Individual Thought Patterns

This is Death's best album. This is the album where Death takes their 'progressiveness' and melds it perfectly with their death metal roots. Individual Thought Patterns also has, in my opinion, the greatest Death line-up. Hoglan and DiGiorgio? Yes please. Chuck's vocals are excellent on this album. They are his greatest, angriest growls.

This music is intricate and pleasing, and the lyrics are deep and philosophical (even though Chuck appears to have a great disdain towards them. "You know so much about nothing at all"). Most of the songs are fairly short, nothing over four and a half minutes. That is the reason this release doesn't get a 100. Chuck is perfectly capable or writing longer opuses as he proves on The Sound of Perseverance. As mentioned previously, these lyrics are deep and amazing. They aren't your typical death metal lyrics (Zombie Ritual anyone?) Gone are the days of images of gore and zombies.

The technicality of this release is quite astounding for a death metal release, chalked full of eccentric time signatures, and high levels of instrument proficiency. DiGiorgio's bass is highly audible which is always a plus and Hoglan's drums are thunderous and amazing. Also present in Individual Thought Patterns is the use of harmonized guitars, something that Chuck thankfully brought from Human. Those harmonies are brutal, yet highly technical and just downright catchy. There isn't a boring/unmemorable riff anywhere in this album.

The highlights of this album are 'The Philosopher' and 'Trapped in a Corner.' Both are as 'epic' as a death metal song can be, and are Death's best songs since Lack of Comprehension or Pull the Plug.

In short, if you're a fan of complex, intricate progressive death metal with intelligible, deep lyrics, then pick up this album. If you're a huge fan of simple "chugga-chugga" death metal with over-the-top lyrics about gore and stupidity, then stay away. This music will overheat your brain and infuriate you, causing you to go on a rampage and destroy Tokyo.