LEPROSY

"Leprosy" is the follow-up to the eponymous Scream Bloody Gore. Yes, it is probably my least favorite Death album. In song-writing it's even an improvement to the first album. Somehow, there aren't such memorable tunes like "Infernal Death", "Zombie Ritual" or "Scream Bloody Gore" on it.

For me, the highlights on this album are "Open Casket", "Leprosy", "Pull the Plug", "Left To Die" and the closer "Choke On It".

The main problem with it is Chuck's backing band. Rick Rozz is very annoying and gets old very fast. Terry Butler does nothing with the bass. Bill Andrews is just boring, at times it seems as though he only has a snare, bass, and cymbol. But, Chuck shreds and growls away so that makes everything balance out.

One of the main differences between Leprosy and SBG is that Leprosy is more varied. Tempos change, the songs are now longer, and the album is more technical. But it's a lesser album to SBG because of this. SBG was just full speed rip-your-face- off Death Metal. Leprosy changed that formula, which is good, because it led Death to become to behemoth they became. Another difference on Leprosy is the lyrics, Chuck's lyrics got more diverse, while still keeping the gore and death formula.

Leprosy starts off with the great title track, with it's many time changes make it a forbarer of what's to come. "Born Dead" again has many tempo changes but it is shorter then the preceeding track. "Forgotten Past" is more straight forward, it almost sounds like a holdover from SBG. "Left to Die" is another straight ahead asskicker. It also contains the only Rick Rozz solo I like. "Pull the Plug", one of Death's staples comes in at a bonecrushing number five. "Open Casket", my favorite song on the album has a great solo by Chuck and is one of the first Death songs to have meaningful lyrics. "Primitive Ways" is probably the weakest song on here, figures though, it was penned by Rozz, great lyrics though. "Choke On It" closes Leprosy on again a more progressive note and foreshadowed the future idea of Chuck Schuldiner's mission on DEATH metal. With numerous changes and shredding leads it again is a great song.

By no means is Leprosy the best Death album but it is still essential death metal. Not as ground breaking or neither as memorable as SBG but the primitive form of the Death sound was perfected on it. On the next album "Spiritual Healing" began the real progression of Death.

Album rating: 7/10 points = 72 % on MPV scale = 3/5 stars

point-system: 0 - 3 points = 1 star / 3.5 - 5.5 points = 2 stars / 6 - 7 points = 3 stars / 7.5 - 8.5 points = 4 stars / 9 - 10 points = 5 stars