Origin: Florida, USA  
Genres: Death Metal
DISBANDED
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Last update/review: August 16, 2002

Death

One of the more storied bands in metal, the band known simply as Death is recognized as one of the most influential bands in the field of death metal. Their origins date back to 1983, with the first incarnation of the band, then known as Mantus, featuring guitarists Chuck Schuldiner and Rick Rozz along with drummer Kam Lee. Lee and Rozz would leave to form Massacre in 1985, though Rozz would return, along with other ex-Massacre members, in 1987. Schuldiner eventually moved to San Francisco and teamed up with drummer Chris Reifert (who would later form Autopsy) and it was this duo who recorded the legendary debut, Scream Bloody Gore. A raw, primitive affair, bearing quite a similarity to another death metal pioneer in Possessed, Gore created quite a buzz at the time, and the seeds of the infamous Floridian death metal scene had thus been planted. Schuldiner then moved back to Florida, hooked up with the aforementioned Massacre members, and two more landmark albums, Leprosy and Spiritual Healing, were released, with the band's popularity steadily increasing.

In 1991, Schuldiner decided to take the band to another level. With an all-new lineup, 1991's Human presented a different view of death metal, mixing advanced technical musicianship with brutal riffing. As influential as the early material was on early death metal bands, Human and the later Death albums have proven equally influential on a host of 90's technical death metal bands. Now with regularly shifting lineups, Death continued progressing in the technical death metal field until 1996, when Schuldiner decided on another change. Dissatisfied with his own vocals, and desiring a less death metal style, he disbanded the group and started the project later to be known as Control Denied. After some dabblings with that project, Schuldiner decided to record one more album as Death, that being The Sound Of Perseverance, after which he formally revived Control Denied.

In 1999 Chuck was diagnosed with a brainstem tumor, and he spent much of the next two years battling cancer. Though it was reported in 2001 that he might be improving, eventually the disease took over, and sadly he passed away on December 13, 2001. Almostly universally reported as a truly nice guy, he will be missed by all metal fans, but his legacy will live on.

Last Lineup

Chuck Schuldiner

guitars/vocals (ex-Control Denied, ex-Voodoocult) RIP: December 13, 2001, cancer, age 34

Shannon Hamm

guitars (ex-Control Denied)

Scott Clendenin

bass RIP: March 24, 2015, age 47

Richard Christy

drums (ex-Acheron, ex-Burning Inside, ex-Control Denied, Charred Walls Of The Damned, ex-Iced Earth, ex-Leash Law)

Former Members/Guests

Kam Lee

vocals (ex-Bone Gnawer, ex-Denial Fiend, ex-The Grotesquery, ex-Massacre)

John Hand

guitars

Rick Rozz (Frederick DeLillo)

guitars (ex-Massacre)

James Murphy

guitars (ex-Cancer, ex-Disincarnate, ex-Konkhra, guest for Memorain, ex-Obituary, ex-Testament)

Paul Masvidal

guitars (Cynic, ex-Gordian Knot, ex-Master)

Andy LaRocque (Anders Allhage)

guitars (ex-EF Band, ex-Illwill, King Diamond, ex-X-World/5)

Bobby Koelble

guitars

Terry Butler

bass (Denial Fiend, ex-Massacre, Obituary, ex-Six Feet Under)

Steve DiGiorgio

bass (Act Of Denial, ex-Artension, ex-Autopsy, ex-Control Denied, Charred Walls Of The Damned, ex-Dragonlord, ex-Ephel Duath, Futures End, guest for Iced Earth, guest for Megadeth, ex-Memorain, ex-Painmuseum, ex-Quo Vadis, ex-Sadus, ex-Scariot, ex-Soen, Testament, guest for Vintersorg)

Kelly Conlon

bass (ex-Monstrosity, ex-Sargon)

Chris Reifert

drums (ex-Abscess, Autopsy, ex-The Ravenous, Siege Of Power)

Bill Andrews

drums (ex-Massacre)

Sean Reinert

drums (ex-Aghora, ex-Cynic, ex-Flametal, ex-Gordian Knot) RIP: January 24, 2020, age 48

Gene Hoglan

drums (Dark Angel, Daemon, Dethklok, ex-Fear Factory, Mechanism, ex-Memorain, ex-Old Man's Child, ex-Phantasm, ex-Strapping Young Lad, ex-Testament, ex-Tenet, ex-Devin Townsend, guest for Viking, Zimmers Hole)



