Symbolic

The crowning jewel in the discography of one of death metal's greatest and most influential bands, Symbolic is a necessary part of any metal collection. Its near-perfect combination of technicality, intelligence, and brutal energy affords the listener an experience unsurpased by any Death album, past or future. Chuck Schuldiner shows his musical genius on this album, both lyrically and in composition. What makes Death so amazing, though, is that the band leader and only founding member to remain, is not the sole talent to be found. Though the replacement of Steve DiGiorgio was unfortunate, Kelly Conlon is more than a sufficient bass player, and Bobby Koelble matches Chuck in skill on guitar. Meanwhile, Gene Hoglan once again produces fantastic drumming, completing a superb line-up for Symbolic.

The album begins with the 6-minute title-track, which immediately illustrates what is to come. Numerous solos captivate interest, and Chuck's voice rings out in his high combination shriek-growl. His unique style of singing flows perfectly with the music, and captures the spirit of his intelligent, spiritually-based lyrics which are so varied from the typical gore lyrics found in death metal. The second track, "Zero Tolerance" progresses to a new level, with a slower tempo, pounding bass, and several mind-blowing solos which combine fantastic lead and rhythm guitar in harmony. This is undoubtedly one of the best tracks on the album, and has become a fan-favorite. Each song follows in this path, with different individual strengths. "Empty Words", for example, is rather instrumentally simplistic, but has some of the album's best lyrics. "Sacred Serenity" and "Without Judgement" could be called Symbolic's filler songs, though they are both worth-while listens. In between these two lies the powerful "1,000 Eyes", and afterward is what is undoubtedly one of Death's masterpieces, "Crystal Mountain". The progressive elements are illustrated here, with numerous tempo changes, technical guitar riffs, and a catchy head-banging chorus. "Misanthrope" falls short after such a masterwork, but still holds its own as a unique, yet rather forgetable, follow-up to "Crystal Mountain". The final track, "Perennial Quest", concludes the album perfectly. An 8-minute epic, this song demands attention throughout, and leaves the listener with a sense of fufillment and peace. How often does one get that feeling from death metal?

In this album, Chuck Schuldiner combines every element necessary to make strong, memorable metal. It is a unique album that stands alone, and is worthy of anyone interested in death, progressive, or simply great metal.