicious kind that crush and kill
No mercy, Its pleasure to taste
The blood that it bled
When it's time to feed to fulfill
The need to consume a breath
Some will rise standing tall
Breathing out all the breath from
The voice of a soul
08 A Moment of Clarity (07:22)
I would describe it as an invisible darkness
Casting a shadow, A blinding black
Guarded by hope, My soul is kept from
The bloody claws
Look beyond, What vision lets me see
Time after time, Unneeded misery
Holding tight to my dreams
I own no price for you
I grip them tight and hope for sight
Open my eyes wide to see a moment of clarity
Confusion gone, It's in your hands
Your turn to ask why
Life is like a mystery
With many clues, But with few anwers
To tell us what it is that we can do to look
For messages that keep us from the truth
09 Painkiller (06:03)
[JUDAS PRIEST cover]
Faster than a bullet
Terrifying scream
Enraged and full of anger
He's half man and half machine
Rides the Metal Monster
Breathing smoke and fire
Closing in with vengeance soaring high
He is the Painkiller
This is the Painkiller
Planets devastated
Mankind's on its knees
A saviour comes from out the skies
In answer to their pleas
Through boiling clouds of thunder
Blasting bolts fo steel
Evils going under deadly wheels
He is the Painkiller
This is the Painkiller
Faster than a lazer bullet
Louder than an atom bomb
Chromium plated boiling metal
Brighter than a thousand suns
Flying high on rapture
Stronger free and brave
Nevermore encaptured
They've been brought back from the grave
With mankind ressurrected
Forever to survive
Returns from Armageddon to the skies
He is the Painkiller
This is the Painkiller
Wings of steel Painkiller
Deadly wheels Painkiller
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Other reviews
By cliffburton86
A huge death metal masterpiece.
The hope of everyone is that from 'up there' the great Chuck continues to play his guitar and continues to sing death metal, as only he knew how.
By aniel
"UNIQUE in its genre!"
"Absolutely indispensable, every metalhead who loves to call themselves such must have this album."
By sweep picking
Death... the name speaks for itself, doesn’t it?
This album is full of masterpieces... complete reverence for the best metal band that has ever existed.
By sofficino
Ladies and Gentlemen, speaking ill of Death is impossible, and the most natural thing is that these guys have churned out masterpieces.
And so, this masterpiece is concluded, and thus the career of Death... has written among the most beautiful and intriguing pages in death metal.
By emanuele
Have you ever experienced that feeling when you’re faced with something… whose grandeur takes your breath away because you realize that some people can truly be defined as giants?
Each single track manages to exude emotions from every note and especially from a voice, that of Chuck, which will remain… in the history of world heavy metal.
