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This Sucks

TODAY IS THE EIGHTH ANNIVERSAY OF CHUCK SCHULDINER’S DEATH

 Sunday, December 13th, 2009 at 2:11pm by

I almost never know what to say when attempting to commemorate someone’s death. But reader Paul Lakomski reminded us that today is the anniversary, and it just felt like we have to do something to remember the man and what he did for the music we love. There are so many bands that just wouldn’t exist if not for Death, it seems like the least we can do is take a few minutes to honor Chuck’s legacy.

Here’s the video for Death’s “Lack of Comprehension.”

And here’s Control Denied’s “The Fragile Art of Existence.”

R.I.P., Chuck. We miss you.

-AR

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  • Wyzt

    Awesome band, amazing musician. Playing Death on repeat all day today.

    • http://www.crustcake.com/ The WZA’d

      I’m commenting here.

      YOU SPELLED ANNIVERSAEY WRONG. SO DID I, BUT I’M DEUNK AND HAVE AN EXCUESE.

  • joshkid

    Chuck was Jewish btw. RIP. I’ll drink L’Chayim to that!

  • Tanner

    R.I.P. Chuck. Thanks for giving us Overactive Imaginations.

  • Danxport

    Chuck who? theres a new 30 secs to mars album out and ur talking about some dead guy no one cares or knows about!!!

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Daniel-Winnett/504952291 Daniel Winnett

      please, PLEASE tell me that’s sarcasm

    • Alex_P

      In this case, sarcasm is not appropriate.

      • Jaymz_Death

        30 who………isnt that thhe band with that b grade actor tyring to be a musician……..Its almost 10 yrs since chuck passed and i gaurantee if you ask any reputable metal fan who chuck scuhldiner was and im sure they will tell you he was a major force in metal. Lets wait 10 yrs and ask if anyone knows the name of that guy that sung in that 30 blah blah mars band and what he contributed to music

  • Austin

    THE greatest metal musician of all time. He is unparalleled as a metal singer/songwriter. Can an anyone honestly say that he ever missed a beat on any one of his albums? Truly legendary. Definitely somewhere in the top 10 Jews of all time which includes a surprising amount of competition. Maybe top 15. Whatever, Chuck ruled metal when he was alive and still rules now!!!!

  • meat mincing machine

    Another thing that should be noted is that chuck-schuldiner.org (Run by Beth Schuldiner, Chuck’s sister) is taking signups to the Father of Death Metal club, with the signup fees being put towards the legal BS Chuck’s family is fighting through with some label to get the second Control Denied cd “When Man and Machine Collide” released.

  • Bicro

    Hails to the originator.

    Shame that Spiritual Healing is out of print.

  • http://www.noisecreep.com Jay

    So many good albums.

    The solo in the middle of “Trapped In A Corner” is one of the best I’ve heard.

  • snarly

    Rip chuck!

  • FrostMechanic

    There’s really not a whole lot to say, it all sounds cheap and overused.

    Human got me through some tough times. If it weren’t for Death, I don’t think I’d be listening to half the music I do.

  • MrC

    Is there anywhere to buy Death CD’s online?

    They all seem to be out of print or really expensive, im from england and i saw one going for £50!

    • iolanach

      what? they’ve been re-mastered and re-released recently. They’re widely available.

    • therealmetalmatt

      Spiritual Healing seems to be the only one that is out of print from my understanding.

      • iolanach

        really? just saw the remastered version the other day. Maybe it’s just a european thing…

    • Jaymz_Death

      @ MrC i can get em in the land down under and at least half the price of that, if ya interested in working something out comment back

  • http://www.last.fm/user/hobo7088 hobo7088

    R.I.P.

  • http://marketamerica.com/rayp ray peterson

    I feel like a complete turd. Which death album should I own? They sound like all my favorite bands combined. Someone lead me in the right direction.

    • bretton

      my favourite is “The sound of Perseverance” but “Individual Thought Patterns” and “Symbolic” have my favourite drummer Gene Hoglan

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Devon-Czekaj/550092101 Devon Czekaj

      Human, The Sound of Perseverance, and Symbolic. But they don’t have a bad album. Their earlier albums set the blue print for traditional death metal, and their later albums did the same for technical/progressive death metal.

