A seminal album that helped establish the
death metal
subgenre,
Scream Bloody Gore
may be slightly musically amateurish next to
Death
's subsequent albums, but it trades polish for savage, gut-wrenching force and speed. Building on the blueprint of
Slayer
's
Reign in Blood
, the lyrics match the disturbing, stomach-churning qualities of the music, and
Chuck Schuldiner
's vocals do their best to live up to the album's title. A necessary item for anyone interested in the genesis of
. ~ Steve Huey