Artist: DEATH
Album: "LIVE IN L.A. [DEATH & RAW] (CD)"

Year: 2001
Media type: CD

A pioneer leads the way and establishes new standards for everyone else to follow. This feat is extremely rare in the world of music. If a visionary does happen to come along, they record one or two records and then burn out and fade away. Others forget their roots and change radically, effectively destroying their groundbreaking past. Neither of these scenarios applies to singer/guitarist/songwriter Chuck Schuldiner, who has come to define the word “pioneer.” His band, Death, which started back in the early ‘80s, is one of the most respected and innovative bands in the metal scene. They influenced a whole range of bands and defined the parameters of the death metal movement. Beyond the band’s importance, Chuck himself is one of the most respected people in the business. In his long career as the “godfather” of death metal, he never stopped being creative and always had the knack for writing THE classic song. Chuck strove to create his own sound, regardless of the consequences. His undeniable will and vision confounded the metal scene, but the few who saw the genius in his music understood – like all pioneers, Chuck was way ahead of the times. Sixteen years and seven records later, the past stands immortal, but the future, once so bright and undeniable, has turned into a cloudy forecast of apprehension and uncertainty.

Chuck is very ill. Changing the world of metal seems minuscule compared to the battle Chuck now faces. On his 31st birthday, doctors diagnosed Chuck with a rare brain tumor. With the help of family, friends, fans and organisations like MusiCare, he was able moderately control the cancer with an operation. It seemed he had won the fight, but after a short time in remission, the cancer returned. Again he needed treatment. Initially Cedar Sinai refused to give Chuck the lifesaving treatment he needed, a still relatively experimental drug called Vincristine, because he lacks insurance. Because of the injustice and callousness of the America healthcare system, Chuck once again turned to family, friends, and fans to help with the staggering cost of the treatment. The metal community responded. Bands organised benefit shows and charity auctions were established. Chuck finally received the first round of treatment at the beginning of June 2001. He’s back home resting now but still faces the financial burden of past treatments and those he still needs to keep his cancer under control.

Because of Chuck’s financial situation and as a last memento to his legendary band, Nuclear Blast is set to release the first Death live album, Live in L.A. (Death & Raw), which was recorded at the legendary Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles, California during their sold-out The Sound of Perseverance tour. It never was planned to be released, so there are a few things on this album which are not 100% perfect, which you usually get from Chuck and his mates. This is a soundboard recording, which leads to some slight sound problems, but you can nonetheless hear the outstanding performance and musical quality of Death. This band is in a class all by itself! The sound is still absolutely outstanding and retains a gritty intensity that’s missing on live records that are overdubbed.

TRACKLIST CD:

1 Intro
2 Philosopher
3 Spirit Crusher
4 Trapped in a Corner
5 Scavenger of Human Sorrow
6 Crystal Mountain
7 Flesh and the Power It Holds
8 Zero Tolerance
9 Zombie Ritual
10 Suicide MacHine
11 Together as One
12 Empty Words
13 Symbolic
14 Pull the Plug