The symbol of perseverance
Review of the concert: DEATH TO ALL in Bogotá
Special for DIGIMETAL zine [ https://digimetalzine.org/ ]
Words: Juan Sabbath [ www.bsabbath.com ].
Images: Julián Pinzón [ colonia records ]
Venue: Ace of Spades (Bogotá, Colombia)
Date: January 27, 2026
Gene Hoglan. Photo: Julián Pinzón.
DEATH is a band that pushed metal to the limits of artistic purity, blending jazz and the complexity of classical music with the raw power of the genre. The tribute band, cleverly named Death To All to emphasize their mission of bringing Chuck Shuldiner's music to everyone, performed on a cold Tuesday night in the Colombian capital. The tribute band features members who participated in the most progressive, complex, and technical albums of DEATH. With the 1991 album 'Human,' Shuldiner began his improved compositions toward the standards of jazz and progressive music, a path that wouldn't end with 'Symbolic' (1995) but would culminate in the magnificent 'The Sound of Perseverance' (1998) and the even more complex projects with Control Denied. With such a stellar lineup, it was clear the concert would be unforgettable. Beyond the controversies surrounding this type of tributes, it's clear that what I wrote in the book Bienvenidos al Sabbath [Welcome to the Sabbath] remains relevant: "(...) metal will increasingly resemble symphonic music, in which performers strive for the best possible execution of classical works (...) only in the underground is the compositional level of the classics achieved; tribute bands allow us to enjoy the legacy of fallen heroes on stage, keeping their music alive beyond phonographic recordings." Those words, written more than five years ago, were fulfilled in the performance of Death To All. The remarkably Shuldiner-like vocals of Max Phelps and the renowned mastery of DiGiorgio and Hoglan, along with guitarist Bobby Koelble, faithfully recreated what a DEATH concert would have been like in the nineties. But a fundamental question arises: How can such virtuosic musicians, capable of executing Chuck Shuldiner's compositions with such precision and mastery, be so unassuming and warm? The band DEATH is among the genre's greatest, that's undeniable, even if Chuck—in his free will—decided to explore paths of greater musicality than those reached by the dogma of death metal. And it's a good thing he did, or the history of world music wouldn't have known that metal can be artistic and sophisticated, wise, and universal. One would expect, then, musicians proud of their virtuosity and therefore special, but no. The members of Death To All behave like any other death metalhead, and that comes across on stage. Conclusion: more than musicians, they are true metal fanatics. And fans of anything that is also good music, which explains that playful nod to RUSH's music that perhaps not many noticed. RUSH in death metal form. Brutal.
Steve DiGiorgio. Photo: Julián Pinzón.
If you add to that performance the setlist—I mean, the sonic onslaught they unleashed that night—you'll understand what it was like and the ecstasy that Death To All delivered to a packed house. Obviously, it was absolutely packed. Those who were unable to gain entry to the venue remained close to the doors, headbanging. DTA played 'Symbolic' (1995) from beginning to end. Imagine. That masterpiece was accompanied by tracks like "Spiritual Healing," "Living Monstrosity," "Defensive Personalities," "Altering The Future," and "Within The Mind" from 'Spiritual Healing' (1990); "Lack Of Comprehension" from 'Human' (1991); and "The Philosopher" from 'Individual Thought Patterns' (1993). All of this opening with the intro "Infernal Death," and "Zombie Ritual" from 'Scream Bloody Gore' (1987). That was enough to have many crying, others headbanging, and still others moshing to death. Years go by and nothing changes. What energy metal gives us: age doesn't matter, nor does the generational shift: old friends, comrades of so many years headbanging, moshing, or crying with nostalgia, emotion, and the present. Those are good concerts. But the perfect concerts are the ones that close the encore with "Spirit Crusher" from 'The Sound Of Perseverance' (1998) and the classic "Pull The Plug" from 'Leprosy' (1988). What a finale! My advice, sermon, or warning to those who don't attend tribute bands: LIVE MATTERS! And you'd better get used to it because tributes "are part of the future of metal," and the posers—in cases where respect for a legacy is clearly required—are the ones who pretend to be "true" by not attending. And here I clearly stated what they missed out on. Death to All!
Max Phelps. Photo: Julián Pinzón.
Bobby Koelble. Photo: Julián Pinzón.