{"id":399535,"date":"2025-11-23T17:16:27","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T17:16:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/399535\/"},"modified":"2025-11-23T17:16:27","modified_gmt":"2025-11-23T17:16:27","slug":"death-to-alls-blazing-san-antonio-show-cements-the-lasting-legacy-of-groundbreaking-metal-act-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/399535\/","title":{"rendered":"Death to All’s blazing San Antonio show cements the lasting legacy of groundbreaking metal act Death"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DeathDeath for All\u2019s two-hour set paid tribute to one of metal\u2019s most foundational acts. Credit: Brianna Espinoza<\/p>\n

Ultimate tribute act Death to All descended on San Antonio\u2019s Vibes Event Center Saturday night to honor the legacy of Death, arguably the band that created the blueprint for death metal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Veteran death metal band Gorguts, an innovator in its own right, and newer group Phobophilic filled out the bill for a show full of aggressive music and constant reminders of the impact Death\u2019s had on the genre as a whole.<\/p>\n

Phobophilic warmed up the room with its slick and self-proclaimed \u201cnauseating\u201d style of death metal. The group\u2019s presence on the bill clearly meant to represent the genre\u2019s ongoing evolution.<\/p>\n

Luc Lamay, Gorguts\u2019 remaining original member, led his ensemble through a set packed with both traditional and technical death metal delicacies. The band\u2019s simplistic stage getup contrasted with the complexity of its twiddling melodies and crushing, off-kilter chugs. <\/p>\n

Lamay and Co. swayed to the complex rhythms of progressive-infused tracks such as \u201cCondemned to Obscurity\u201d with closed eyes, almost as if in meditation.<\/p>\n

Finally, Death to All took the stage, laying down its chugging opening chords. Everyone \u2014 including the venue\u2019s security \u2014 started to groove and thrash to the band\u2019s near-perfect renditions of Death songs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Formed more than a decade ago, Death to All celebrates the life and legacy of Death\u2019s late vocalist, guitarist and bandleader, Chuck Schuldiner.<\/p>\n

\"DeathDeath for All lays down the riffs at Saturday\u2019s show. Credit: Sanford Nowlin<\/p>\n

As tribute bands go, Death to All is the cr\u00e8me de la creme. To be sure, it consists of three Death alumni: Gene Hoglan on drums, Steve DiGiorgio on bass and Bobby Koelble on guitar. Frontman Max Phelps of the band Exist takes on the challenge of delivering Schuldiner\u2019s dual vocal and guitar roles.<\/p>\n

At the Vibes show, Death to All played an intense two-hour set that included most of the album Spiritual Healing and the album Symbolic in full, plus classic songs such as \u201cPull the Plug\u201d and \u201cLack of Comprehension.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoglan looked as if he he barely broke a sweat as he nailed every time-signature switch. Koelble and DiGiorgio\u2019s brutal, lock-step riffing had heads banging and bodies thrashing. Meanwhile, Phelps\u2019 raw-throated vocals and agile guitar playing were almost indistinguishable from Schuldiner\u2019s during Death\u2019s heyday.<\/p>\n

The venue\u2019s lights alternatively bathed bodies in a blood-red hue and flickered erratically, creating a mesmerizing and immersive light show that fit the music\u2019s grim lyrical themes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For such a grueling set, the energy of both the band and the concertgoers seldom dwindled, suggesting Schuldiner\u2019s presence is still strong almost 25 years after his death from a brain tumor.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Hulu special Into the Void: Life, Death & Heavy Metal and the biography Born Human: The Life and Music of Death\u2019s Chuck Schuldiner released this year, show that Schuldiner\u2019s presence hasn\u2019t dimmed.\u00a0But if there\u2019s any question whether his legacy will live on for decades to come, Death to All\u2019s performance Saturday night in San Antonio gave the only answer needed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Follow us:\u00a0Apple News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook\u00a0<\/a>| Twitter<\/a>\u00a0| Or sign up for our\u00a0RSS Feed<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Related Stories<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"San\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tThe band will play a release show for the eight-song LP Heavy on Sunday, Nov. 23. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"20\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Heavy\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tThe Alamo City featured prominently in the mythology surrounding the 76-year-old singer and Black Sabbath, the pioneering metal group he fronted.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t