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The Sound of Perseverance

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The Sound of Perseverance
Original cover art by Travis Smith
Studio album by
Death
ReleasedAugust 31, 1998
StudioMorrisound Recording, Tampa, Florida
Genre
Length56:17
LabelNuclear Blast
ProducerJim Morris, Chuck Schuldiner
Death chronology
Symbolic
(1995) 		The Sound of Perseverance
(1998) 		Live in L.A. (Death & Raw)
(2001)
Singles from The Sound of Perseverance
  1. "Spirit Crusher"
    Released: 1998
Death studio album chronology
Symbolic
(1995) 		The Sound of Perseverance
(1998)
2011 reissue

The Sound of Perseverance is the seventh and final studio album by Florida death metal band Death, released on August 31, 1998, by Nuclear Blast.[4]

The album featured guitarist Shannon Hamm, drummer Richard Christy, and bassist Scott Clendenin for the first time. It was also Death's final studio album, as Chuck Schuldiner died due to brain cancer-related issues in 2001, and Death subsequently disbanded.

Composition

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The Sound of Perseverance is considered the "most expansive" Death release by some critics.[5]

Music critics have made note of elements of progressive music and fusion jazz in the album's rhythm section.[5]

Richard Christy's drumming on the album has been described as "octopus-like".[6]

Chuck Schuldiner's vocals on the album have been described as "falsetto death metal shrieks."[6]

The band recorded using B.C. Rich Stealth guitars, achieving a "razor-like" guitar tone.[6]

Overview

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In an interview done in March 1999, Chuck Schuldiner stated that the acoustic guitar-driven "Voice of the Soul" was actually written during the Symbolic sessions.[7] Death has produced only two instrumentals (the other being "Cosmic Sea" from Human).[8]

"The Moment of Clarity" was expected be the title track on the first Control Denied album; other tracks from the album would have included "What If" and "Cut Down to Size", which were all worked on in 1997.[9] Schuldiner stated in an interview with Metal Maniacs the following year that none of his compositions for Control Denied had been used to fill space for a Death album.[10] A few Control Denied songs were retooled as Death songs and released on The Sound of Perseverance.[11]

The Judas Priest song Painkiller was intended as a bonus track for Japan, but Nuclear Blast recommended that it be included on all releases.[12]

Deluxe editions

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Nuclear Blast released a deluxe edition in December 2005. It contains the original album as well as the DVD Live in Cottbus '98 and press pictures. It was also released as a DualDisc.[13]

Relapse Records released a second deluxe edition on February 15, 2011. The album was remastered and reissued in deluxe 2-CD and 3-CD formats, with the additional CDs containing unreleased demo material[14] and a revised cover by original cover artist Travis Smith.[15]

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com[16]
AllMusic[4]
Chronicles of Chaos9/10[17]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal9/10[18]
Kerrang![19]
Metal Forces10/10[20]

The Sound of Perseverance has received critical acclaim and is considered by fans and critics alike as one of Death's greatest albums. Jason Hundey of AllMusic described it as "a truly glorious metal release, certainly Death's finest hour, and easily one of the top metal albums of all time".[4] Chronicles of Chaos reviewer Paul Schwarz said the album "excels in all the right places. Great thrashings, technical solos, memorable choruses and clear vocals are the order of the day".[17]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Chuck Schuldiner, unless noted

