LEPROSY

Leprosy is the second full-length studio album by American death metal act Death. Another Edward J. Repka cover invites us into another classic old school death metal album.

Leprosy was such a big step forward for Death. The lyrics were better written, the music was better composed and not as simple as it was on Scream Bloody Gore (1987), and a lead guitarist in Rick Rozz ( Later of Massacre) was added. This helped boost their sound and put more focus on the guitar solos. Allthough not very exciting solos. Pretty standard screaming stuff. Highlights on this album are the title track and Pull the Plug ( which deals with deciding whether or not to pull the plug on someone you love if they end up in a vegetative state). Open Casket is also a favorite of mine. The rythm section is holding the music back a bit seen from today´s perspective, but I remember they were considered to be pretty great when I started listening to Death around 1991. That was before I heard Human (1991) and discovered what a "real" rythm section can do.

Leprosy is a terribly dated album when I listen to it today but on the other hand I always get all nostalgic about it when I take my old LP out for a spin. It´s undeniably a classic death metal album but average to my ears compared to all the great stuff out there now.