Spiritual Healing [CASSETTE] |  | Artist: Death
Label: Relativity
Category: Music
Buy New: £9.99
Rating:  5 reviews
Format: Import
Media: Audio Cassette
UPC: 088561201142
EAN: 0088561201142
ASIN: B00000EJ62
Release Date: February 16, 1990
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW FACTORY SEALED
| |
| Tracks:
| • | Living Monstrosity | | • | Altering the Future | | • | Defensive Personalities | | • | Within the Mind | | • | Spiritual Healing | | • | Low Life | | • | Genetic Reconstruction | | • | Killing Spree |
|
| Customer Reviews:
 Schuldiner hints at Prog aspects... October 31, 2007
Tom (Bangkok, Thailand)
Spiritual healing first came to my attention in about 1991 when I got a copy of 'At Death's Door', a Roadrunner compilation tape that included the track 'Killing Spree' (I think, its been a while!). Well, what ever track it was, I was interested as it wasn't at all in line with the other songs on the tape, with the exception of Cerebral Fix, which wasn't growly, kick drum madness, just plain naff and boring actually.
This album does truly mark the start of Schuldiner's proggressive interest in his particualr brand of metal, and leaves behind, albeit gently, the older repeated riffs, and simplistic horror lyrics of 'Scream...' and 'Leprosy'. The boy becomes a man so to speak.
Indeed, the lyrical content hits home on some very moral and diverse "real life" subjects. Cocaine Addicted mums to be, abortion, Evil Evangelists to name but a few. Chuck's way with words is blunt and corrosive, but some of it is still a little juvenile in its prose. A quick example would be from the track 'Low Life':
"Fake is a word you represent.
Your existance on Earth I resent.
At the cost of others you get by.
Each word that you speak is a lie."
He writes like this much less than he did on Leprosy, but its still got that Master Yoda tone to it.
Shuldiner's vocals are still that scratchy growl, which I have always appreciated, as its quite unique and on this very cleanly produced album, fit perfectly with the crisp sound.
The drums are just there to keep rhythm by the sounds of it, and don't dare to really make any serious impact by themselves.
Murphy's solos are very cool, before the days of playing the same very skilful, but very "Murphy generic" solo on Cause of Death and Death shall Rise, respectively. Here he was still finding his feet, and I'd guess trying to hold his own against the most famous man in death metal at that point.
My personal favourite trax would have to be 'Within the Mind', The title track (a head bangers delight) and 'Killing Spree'.
I have to mention the opening part of 'Within the Mind' never ceases to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. A wickedly brutal opening that breaks into that double time guitar gallop. Brilliant !
In conclusion this album is indeed leaps and bound to the good, over Leprosy. If it has one really big draw back, it the lack of any real stand-out track. They are all good, but it doesn't have that "Dead by Dawn", "Chapel of Ghouls" or "Pull the Plug". Nevertheless, its well worth investing into, and so is their follow up to it, "Human" a truly brilliant prog death album!
 10 out of 10 for progression June 6, 2002
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Spiritual Healing of the first four Death albums is probably the hardest to get into. This is a giant leap from the measured evil of Leprosy. But it is a good leap.
Death still sound like death metal on this, their 3rd album released in February of 1990. But this time round the production is very clean, and Chuck's lyrics signal a more mature approach to his songwriting and song structure. Rather than just wax lyrical about satanism and massacre, Chuck deals with some fascinating topical subjects.
This album may initially disappoint with the fact that it doesn't instantly roar from the speakers, but repeated listenings, like any good albums, show their quality. And over twelve years since, this album still stands head and shoulders over a vast majority of subsequent death metal albums. Highly progressive, thoughtful and enjoyable.
Toned down but still heavy and crushing March 20, 2002
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
If you're expecting the raw power and attitude of "Scream Bloody Gore" then forget it. This is Death's most commercial album, but this is by no means a bad thing, giving a clean sounding yet hugely battering sound. From the opening drum-cum-guitar riff, this record breathes controlled brutality from the outset. From the savage riffing throughout, to Chuck's fantastic vocal skill, musically this record demonstrates Death's talent in its purest form. Title track "Spiritual Death" features some of the most grinding vocals and riffs you will ever hear.
Despite lacking the sheer intensity of Death's first two albums, 'Spiritual Healing" is a testament to Death's rejuvenation of the death metal scene and the sheer passion of their music.R.I.P. Chuck Schuldiner
a different approach January 22, 2002
jeffbrooks@ntlworld.com (wales, uk.)
This is Deaths' 3rd LP.
Mindless screaming about satan and his cohorts will not be found anywhre within this superb demonstration of intelligent, powerfull metal.
Apparently Death lost a few fans over this one, their loss.
This is a very strong album full of aggressive yet well written material. as far as I am concerened this is one of the best metal records ever to have been cut by any band, I say metal because some death metal bands are rubbish,Death certainly are not. For me all the tracks stand out but check out the title track, slow powerfull stuff with a cracker of a dive bomb and solo and ' genetic reconstruction, Chuck had an eye for the future. I hace recently read a certain metal special within a guitar magazine, this album was not mentioned, why I cannot think because it has been copied in so many ways.
Listen to it, especially at this price you cannot go wrong.
Jeff.
Setting the Stage January 21, 2002
Mr. D. G. Hazeldine (Kidderminster)
This, Death's third album, and second with members of Massacre playing (Leprosy included all of Massacre except Kam Lee, who interestingly was a member of Mantas along with Chuck and Rozz, who played guitar on Leprosy but got kicked out before Spiritual Healing due to a "lack of progression", according to Chuck), and it marks a departure from the sick and gory lyrics of the past, and hinted towards the more technical affairs that would soon become synonymous with the band.Drafted in for the departing Rozz is none other then session junkie James Murphy, fresh from falling out with Obituary, and having played on the wonderful "Cause Of Death" album. The best thing to note about this partnership is the fact that both of the guitarists were at about the same level technically at the time of the album, and both evolved exponentially afterwards. Although Murphy didn't stay on in the band, "Spiritual Healing" is the only Death record to contain decent soloing from both guitarists, and this marked it as something special. The songs talk about some interesting topics of everyday life, that most people may not think about from day to day, like the effects on taking drugs while pregnant, whether aDeath Penalty is fair, Spiritual Healing of the Evangelistical kind, and other such philsophical and moral debates. The other major factors differing from Leprosy was that the songs had got even longer (the track "Leprosy" was 6 minutes, but "Spiritual Healing" lasts around 7), and it marks the first of many slight vocal changes from Chuck. His style becomes no less extreme, but attains more laudability compared to earlier offerings. Overall, a release that showed that Death were capable of maturing past simple blood and gore, and that there was definately something big in their future....
|
|
|
|
