Individual Thought Patterns

Individual Thought Patterns is the fifth studio album by Florida death metal band Death, released on June 22, 1993, by Relativity Records. It is the only album by the band to feature guitarist Andy LaRocque, the first to feature drummer Gene Hoglan and the second and last to feature bassist Steve DiGiorgio. Manager Eric Greif described the album as "an angry record, angry lyrically", attributing it to his conflict with Chuck Schuldiner at the time.[1]

Individual Thought Patterns
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 22, 1993
StudioMorrisound Recording, Tampa, Florida
GenreTechnical death metal
Length40:12
LabelRelativity
ProducerScott Burns, Chuck Schuldiner
Death chronology
Fate: The Best of Death
(1992)
Individual Thought Patterns
(1993)
Symbolic
(1995)
Singles from Individual Thought Patterns
  1. "The Philosopher"
    Released: 1993

DiGiorgio recalled working with LaRocque as a notable experience: Schuldiner only wanted LaRocque to play solo sections, so he only sent LaRocque the few bars of the songs where the solo would be. LaRocque would then arrive at the studio without much preparation, and largely improvised the solos, impressing everyone.[1] In a 2021 interview, LaRocque would downplay this account, saying that he did prepare multiple ideas and alternate melody lines for each solo.[2]

The album contains the track "The Philosopher", for which a music video was made that received significant airplay on MTV and was even featured on, and comically panned by, Beavis and Butt-Head where the duo mistake the boy in the video for "Jeremy" from the Pearl Jam video and mock Schuldiner's vocals. The album is included in Guitar Player Magazine's Metal Guitar albums top 20. The album was reissued and remixed by Relapse Records in October 2011.

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [3]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal7/10[4]
Kerrang!     [5]
Metal Forces9.5/10[6]
Record Collector     [7]

Jason Arnopp of Kerrang! in his positive review considered Individual Thought Patterns the band's best album since Leprosy from 1988, attributing it in parts to band leader Chuck Schuldiner's choice of personnel. Arnopp noted especially Gene Hoglan's drumming and the guitar work of Schuldiner and Andy LaRocque, concluding that together with bassist Steve Di Giorgio "they create an altogether heavier din than was the case with last year's 'Human' album, while still adding Trad Metal/Progressive touches in an almost surreal fashion."[5]

Track listing

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All songs written by Chuck Schuldiner.

No.TitleLength
1."Overactive Imagination"3:30
2."In Human Form"3:57
3."Jealousy"3:41
4."Trapped in a Corner"4:14
5."Nothing Is Everything"3:19
6."Mentally Blind"4:49
7."Individual Thought Patterns"4:01
8."Destiny"4:06
9."Out of Touch"4:22
10."The Philosopher"4:13
Total length:40:12
2011 reissue bonus disc 1
No.TitleLength
1."Leprosy" (live in Germany - April 13, 1993)6:03
2."Suicide Machine" (live in Germany - April 13, 1993)4:29
3."Living Monstrosity" (live in Germany - April 13, 1993)5:12
4."Overactive Imagination" (live in Germany - April 13, 1993)3:40
5."Flattening of Emotions" (live in Germany - April 13, 1993)4:27
6."Within the Mind" (live in Germany - April 13, 1993)5:45
7."In Human Form" (live in Germany - April 13, 1993)4:02
8."Lack of Comprehension" (live in Germany - April 13, 1993)3:55
9."Trapped in a Corner" (live in Germany - April 13, 1993)4:27
10."Zombie Ritual" (live in Germany - April 13, 1993)4:32
11."The Exorcist" (studio outtake)4:26
Total length:50:59
2011 reissue bonus disc 2
No.TitleLength
1."Overactive Imagination (instrumental)" (four-track demos - December 1992)3:39
2."In Human Form (instrumental)" (four-track demos - December 1992)3:44
3."The Philosopher (instrumental)" (four-track demos - December 1992)4:05
4."Trapped in a Corner (instrumental)" (four-track demos - December 1992)3:29
5."Individual Thought Patterns (instrumental)" (four-track demos - December 1992)4:03
6."Jealousy (instrumental)" (four-track demos - December 1992)3:45
7."Nothing is Everything (instrumental)" (four-track demos - December 1992)3:21
8."Destiny (instrumental)" (four-track demos - December 1992)3:54
9."Mentally Blind (instrumental)" (four-track demos - December 1992)4:23
10."Out of Touch (instrumental)" (four-track demos - December 1992)4:21
11."In Human Form (instrumental)" (Chuck's riff tape - 1992)3:40
12."The Philosopher (instrumental)" (Chuck's riff tape - 1992)3:35
13."Trapped in a Corner (instrumental)" (Chuck's riff tape - 1992)2:29
Total length:48:29

Personnel

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All information is taken from the CD liner notes of the original 1993 release and the 2011 reissue.[8][9]

Death
Additional musicians
Production
  • Scott Burns – production, engineering
  • Chuck Schuldiner – production
  • René Miville – artwork
  • David Bett – art direction
  • Kathy Milone – design
  • Jacob Speis – layout
  • Alan Douches – mastering, remixing (2011 reissue)
  • Jamal Ruhe – remixing (2011 reissue)

Charts

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Chart (1993) Peak
position
US Top Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[10] 30

References

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  1. ^ a b Death by Metal. 2018.
  2. ^ "Andy LaRocque Talks About King Diamond, Death and His Work As A Producer". Archived from the original on 2021-12-13 – via www.youtube.com.
  3. ^ Huey, Steve (June 22, 1993). "Individual Thought Patterns - Death". AllMusic. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  4. ^ Popoff, Martin (August 1, 2007). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 105. ISBN 978-1-894959-62-9.
  5. ^ a b Arnopp, Jason (1993). "Death of Death's Death?". Kerrang!. EMAP.
  6. ^ Arnold, Neil. "Death - Individual Thought Patterns (2011 Reissue)". Metal Forces. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
  7. ^ McIver, Joel (November 27, 2013). "Death - Individual Thought Patterns". Record Collector.
  8. ^ Individual Thought Patterns (booklet). Death. Relativity Records. 1993.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ Individual Thought Patterns (Deluxe Edition) (booklet). Death. Relapse Records, Perseverance Holdings Ltd. 2011.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ "Album Search for "individual thought patterns"". AllMusic.
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