Spiritual Healing (album)
Spiritual Healing is the third studio album by American death metal band Death, released on February 16, 1990, by Combat Records. It is the band's only album to feature both guitarist James Murphy and bassist Terry Butler and the last to feature drummer Bill Andrews.
| Spiritual Healing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 16, 1990 | |||
| Recorded | November 1989 | |||
| Studio | Morrisound Recording, Tampa, Florida | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 43:17 | |||
| Label | Combat | |||
| Producer | Chuck Schuldiner, Eric Greif | |||
| Death chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| About.com |   [1] |
| AllMusic |  [2] |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 5/10[3] |
| Consequence of Sound | [4] |
| Exclaim! | 9/10[5] |
| Metal Forces | 10/10[6] |
| Record Collector | [7] |
Overview
Spiritual Healing was the first of Death's albums to show Schuldiner's lyrics moving away from the gore and horror themes of previous works, focusing instead on themes of society and "real life horror", including serial killers, drug addiction, genetic reconstruction (influenced by a story on That's Incredible!), and faith healers.[8]
The musical content is more obviously melodic, a facet highlighted by James Murphy's characteristic lead guitar playing. The material also consists of slower doom-inspired riffs. The members of Death and their manager/co-producer Eric Greif stayed in a single motel room at the Safari Inn, near Busch Gardens, for the entire six weeks the album was recorded and mixed, although bassist Terry Butler and drummer Bill Andrews frequently went home as they lived in the Tampa area.
This was the final Death album cover painted by Ed Repka. This period was one of massive controversy for Death, as Butler and Andrews toured Europe without Schuldiner (who refused to do the tour on the basis that it had been badly organised), with vocalist Louis Carrisalez in his place. Butler and Andrews left the band following the tour.
Greif played a Kawai K1 keyboard part in the middle of title track "Spiritual Healing".[8]
The "joke & jam" tracks on the Spiritual Healing re-issue were a result of heat exhaustion, as the band was practicing in a mini warehouse in summer with no air conditioning. The band would play a few songs then stop, as they would be close to passing out from the intense heat.[8]
The album had been out of print, but was reissued by Relapse Records in November 2012.[9]
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Chuck Schuldiner
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Living Monstrosity" | Schuldiner | 5:08 |
| 2. | "Altering the Future" | Schuldiner, Terry Butler | 5:34 |
| 3. | "Defensive Personalities" | Schuldiner, Butler | 4:46 |
| 4. | "Within the Mind" | Schuldiner, James Murphy | 5:34 |
| 5. | "Spiritual Healing" | Schuldiner | 7:44 |
| 6. | "Low Life" | Schuldiner, Murphy, Butler | 5:23 |
| 7. | "Genetic Reconstruction" | Schuldiner, Murphy, Butler | 4:52 |
| 8. | "Killing Spree" | Schuldiner, Murphy | 4:16 |
| Total length: | 43:17 | ||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 9. | "Suicide Machine - Unearthed Version 2" | 5:14 |
| 10. | "Suicide Machine - Unearthed Version 3" | 2:17 |
| 11. | "Suicide Machine - Unearthed Version 4" | 5:05 |
| 12. | "Together as One - Unearthed Version 2" | 2:25 |
| 13. | "See Through Dreams - Unearthed Version 2" | 2:39 |
| Total length: | 60:57 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Altering the Future" (rehearsal) | 5:34 |
| 2. | "Defensive Personalities" (rehearsal) | 4:49 |
| 3. | "Within the Mind" (rehearsal) | 6:08 |
| 4. | "Within the Mind - Take 2" (rehearsal) | 5:59 |
| 5. | "Spiritual Healing" (rehearsal) | 8:44 |
| 6. | "Killing Spree" (rehearsal) | 4:18 |
| 7. | "Defensive Personalities" (studio instrumental) | 4:47 |
| 8. | "Spiritual Healing" (studio instrumental) | 7:48 |
| 9. | "Within the Mind" (studio instrumental) | 5:37 |
| 10. | "Satanic Jam" (joke/jam tracks) | 2:43 |
| 11. | "Primus Jam" (joke/jam tracks) | 3:38 |
| 12. | "Jon a Qua - Take 2" (joke/jam tracks) | 3:05 |
| 13. | "Jon a Qua - Take 3" (joke/jam tracks) | 3:06 |
| 14. | "Jon a Qua - Take 4" (joke/jam tracks) | 1:35 |
| 15. | "Jon a Qua - Take 5" (joke/jam tracks) | 1:38 |
| 16. | "Jon a Qua - Take 6" (joke/jam tracks) | 2:51 |
| Total length: | 73:20 | |
Personnel
- Death
- Chuck Schuldiner – vocals, guitar, producer
- James Murphy – guitar
- Terry Butler – bass
- Bill Andrews – drums
- Production
- Eric Greif – producer, management, keyboard on "Spiritual Healing"
- Scott Burns and – engineer, mixing with Death
- John Cervini, Mike Gowan – assistant engineers
- Alan Douches – remastering at West West Side Music
- Edward Repka – artwork, cover design
- David Bett – art direction
- Brian Freeman – design
- J.J. Hollis – photography
References
- Schalek, Dave. "Death - Spiritual Healing Review". About.com. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
- Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Spiritual Healing - Death". AllMusic. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
- Popoff, Martin (August 1, 2007). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 105. ISBN 978-1-894959-62-9.
- Hadusek, Jon (November 16, 2012). "Album Review: Death – Spiritual Healing [Reissue]". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
- Pratt, Greg (November 20, 2012). "Death - Spiritual Healing". Exclaim!. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
- Arnold, Neil. "Death - Spiritual Healing (2012 Reissue)". Metal Forces. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
- McIver, Joel (November 27, 2013). "Death - Spiritual Healing". Record Collector.
- Butler, Terry (August 2012). Spiritual Healing (Reissue) (CD liner notes). Relapse Records.
- "DEATH: 'Spiritual Healing' Deluxe Reissue Due In November - Oct. 9, 2012". Blabbermouth. Oct 9, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- "Amazon.com: Spiritual Healing:Death: MP3 Downloads". Amazon. Retrieved November 14, 2012.