The sixth album by the legendary Florida death metallers was recorded at the renowned Morrisound Studios (CANNIBAL CORPSE, MORBID ANGEL, ICED EARTH, Terrorizer, Atheist, Deicide, and dozens of other cult acts) back in 1995. This album became the true apotheosis of the band's entire body of work, the culmination of the career of the then 28-year-old Chuck Schuldiner, leader and founder of the group.
To this day, I don't understand why DEATH's style is characterized as techno-death. It's a definition I don't entirely agree with. In my opinion, the only death metal element here is the vocalist's growling, as the musical component is closer to thrash with progressive elements. In atmosphere and sound (and also by the vocalist's name — Chuck Billy :)), it reminded me of TESTAMENT, though these two great bands share little else in common. Imagine if some band called THRASH had played gothic rock in the past — would that style also be called "trash"? :) Incidentally, I should note that the heaviness of the material is not quite "deadly," although ten years ago, when I first heard "Symbolic," I couldn't have imagined anything heavier or more brutal.
So what do we have on this record? Nine absolutely masterful compositions permeated with a very dark, apocalyptic atmosphere, greatly aided by the album's cover art and the inimitable guitar passages whose original and unique sound no other band has managed to replicate to this day. Special mention goes to the brilliant "Sacred Serenity," whose chorus I hummed for days on end, and naturally "Crystal Mountain" — the anthem of all Florida metal. Tasteful acoustic interludes throughout the album add great variety to the material, relaxing our minds before the next "deadly" assault begins.
After listening to the album once, you immediately want to spin it again and again, because thanks to the richness and diversity of the music, each subsequent listen reveals new moments and melodies to the listener.
To the immense sorrow of all DEATH fans, after the magnificent "Symbolic," Chuck and his band managed to release only one more album — "The Sound of Perseverance" (1998) — before the legendary band's leader passed away from brain cancer on December 13, 2001. R.I.P.