In a genre steeped in theatrics, the Orlando-based Death represents authenticity and integrity. The music here dates back to 1987, when guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Chuck Schuldiner took the sound of thrash and made it bleaker, faster and more blistering. A metalhead's metalhead, his tunes constantly push towards new atmospheres, sounds and rhythms without ever resorting to gimmickry. Long after his death from cancer in 2001, Schuldiner remains one of metal's most respected innovators. The music collected here underscores the infuriated genius that lived within his humble persona.