Chuck Schuldiner Project

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Death-Leprosy Remaster 2 Disc Set from Relapse


Now to be clear, I want to start off this review saying this isn't really supposed to cover the music on Leprosy, that's been done hundreds of times, and I can't do it justice. What I want to get into with this review is a deeper understanding of this very cool two disc set that Relapse has just put out containing a remaster of the Death classic along with some simply mindblowing rehearsal tapes. This is the sort of release that speaks to the quality of Relapse as a label, that they could come together and put out something this unique, well, it takes a special crew to do something like that.

So first off is the remaster, now, longtime readers know that I am something of a Death purist, I've probably listened to Leprosy more than a hundred times by now. Yet this remaster brings new elements to the fore, and while I'm not sure if I'd go so far as to say its better, I think it's a really interesting reinterpretation, it gives a more modern twist to an old school classic and I think that's a big part of the appeal. Schuldiners growl is allowed to roar out more powerful than ever before. The rehearsal tapes are also a special treat, especially for someone whose really into Death like me. The way that you hear the band develop over each of the two rehearsals is really cool. My favorite example of this is the three version of Left to Die that we are treated too, it really allows you to get into the essence of each of the songs represented and fall in love with the music once more.

In conclusion, well, what more could a kid like me ask for? Sure, I was too young to ever see Death live or hang out with the band while it was still going, but this record certainly gives you a view into what was going on in Schuldiner's world in 1987 and 1988. Along with a fresh take on one of the most important death metal recordings of the 80s this is the kind of thing that speaks to the enduring magic of the genre. Filled with death and a triumph of destruction, Chuck is surely smiling down upon us now, watching as we lucky fans get to indulge ourselves and really start to understand what he was on about.

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