The following update has been issued at the Empty Words site, set up as a tribute to DEATH founder/frontman Chuck Schuldiner:

Day of Remembrance - Hardly A Day Goes By...

Five years… Today, December 13th 2006, on the 5th anniversary of Chuck’s passing, we were thinking of changing our tracks. No interview, no video, no special, but something completely different, so please turn on your sound and listen while reading the words below. Do we hear some Voice of the Soul…? Anyway, it’s one of the hidden treasures that we want to share with you (thanks Craig).

“I wrote the song about 10 years ago as a tribute to Randy Rhoads from Ozzys band. Chuck recorded it for me one Sunday afternoon. I play all rythm guitars and do all the vocals. Scott Clendenin is playing bass Chris Williams on drums who played with Control Denied for a year or so. Chris was killed in an auto accident 1 year and 1 day before Chuck passed away.

Chuck spent several hours writing and recording the lead solos which I'm sure you will agree are some of the most feelingful notes he ever recorded. He was really proud of how it turned out. This is one of my most valued possessions. I will always remember and appreciate his kindness and profesionalism. He will be forever missed.” [Craig Sease, July 2002]…

…“With each passing year I find more and more reasons to be proud of this song and the memories I have of the people who made it happen. Chris Williams was one of the best friends I've ever had. There are lots of others who would say the same thing. Soon after meeting Chuck I realized he was someone special too. He loved life, music and good friends. I guess at the time I didn't even know what a musical legend he was. Thats because he was a down to earth regular guy just like all of us.

Scott and I will always remember the day the four of us spent recording this song and every year gather with family and friends at this time to pay tribute to the lives and music of Chris Williams and Chuck Schuldiner. I know one day we will meet again. Thank you my Metal Brothers!!!” [Craig Sease, December 2006]

With that we draw your attention to the many tribute concerts that are being organised in Chuck's honour this time of year (check the benefit page), for which the organizers and the musicians have our as well as Chuck’s family’s special thanks. Whenever there’s a tribute that's not on the site, please let us know and we will add it to the list. Thanks again.

Okay, one album review though: The Fragile Art of Existence (from Sea of Tranquility). Enjoy! And because we just can’t help it, we received in the nick of time an interview with Chuck from 1998 (+ a concert review soon), both from the Greek Metal Hammer (thanks Konstantinos). That’s really all for now ;). Enjoy again and Happy Holidays. See you next year, EmptyWords’ 9th!

EW

p.s: below some “empty words” from the guestbook:

Just think about how very different the whole death metal world would have been without Chuck. If Death hadn't existed I wonder would Repulsion have existed? And without Repulsion certainly not Napalm Death or even Carcass, let alone all the US bands like Obituary and Massacre, certainly not Cannibal Corpse, and the Scandinavian bands like Entombed, Carnage and Dismember, and tons of others. And would there have been a Sepultura? And what bands would there have been then without all these great bands that Death in a way helped happen and who in turn helped shape the metal world as we know it today. Who was not influenced by Death or by bands that were not in turn inspired by Death? It's crazy when you think about it. The musical world would definitely not have been the same if Chuck hadn't lived. Chuck was a real pioneer, and always with a great attitude towards his work and people around him. The musical world owes him. [Alex, November 28th 2006, 06:26:44 AM]