DEATH — Symbolic (review)

DEATH — Symbolic album cover Album · 1995 · Technical Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Stooge
Symbolic is the second Death album I ever heard after The Sound of Perseverance. While that album got my initial interest in the band, Symbolic secured my place as a Death fan.

Naturally, the personnel of the band undergoes another shuffle. Guitarist Bobby Koeble and bassist Kelly Conlon, while not exactly the legends that Chuck has played with on past albums, certainly perform to the expectations fans might expect of them. However, in terms of all the instrumentalists, returning drummer Gene Hoglan is the one that truly makes a name for himself. We know that he can shred on the drums from hearing Individual Thought Patterns, but his playing on Symbolic shows him a bit more fluid, making rather difficult drumming seem so simplistic. The mix does justice to Hoglan’s performance.

Looking down the track list, I’m impressed with the quality of each song. All tracks have a crushing heaviness and at the same time are rather accessible. The melodic chorus of “Sacred Serenity”, the catchy riffing throughout “Crystal Mountain”, and the simplistic but strong verse riff of the title track are just a few examples of this. Symbolic stands as an excellent choice as a “gateway” album to death metal and more extreme forms of music.

Symbolic is one death metal album that could (and should) find its place comfortably in any metal fan’s collection. If you gain a deeper interest in this album, check out the 2008 reissue, which includes select demo tracks from the album (some which feature bassist Steve DiGiorgio!!).
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