Death: Ranking All 7 Studio Albums

Symbolic is one of those once-in-a-generation metal albums that just gets everything right.

Released on the cusp of melodic death metal’s explosion thanks to names like Dark Tranquillity and At the Gates, Death experimented with far more harmonic heroism than ever before on their sixth album. With catchier riffs and choruses at their disposal (found on such heavy anthems as “Crystal Mountain”, “1,000 Eyes” and a grooving title track), Chuck Schuldiner’s extreme venture had finally found the perfect union of melody, brutality and intricacy that it had been building towards ever since Scream Bloody Gore.

While not as mathematically progressive as Human or Individual Thought Patterns, Symbolic still found itself able to balance its penchant for enticing hooks with conceptual wit, providing takes on political corruption, surveillance and the misanthropy of the ruling classes.

The instrumentals from a returning Gene Hoglan alongside newcomers Kelly Conlon and Bobby Koelble are all as efficient as ever, with production from Chuck and Jim Morris that lets every musician shine at their brightest.

Symbolic even witnessed Chuck himself evolve, adapting his now-signature higher register of screaming after years of deep death growling.

The quintessential entry in their résumé, Symbolic saw Death prove that they can master all forms of extreme music, even those with a slight whiff of the catchy about them.