DEATH — Spiritual Healing (review)

Album · 1990 · Death Metal

3.5/5 · 2010-08-10
The Angry Scotsman

This is the transition album in Death's career. This is one where they started moving from pure death metal to a more technical metal. Do not get me wrong, this album is not tech metal. I would say it is still firmly under the realm of death metal...but technical influences were starting to appear.

The lineup is the same here as on "Leprosy" except for the swapping of Rick Rozz with James Murphy. The guitar work is still pretty pure death metal but there are a few signs of technicality such as in "Defensive Personalities" and "Killing Spree". Also, as opposed to Death's first 2 albums which were straightforward speed and brutality, this album shows us songs that are slower, a little more stop and go, and with slower sections in them. Also, the quality on this album is much better then the first two, which makes the guitars sound even better. Chuck still does his thing, with fast, (though sometime slow) riffs, and blazing solos. His vocals are still death metal, though not as "growly" I would say. Also, while nothing compared to later Death drummers, I think Bill Andrews shows some technicality in his drumming. Especially the last 2 minutes of "Living Monstrosity".

Living Monstrosity: This song has a neat little intro before it goes into a typical death metal riff, and drumming. It goes into a heavy, slower part after that for a while, then a cool guitar solo with heavy phaser. Death Metal continues after that until the last 2 minutes, which are pretty technical. The song is about drugs, (as the last line says "Born without eyes, and half a brain. being born addicted to cocaine").

Altering the Future: This song starts out slower paced for the first half, until the blazing solos in the middle and after that the song takes a faster, more metal pace and riffing. However, the last minute and a half takes the original, slower guitar riff which is quite technical and dissonant. This song is about abortion, and perhaps surprisingly, takes a pro-life stance.

Defensive Personalities: Has a sweet intro and is straight up death metal for most of the songs. Chuck plays some great riffs though, and the solo's are amazing like usual.

Within the Mind: This is personally my least favorite song, it just does not do it for me.

Spiritual Healing: Starts off with a cool tapping part, and continues on in a more or less death metal path.

Low Life: The same can be said with this song, it is not bad, but again just does not resonate much with me.

Genetic Reconstruction: One of the stand out songs on the album. Starts out with another heavy, slower riff that changes after about a minute to a slower one. Then it is into the solo, which is backed up by some great drumming. Then we fly into the next solo which is much faster and intense. The song then continues with shifting, slower paced riffs.

Killing Spree: My favorite song of the album. It has a wild guitar intro before diving into the riff. A heavy song with a great feel to it. It is not terribly different from the others, with varying paced riffs and intensity and blazing guitar solos.

This is an album that captures Death in transition. Still pure death metal, but with more sections of slow and heavy, some more technicality and variation. Chuck's composition skills are starting to show. However, some parts can be a bit dull.

Three and a Half Stars