No.TitleLength
1."Scavenger of Human Sorrow"6:56
2."Bite the Pain"4:29
3."Spirit Crusher"6:47
4."Story to Tell"6:34
5."Flesh and the Power It Holds"8:26
6."Voice of the Soul" (instrumental)3:43
7."To Forgive Is to Suffer"5:55
8."A Moment of Clarity"7:25
9."Painkiller" (Judas Priest cover (Halford, Downing, Tipton))6:02
Total length:56:17
2011 remastered version (bonus disc 1)
No.TitleLength
1."Spirit Crusher" (from 1998 demos, no bass (instrumental))6:55
2."Flesh and the Power It Holds" (from 1998 demos, no bass (instrumental))8:22
3."Voice of the Soul" (from 1998 demos, no bass (instrumental))3:30
4."Bite the Pain" (from 1998 demos)4:28
5."A Moment of Clarity" (from 1998 demos)6:38
6."Story to Tell" (from 1998 demos)6:40
7."Scavenger of Human Sorrow" (from 1998 demos)6:49
8."Bite the Pain" (from 1997 demos)4:31
9."Story to Tell" (from 1997 demos)6:37
10."A Moment of Clarity" (from 1997 demos)6:34
Total length:61:02
2011 remastered version (bonus disc 2)
No.TitleLength
1."Bite the Pain" (from 1996 demos, Chuck Schuldiner on vocals)4:19
2."Story to Tell" (from 1996 demos, Chuck Schuldiner on vocals)6:19
3."A Moment of Clarity" (from 1996 demos, Chuck Schuldiner on vocals, clean backing vocals)6:17
4."Bite the Pain" (from 1996 demos, Paul Payne on vocals)4:20
5."A Moment of Clarity" (from 1996 demos, Paul Payne on vocals)6:17
6."A Moment of Clarity" (from 1996 demos, Chuck Schuldiner on vocals, clean vocals)6:17
7."Story to Tell" (from 1996 demos, Chuck Schuldiner on vocals, clean vocals)6:24
8."Bite the Pain" (from 1996 demos, Shannon Hamm on vocals)4:14
9."A Moment of Clarity" (from 1996 demos, instrumental)5:32
10."Bite the Pain" (from 1996 demos, instrumental)4:14
11."Story to Tell" (from 1996 demos, instrumental)6:13
12."Voice of the Soul" (from 1996 demos, instrumental)3:29
13."A Moment of Clarity" (from 1996 demos, instrumental)6:12
Total length:70:07

Personnel

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Death

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Additional personnel

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  • Steve Di Giorgio – bass on 1997 and 1998 demos
  • Chris Williams – drums on 1996 demo
  • Paul Payne – vocals on 1996 demo
  • Shannon Hamm – vocals on 1996 demo

Production

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Charts

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Chart Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[21] 35
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[22] 93
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[23] 60

References

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  1. ^ "Death: The Sound of Perseverance (Relapse Reissue)". Sea Of Tranquility. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  2. ^ DiVita, Joe. "10 Best Songs by the Band Death". Loudwire. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  3. ^ "Death Metal, Melodic". Metal Storm. August 3, 2005. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Hundey, Jason. "The Sound of Perseverance - Death". AllMusic. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  5. ^ a b DiVita, Joe (July 18, 2013). "10 Best Songs by the Band Death". Loudwire. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c DiVita, Joe (July 18, 2013). "10 Best Songs by the Band Death". Loudwire. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  7. ^ "Death". Lamentations of the Flame Princess. March 1999. Retrieved December 7, 2010.
  8. ^ Borivoj Krgin (December 1991). "Only Human". Metal Maniacs. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  9. ^ Dennis Gulbey (Spring 1997). "Death no more! Control Denied is here!!". Sentinel Steel. Retrieved July 20, 2024. The tentative title for the record is The Moment of Clarity. That's, I think, going to end up being the title. Also, a song called "What If", another song, "Cut Down to Size".
  10. ^ "Reincarnation". Metal Maniacs. November 1998. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
  11. ^ "Tim Aymar Speaks Out". Empty Words. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  12. ^ "Death Alive". Aardschok. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  13. ^ "News > DEATH - Release Date Changed For The Sound of Perseverance Deluxe Edition". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. December 8, 2005. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  14. ^ Empty Words News Page, Empty Words, accessed December 14, 2010.
  15. ^ "Artist Explains Decision To Update DEATH 'The Sound Of Perseverance' Cover Art". Blabbermouth.net. January 13, 2011. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  16. ^ Schalek, Dave. "Death - 'The Sound Of Perseverance'". About.com. Archived from the original on February 25, 2011. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  17. ^ a b Schwarz, Paul (September 1, 1998). "CoC : Death - The Sound of Perseverance : Review". Chronicles of Chaos. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  18. ^ Popoff, Martin (August 1, 2007). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. pp. 105–106. ISBN 978-1-894959-62-9.
  19. ^ Greenway, Mark (September 19, 1998). "Albums". Kerrang!. No. 717. EMAP. p. 44.
  20. ^ Arnold, Neil. "Death - The Sound Of Perseverance (Reissue)". Metal Forces. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
  21. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Death – The Sound of Perseverance" (in German). Hung Medien.
  22. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Death – The Sound of Perseverance" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  23. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Death – The Sound of Perseverance" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts.
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