DEATH - "LIVE IN L.A. (DEATH & RAW)" (NUCLEAR BLAST)

 

Why this long-awaited live album was delayed so much is beyond me. Certainly, in the light of Chuck's illness it would be best to release anything as quickly as possible so that the much needed royalties come in quicker, right? Be that as it may, "Live in L.A. (Death & Raw)" was delayed quite a few times but finally saw the light of day this month.

The album offers over 70 minutes of excellently produced death metal from the originators of the genre. Given the fact that the latest Death line-up is musically the most talented, the recent tracks are impeccably reproduced and the older material gets across vastly enhanced. In particular the drumming adds a whole layer previously not present on a track like "Zombie Ritual".

"Live in L.A." gives you a glance across nearly 15 years of Death, including three of the finest tracks from their tour de force, "The Sound of Perseverance" ("Scavenger of Human Sorrow", "Spirit Crusher" and "Flesh and the Power it Holds"). But you also get classics like "Crystal Mountain", "Suicide Machine", "Symbolic", "The Philosopher" and, of course, the wonderfully classic "Pull the Plug" (with a cool "Charlie's Angels" intro). This collection of energetically played Death classics is an obligatory part of any fan of the genre, and one of the finest live albums to have been released in a while.

To support Chuck and his fight against cancer, Nuclear Blast is releasing a "Live in Eindhoven" CD and DVD around the end of October 2001. Check out their web site at www.nuclearblast.de/death.

Click here to check out or buy this CD

RK

 

Written September 2001

 

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