Scream Bloody Gore

Infobox Album | Name = Scream Bloody Gore
Type = studio
Artist = Death


Released = 1987
Recorded =
Genre = Death metal
Length = 37:49
Label = Combat
Producer = Randy Burns
Reviews = * Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:48qog4kttvoz link]
Last album = "Mutilation"
(1986)
This album = "Scream Bloody Gore"
(1987)
Next album = "Leprosy"
(1988)

"Scream Bloody Gore" is the first album released by Death in 1987. This album bears little resemblance to the far more technical works of the band. Chuck Schuldiner plays bass, wrote all the songs on the album and provides vocals in addition to guitar for the album. John Hand is noted on the cover as playing 'rhythm', though this was incorrect and Hand was only in the band for a short period and was not on the recording [ [http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=71774 Blabbermouth Reifert interview] ] . This is also the only Death album to feature drummer Chris Reifert, who had joined for the Mutilation demo.

Scream Bloody Gore was actually recorded twice, with the second, Los Angeles-based session being released as the album by label Combat Records (later Relativity). It was first recorded in Florida, although only the rhythm guitar and drum tracks were recorded. The track-listing consisted of "Torn To Pieces", "Legion Of Doom", "Scream Bloody Gore", "Sacrificial Cunt" (later shortened to "Sacrificial"), "Mutilation", "Land Of No Return", and "Baptized In Blood". The label were unsatisfied after hearing the initial mix, Schuldiner and Reifert recorded in California with Randy Burns as producer. Once returning to Florida, the first session was released as a promotional tape, and was eventually bootlegged. "Legion Of Doom" was a longtime staple of Death's rehearsals and live shows, and was indeed the first song written, reaching back to when they were known as Mantas.

Despite the many songs written during Death's demo days, only half of them were re-recorded for the album, the rest being new compositions. It has been referred to as an incomplete best-of from Death's demo days [ [http://www.metal-archives.com/review.php?id=598 Metal Archives] ] . "Infernal Death" and "Baptized In Blood" originally appeared on the "Infernal Death" demo. "Zombie Ritual", "Mutilation" and "Land Of No Return" originally appeared on the "Mutilation" demo, and "Evil Dead" and "Beyond The Unholy Grave" were originally on "Death By Metal". "Beyond The Unholy Grave" and "Land Of No Return" were also cut from the album, though were included on the re-release, with the live tracks taken from "Ultimate Revenge".

This album is also hailed by fans and critics as arguably the first death metal album, as it replaced the large amount of thrash influence early bands such as Possessed had, with outright 'brutality' [ [http://wm06.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:3iftxqe5ld6e~T1 Death page @ Allmusic] ] .

Track listing

# "Infernal Death" – 2:54
# "Zombie Ritual" – 4:35
# "Denial of Life" – 3:37
# "Sacrificial" – 3:43
# "Mutilation" – 3:30
# "Regurgitated Guts" – 3:47
# "Baptized in Blood" – 4:31
# "Torn to Pieces" – 3:38
# "Evil Dead" – 3:01
# "Scream Bloody Gore" – 4:35

* Bonus tracks
# "Beyond the Unholy Grave" – 3:08 *
# "Land of No Return" – 3:00 *
# "Open Casket" (Live) *
# "Choke on It" (Live) *

Credits

* Chuck Schuldiner - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
* Chris Reifert - Drums
* Steve Sinclair - Executive Producer
* Edward Repka - Design, Illustrations
* Randy Burns - Percussion, Producer
* John Hand - Credited on album as rhythm guitar but did not actually play on album (or during any live performances) [ [http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=71774 Blabbermouth Reifert interview] ]

References