Discography



Scream Bloody Gore  
1987 Combat
  1. Infernal Death
  2. Zombie Ritual
  3. Denial of Life
  4. Sacrificial
  5. Mutilation
  6. Regurgitated Guts
  7. Baptized in Blood
  8. Torn to Pieces
  9. Evil Dead
  10. Scream Bloody Gore
  11. Beyond the Unholy Grave (bonus track)
  12. Land of No Return (bonus track)
  13. Open Casket (live bonus track)
  14. Choke on it (live bonus track)
  • Chuck Schuldiner
  • Chris Reifert
1987 Readers' Album #6




Leprosy  
1988 Combat
  1. Leprosy
  2. Born Dead
  3. Forgotten Past
  4. Left to Die
  5. Pull the Plug
  6. Open Casket
  7. Primitive Ways
  8. Choke on it
  • Chuck Schuldiner
  • Rick Rozz
  • Terry Butler
  • Bill Andrews



Spiritual Healing  
1990 Combat
  1. Living Monstrosity
  2. Altering the Future
  3. Defensive Personalities
  4. Within the Mind
  5. Spiritual Healing
  6. Low Life
  7. Genetic Reconstruction
  8. Killing Spree
  • Chuck Schuldiner
  • James Murphy
  • Terry Butler
  • Bill Andrews
1990 Readers' Album #8




Human  
1991 Relativity
  1. Flattening of Emotions
  2. Suicide Machine
  3. Together as One
  4. Secret Face
  5. Lack of Comprehension
  6. See Through Dreams
  7. Cosmic Sea
  8. Vacant Planets
  • Chuck Schuldiner
  • Paul Masvidal
  • Steve DiGiorgio
  • Sean Reinert
1991 Readers' Album #3




Fate  COMPILATION
1992 Relativity
  1. Zombie Ritual
  2. Together as One
  3. Open Casket
  4. Spiritual Healing
  5. Mutilation
  6. Suicide Machine
  7. Altering the Future
  8. Baptized in Blood
  9. Left to Die
  10. Pull the Plug



Individual Thought Patterns  
1993 Relativity
  1. Overactive Imagination
  2. In Human Form
  3. Jealousy
  4. Trapped in a Corner
  5. Nothing is Everything
  6. Mentally Blind
  7. Individual Thought Patterns
  8. Destiny
  9. Out of Touch
  10. The Philosopher
  • Chuck Schuldiner
  • Andy LaRocque
  • Steve DiGiorgio
  • Gene Hoglan
1993 Readers' Album #2




Symbolic  
1995 Roadrunner
  1. Symbolic
  2. Zero Tolerance
  3. Empty Words
  4. Sacred Serenity
  5. 1,000 Eyes
  6. Without Judgement
  7. Crystal Mountain
  8. Misanthrope
  9. Perennial Quest
  • Chuck Schuldiner
  • Bobby Koelble
  • Kelly Conlon
  • Gene Hoglan
1995 Readers' Album #2




Sound Of Perseverance  
1998 Nuclear Blast
  1. Scavenger of Human Sorrow
  2. Bite the Pain
  3. Spirit Crusher
  4. Story to Tell
  5. Flesh and the Power it Holds
  6. Voice of the Soul
  7. To Forgive
  8. A Moment of Clarity
  9. Painkiller
  • Chuck Schuldiner
  • Shannon Hamm
  • Scott Clendenin
  • Richard Christy
1998 Readers' Album #6




Live In LA (Death & Raw)  LIVE
2001 Nuclear Blast
  1. Intro/The Philosopher
  2. Spirit Crusher
  3. Trapped In A Corner
  4. Scavenger Of Human Sorrow
  5. Crystal Mountain
  6. Flesh And The Power It Holds
  7. Zero Tolerance
  8. Zombie Ritual
  9. Suicide Machine
  10. Together As One
  11. Empty Words
  12. Symbolic
  13. Pull The Plug
  • Chuck Schuldiner
  • Shannon Hamm
  • Scott Clendenin
  • Richard Christy



Live In LA (Death & Raw)  VIDEO
2001 Nuclear Blast



Live In Eindhoven  LIVE
2001 Nuclear Blast
  1. The Philosopher
  2. Trapped In A Corner
  3. Crystal Mountain
  4. Suicide Machine
  5. Together As One
  6. Zero Tolerance
  7. Lack Of Comprehension
  8. Flesh And The Power It Holds
  9. Flattening Of Emotions
  10. Spirit Crusher
  11. Pull The Plug
  • Chuck Schuldiner
  • Shannon Hamm
  • Scott Clendenin
  • Richard Christy



Live In Eindhoven  VIDEO
2001 Nuclear Blast



Live In Cottbus '98  VIDEO
2005 Nuclear Blast




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