AOTY 2023
Death - Symbolic
Critic Score
Based on 5 reviews
1995 Ratings: #22 / 484
User Score
1995 Ratings: #1
Liked by 345 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

100
Sputnikmusic
We may have lost Chuck, but his legacy certainly lives on through albums like “Symbolic”; a true pillar for the genre and a shining example of how to craft the perfect metal record.
100
Record Collector
This is as close to flawless as metal gets.
100
Blabbermouth.net
If heavy metal was a college course, "Symbolic" would be on the reading list on day fucking one.
91
Pitchfork

There are plenty of albums where a band crosses the threshold: reaching for a wider audience and finding them, firing on all cylinders and ascending to the next level. Symbolic is something rarer: a visionary artist desperate to push forward, raging against his limitations until it sounds a little like celebration.

60
AllMusic

Nearly a decade into their career, Death show no signs of slowing down on Symbolic. Granted, some of the riffs are beginning to sound a little tired and there is no great leap forward in terms of their musical ideas, but the sheer visceral force of their sound should please their dedicated fans.

BradTasteMusic
98

I am floored

RemisReviews
92

THE METAL SUBGENRE CHALLENGE #011 - TECHNICAL DEATH METAL
In this challenge, I'll be taking a look at various albums I haven't heard yet from a variety of different Metal subgenres. I'm quite familiar with the genre, but I really want to dive into the specific subgenres and analyze them.

Death are literally the granddaddies of Death Metal. These guys damn near invented the genre. I mean this album has bangers on top of bangers, incredible riffs, technical impressive playing, fantastic vocals, ... read more

grave
100

This is peak death metal. We only go down from here.

WOW. I have not been amazed by a record like this in a while. Everything on here is basically perfect. The riffs are powerful as all hell. The vocals are almost frightening. And this whole record screams with energy.

Symbolic is one of the most powerful metal albums of all time. I don’t know how they did it, but every part of this record is absolutely amazing. You have the riffs and solos by guitarist Bobby Koelble that hit so hard ... read more

Suha
96

-4 points for being too brutal

NR

Just registered to this for the first time in a while. This album is a top 5 metal album of all time. Maybe even top 2. No argument. There are only few albums I think of when I hear the best metal albums, and this will always be one of them. These riffs are unmatched and Chuck's vocals are unmatched. An absolute classic.

minzyyy
86

Had extremely high expectations going into this and tbh this kinda met it. Technical abilities i have no doubts at all. However…I think its too clean 🏃🏻‍♀️💨

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Track List

1Symbolic
6:32
97
2Zero Tolerance
4:48
95
3Empty Words
6:22
96
4Sacred Serenity
4:27
94
51,000 Eyes
4:28
95
6Without Judgement
5:28
95
7Crystal Mountain
5:07
98
8Misanthrope
5:03
93
9Perennial Quest
8:21
95
Total Length: 50 minutes

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Added on: August 8, 2015