    • Alex_P

      Also do yourself a favour and get The Fragile Art of Existence by Control Denied. Even if you don’t like power metal, you’ll probably enjoy it.

    • Matthew Grant Anson

      The Sound of Perseverance is my favorite. But Human, Individual Thought Patterns, and Symbolic are all really good too.

    • iolanach

      Tough to pick a favorite Death album, really. There isn’t a single one that’s less then “very good”. But if i really had to pick one…i’d go with Human. The talent on that album is nothing short of extraordinary. You’ve got Chuck, DiGiorgio, Masvidal AND Reinert. Possibly the most talented line up in a metal album EVER.

      • Matthew Grant Anson

        Chuck Billy, Eric Peterson, James Murphy, Steve DiGiorgio, and Dave Lombardo from Testament’s The Gathering is the best lineup ever.

        • iolanach

          good one! almost forgot that lineup. Awesome too, but Human’s just edge’s it out, imo.

          • Trux

            The sound of perserevance by far…

            But symbolic and human are awesome too…

  • SonOF

    Such an amazing musician, an innovator, and from all accounts, a hell of swell guy. Brain cancer at 34? And some people believe in a all-loving, omnipotent God? I guess old God needed a personal shredder up in heaven. Sorry to get so serious, just annoyed by another of life’s little injustices…

  • Ziltoid

    R. I. P.

    ITP, Human, Symbolic, and TSoP are some really great albums, and the older stuff is pretty damn good as well.

    And that Control Denied album is quite underrated–it’s really good.

  • Alex_P

    R. I. P. Chuck. I own four albums so far (I.T.P, Symbolic, Human and T.F.A.O.E.), and all receive heavy rotation on my iPod. I’ve ordered everything else, and am still waiting for it patiently.

    What was remarkable about Death was how human the music sounded. No technical wankery, no cookie-monsterisms, no mindless br00tality. Chuck was the sort of musician you don’t often find in his genre. He was a composer though and through. The instrumental demos on Symbolic really reflect this.

  • iolanach

    What more can be said? Can’t believe it’s been 8 years already! Chuck would be what? 40? 45? So many great music has been lost…greatest DM musician ever, and one of the greatest (top 10, certainly) metal musicians ever.

    RIP!

  • tim

    R.I.P., Chuck. You always were and still are a huge inspiration to me. You are greatly missed.

  • You Don’t Know Me

    To be honest, I have never been a huge fan of Death but Chuck’s influence cannot be denied. The man was an amazing musician and who knows what he would’ve done had he not passed.

    R.I.P. Chuck

  • john

    Why does everyone die in december. Rhoads, Dime, chuck. damn this month sucks.

    • The Ghost of D. Boon

      + Bonham and John Lennon, if i’m not mistaken.

      • The Ghost of D. Boon

        (I am mistaken, Bonzo died in Sept.)

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Corey-Mitchell/660352330 Corey Mitchell

      A few other notable metal/punk/rock-related December deaths besides Chuck, Dime, and Lennon: Ray Gillen (Black Sabbath), Darby Crash (The Germs), Tommy Bolin (Deep Purple), Nicolas “Razzle” Digley (Hanoi Rocks), Will Shatter (Flipper), Lynn Strait (Snot), D. Boon (Minutemen), Mieszko A. Talaczyk (Nasum), and Dave Pritchard (Armored Saint). Razzle also died on Decemebr 8 along with Dime and John Lennon.

      I swear I will write more Metal Legacies posts in the future.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Corey-Mitchell/660352330 Corey Mitchell

      Randy Rhoads was born in December but died March 18, 1982.

  • eetfuk

    Agreed. A schoolmate of mine died in December two years ago. Anyway, I just came back from a Chuck Shuldiner tribute night here in Bulgaria, with five of our best bands on the bill. Here’s the poster: http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp58/sanktarian/plakat.jpg
    Ofcourse, that kind of experience cannot compare with seeing Death live, which is, sadly, impossible. But it was as good as it can get. Hail Chuck! I hope y’all had a beer for our fallen brother.

