EXCLUSIVE: Reissue Rant (by Perry Grayson)

DEATH

 

 By Perry Grayson

I've been asked by my fellow Death/Control Denied and Chuck Schuldiner fans if I'd talk a bit about the importance of the current and forthcoming reissue recordings. I'm more than happy to. It's a non-profit situation, and I'm offering these words of my own free will.

The unfounded criticism has been leveled that reissues are a cash-grab attempt. That has been claimed by more than one webzine since the deluxe versions of Control Denied - The Fragile Art of Existence and Death - The Sound of Perseverance were released. Firstly, the entire object of reissuing these and the entire Death catalog is to bring Chuck Schuldiner's music to new listeners and to bestow extremely rare bonus material (demos, alternate takes, instrumental mixes, etc.) to existing fans. When music goes out of print, as the majority of Chuck Schuldiner's have become, there's a genuine need for those albums to be re-released. How can people who want to own more of Chuck's music--young, old, in between, it doesn't matter--buy it and support his family and legacy directly without authorized reissues? There is no other way, people. The rarities would sit and moulder. Maybe some material would die undiscovered if these deluxe 2 and 3 disc packages don't continue production. Those who wish to get their hands on Chuck's music will otherwise be forced to buy it secondhand or download it illegally if it wasn't for these authorized reissues. To view it from the perspective of a massive Death and Control Denied fan and collector, I was always excited when I knew something new was due. It got me pumped about metal the same way I'm sure Chuck was excited when one of his faves like Mercyful Fate had a new disc on the way.

Chuck Schuldiner

The fact that there are in some cases over 2 hours of bonus tracks and lengthy liner notes just adds to the overall brilliance of the reissues being overseen with much care and diligence by former Death manager Eric Greif. Eric is now the President of Perseverance Holdings, the corporation Chuck's family set up to look after his intellectual property. Who better a man to tackle the reissues than Eric, a guy who intimately knew Chuck, even if they did have their share of squabbles. Eric's nearly 3 decades of experience in the music business made it possible to iron out complicated negotiations with Sony, who owned the rights to much of Death's catalog and were ignoring and mishandling it to say the least. I'm in no way affiliated with a record label and don't think it necessarily matters which label ultimately reissues Chuck's music, as long as they care to give sound, packaging, advertising, promotion and distribution justice. Has Relapse Records accomplished this? I bought the 3 disc versions of The Fragile Art of Existence and The Sound of Perseverance. I wasn't given promo copies or other freebies. No palms were greased. I'm a die-hard fan of Chuck's music, have been since 1989. I'm not writing this at the request of Relapse. As a musician myself, I have my own issues with indie metal labels. So, this is my own spiel, folks. I can definitely say that if the future releases, starting off with Human in June, live up to the first two packages, we're all in for a treat. Beth and Jane Schuldiner wouldn't have entrusted Eric with Chuck's intellectual property if they didn't feel he was worthy. One needs only to glimpse and hear the two reissues released thus far to witness the proof in the proverbial pudding. Well, that's my personal feeling on the subject, anyhow.

Keep the Metal Flowin', Brothers 'n' Sisters!

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