Review: Death - The Sound of Perseverance

The late Chuck Schuldiner can be attributed with resetting the course of modern metal with Death, bringing anger and fury into a new realm of technical composition that balances both aggression and melody.

2011 marks a decade since the guitarist died from cancer, and Relapse Records has released the deluxe reissue of The Sound of Perseverance, the final release by Death before Schuldiner abandoned the 11-year-old death metal project for the proggy Control Denied. While this remastered swan song pales in comparison to the earlier Death albums, there are flashes of brilliance that emerged anytime Schuldiner stepped into the studio. “Bite the Pain” interrupts breakneck riffing with a pinball rhythm, “Flesh and the Power It Holds” abounds with anthemic glory, interspersed by double-bass punches and six-stringed gallops, and the closing “Painkiller” is ferocious, Schuldiner’s uncharacteristically high-pitched vocals carried above a din of caterwauling guitar.

The reissue allows listeners to dig deeper into The Sound of Perseverance, with a second and third disc boasting demo versions of a number of the album’s tracks recorded in 1996, 1997 and 1998. The inclusion of multiple versions of each track gives a worthy glimpse into Schuldiner’s genius, offering the audible development of “Bite the Pain,” “A Moment of Clarity,” and “Story to Tell.”

The Sound of Perseverance doesn't match the musical complexity and feral energy of earlier Death releases like Leprosy, Spiritual Healing, or Human; however, it marks a farewell for a revolutionary era in metal music. Not only does the deluxe reissue shine a light on a classic album, but it allows listeners to engage in Chuck Schuldiner’s creative process.

The Sound of Perseverance is out now on Relapse Records.

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