  • Facebook User

    I found out about Death last year and I honestly believe Chuck was a genius. RIP to a legend.

  • flow

    One of the greatest Metalartists of all time. I have 7 Death-Shirts. One for every Day.
    My first Death-album was symbolic and it blew me away. Love it!

    But stop this “top 10 Jews of all time-shit”. Who cares which confession his Parents have.
    Its all about the metal.

    He will remembered forever!

    • Alex_P

      Post some pictures of your collection. That would be cool.

      Also, does someone know what merch website is sanctioned by his family? I want to get the gory classic logo, but I don’t want to give cash to people exploiting his family.

    • Austin

      Well, I just thought I’d pander to Vince and Axl since, after all, it is Chanukah. It was also a bit of a jab at these top 10 lists which seem so prevalent at this time of year. Besides, I’m not even Jewish, but I can still recognize one hell of a classy Jew when I see and/or hear one. If I had to place him, he’d lie somewhere between Henry Winkler (Fonz quotia met) and Woody Allen.

      • Flow

        Ok, i understand that. Peace

  • cerveza

    What I find awesome is that even after death ;) he still lives on through his music.

    rip chuck

  • R. Joseph Smith

    To give echo to aforementioned sentiments, Chuck really does live on through his body of work. It’s always the great ones that have to go. The list is long and I’m sure everyone populates theirs with their own. It just goes to show that genius is often punishable by death.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Corey-Mitchell/660352330 Corey Mitchell

      genius is often punishable by death

      I love this…Brilliant!

  • therealmetalmatt

    I have all of the albums and all of them are amazing. Each album has its own “magic” and I’m always baffled at how such a man could create true works of art.

    R.I.P Chuck

  • John

    R.I.P.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Graham-Mitchell/1663908033 Graham Mitchell

    Individual Thought Patterns dominated my summer driving in 11th grade… holy hell. RIP

  • myke

    a man of of talent surely will be missed. i just hope the final control denied album see the light of day

  • http://myspace.com/bizarrodrake Marc

    I got into Death about a year after Chuck died when I accidentally found The Sound of Perseverance in a pawn shop and thought i’d give it a whirl. Really wish I could of seen them live. Chuck is my number one metal influence. RIP

  • Extra_Nina

    R.I.P

    Was he 20 years ahead or these days most of the bands are not that creative and influential ???

  • dot

    fact: i had tears in my eyes the first time i listened to “voice of the soul”.

  • Grymmbear

    Chuck was, and still is, my hero, both as a musician, but as a human being.

    8 years on, and he’s still missed big time.

    RIP, Chuck

    *cranks “Voice of the Soul” at ear-bleeding volume*

  • chainer

    “It just goes to show that genius is often punishable by death.”

    you’re so right. Death & Control Denied are something epic.

    R.I.P. Chuck, i love you

  • Fufkin

    Thanks for the music, Chuck.
    Rest in peace.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Rich-Peto/509357110 Rich Peto

    Rest in peace.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Corey-Mitchell/660352330 Corey Mitchell

    One of the bands I used to manage, Dread, drove down from Austin to Houston to open for Death at The Axiom. We had heard stories that Chuck was an asshole and would make life hell for the opening bands. The reality, of course, was much, much different. Chuck was very warm to the guys from Dread and extremely easy-going. While he was very intense during his soundcheck, he went out of his way to talk to the guys and make them feel comfortable. He even stood out in the audience for most of Dread’s set. The payoff was seeing Death play in front of about 25 people and getting to hang out with him afterwards. A truly class act and one hell of a musician.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/David-Hulsey/653830783 David Hulsey

    The man was a God to me…huge influence on my music. I’ll never forget hearing the news on MTV. First, I was shocked he was mentioned on MTV and then the deep sadness set in. He deserved so much more.

  • http://deathstar330.blogspot.com Tom
  • SHOCKTROOP

    chuck schuldiner = metal genius. love em. I’m a big control denied fan as well as death.

  • deathdrop81

    Love live Chuck and those days of true death metal.

  • DaylightReckoning

    We will never let you be forgotten!

  • Suraj

    ~sigh~
    In three days, it’ll be your 9th, Chuck. We all miss you, big guy.