Death: Ranking All 7 Studio Albums

6. The Sound Of Perseverance (1998)

Among Death’s hordes of passionate loyalists, there seems to be a small gathering that harbours a distaste towards the quartet’s swansong, The Sound of Perseverance. And with the record standing easily as Death’s most experimental, it’s possible to understand why.

After spending much of the 1990s up to that point containing progressive themes and technicality into constantly fast and energised songs, The Sound of Perseverance boasted much lengthier entries, as well as cuts like “Spirit Crusher”, which often gave way to slow-burning interludes in lieu of the all-out adrenaline found on prior records.

However, to disregard the final album that Chuck Schuldiner would unleash under the “Death” mantle based solely on this is an overreaction, as the monumental disc also gave fans the most instrumentally confident and sophisticated release in the outfit’s whole discography. In an era where aural adventurers like Tool, Opeth and Dream Theater were rapidly climbing the ladder of success, The Sound of Perseverance was the balls-to-the-wall ride that Death needed to make in order to retain their status as the progressive band for those that love their metal raucous and indomitable.

Furthermore, the reimagining of “Painkiller” that closes out this record could be one of the best covers in rock history!

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