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made a deal with
Roadrunner to release it, though Schuldiner felt that the album was not promoted well. The contract for Symbolic was a one album contract. The band did not receive the support to release a video, whereas two songs from their previous albums, titled The Philosopher (from
288:) did feature videos. Schuldiner originally intended for Symbolic to be the last Death album, remarking in The Metal Crusade, the Death newletter, that he "thought SYMBOLIC was a great record to leave people with to prepare them for the next journey, "Control Denied"!
516:
noted that "some of the riffs are beginning to sound a little tired and there is no great leap forward in terms of their musical ideas", though he noted that "the sheer visceral force of their sound should please their dedicated fans".
31:
493:
stated that "there're still lashings of gristly, growling vocals and head-in-the-groin thrashing to be had" as a listener can "snuggle up to witness what dark depths Death's 12-year career has taken them too ".
507:
considered the album "the band's most impressive and crossover-ish to date", combining conventional metal, "traces of doomy, Germanic melody and heaps of progressive might." Some reviews were less favorable;
487:
has received widespread critical acclaim and is regarded by many as being Death’s greatest album, and as being one of the greatest death metal albums of all time. In a contemporary review,
1476:
879:
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503:
stated that the album was as "close to flawless as metal gets, and a testament to the drive and talent of the much-missed
Schuldiner". Canadian journalist
1508:
1208:
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saw a massive shift towards melody and a bit of a departure from the death metal that most bands were playing at the time. Along with
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168:
1501:
773:
Most of the information here is adapted from the CD liner notes of the original 1995 release and the 2008 reissue.
1602:
1574:
186:
244:
shows a continued shift in sound from Death's previous albums; the music became less focused on the traditional
221:
The album was remastered and reissued on April 1, 2008, with five bonus tracks. It is the only album to feature
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229:
on guitar and bass, respectively, and the second and last album to feature drummer
226:
122:
1389:
1357:
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952:, Death helped pave the way for infectious melodies and hooks to enter the genre.
922:
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81:
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30:
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1634:
1437:"BLABBERMOUTH.NET - DEATH: 'Symbolic' Reissue Track Listing Revealed"
894:"BLABBERMOUTH.NET - DEATH: 'Symbolic' Reissue Track Listing Revealed"
748:"Symbolic Acts" (January 1994 4-track demo of "Symbolic" with vocals)
38:
785:– guitars, vocals, bass and drum programming on January 1994 demo
1490:
1197:
The
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties
248:
template and more focused on increasing melodic aspects.
1486:
233:. The album has received unanimous critical acclaim.
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680:
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37:
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726:"Crystal Mountain" (March 1994 instrumental demo)
1071:
1069:
1475:: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
878:: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
715:"Zero Tolerance" (March 1994 instrumental demo)
1502:
860:
858:
737:"Misanthrope" (March 1994 instrumental demo)
8:
452:
402:
320:
1465:(booklet). Death. Roadrunner Records. 2008.
1431:
1429:
1412:"Amazon.com: Symbolic:Death: MP3 Downloads"
868:(booklet). Death. Roadrunner Records. 1995.
1509:
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1487:
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1035:
1033:
917:
915:
295:
29:
20:
1325:
1323:
1187:
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1078:"Death No More! Control Denied is Here!!"
674:
546:
1776:Albums recorded at Morrisound Recording
1128:"In Control and there's no denying it!"
854:
754:
660:
1468:
871:
755:
661:
524:ranked the album as the 7th greatest
301:
7:
832:Jim Morris – production, engineering
1250:Sodomsky, Sam (February 13, 2022).
844:René Miville – artwork, photography
284:) and Lack of Comprehension (from
14:
923:"10 Best Songs by the Band Death"
497:A review of the 2008 re-issue in
454:
404:
322:
214:, released on March 21, 1995, by
1380:"The Top 100 Heavy Metal Albums"
1013:"Death - Symbolic - Metal Storm"
993:. KXSC Radio. September 24, 2009
473:
468:
463:
458:
453:
423:
418:
413:
408:
403:
363:Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal
341:
336:
331:
326:
321:
1199:. Burlington, Ontario, Canada:
1696:Live in L.A. (Death & Raw)
1621:Live in L.A. (Death & Raw)
1463:Symbolic: The Expanded Edition
1330:PM (April 1995). "newalbums".
1252:"Death: Symbolic Album Review"
1104:"The Sound Of Perseverance..."
681:
550:
18:1995 studio album by Death
1:
1348:"Top 50 Extreme Metal Albums"
1102:Frédéric Pichot (July 1998).
1076:Dennis Gulbey (Spring 1997).
829:Chuck Schuldiner – production
818:(tracks 10–13, 2008 remaster)
206:is the sixth studio album by
1201:Collector's Guide Publishing
697:"Symbolic Acts" (March 1994
676:2008 remastered bonus tracks
528:album and the 58th greatest
1589:Individual Thought Patterns
965:"Review: "Death: Symbolic""
282:Individual Thought Patterns
169:Individual Thought Patterns
1792:
541:All tracks are written by
1771:Roadrunner Records albums
1766:Death (metal band) albums
1603:The Sound of Perseverance
1524:
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685:
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584:
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309:
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187:The Sound of Perseverance
162:
28:
1043:Erlewine, Stephen Thomas
841:Patricia Mooney – design
838:– mastering, remastering
1678:Fate: The Best of Death
510:Stephen Thomas Erlewine
252:has been described as
254:technical death metal
90:Technical death metal
1392:on November 30, 2017
808:Additional musicians
297:Professional ratings
292:Reception and legacy
71:Morrisound Recording
1710:Live in Cottbus '98
1471:cite AV media notes
874:cite AV media notes
824:Technical personnel
677:
621:"Without Judgement"
532:album of all time.
298:
275:on March 21, 1995.
258:melodic death metal
208:Florida death metal
96:melodic death metal
1561:Scream Bloody Gore
1443:. January 16, 2008
1310:"Rock Hard review"
1283:"Death – Symbolic"
1195:(August 1, 2007).
1017:www.metalstorm.net
991:"Death - Symbolic"
971:. December 4, 2008
969:Sea of Tranquility
900:. January 16, 2008
675:
632:"Crystal Mountain"
296:
277:Relativity Records
273:Roadrunner Records
216:Roadrunner Records
1748:
1747:
1703:Live in Eindhoven
1628:Live in Eindhoven
1575:Spiritual Healing
1226:"Death -Symbolic"
1210:978-1-894959-62-9
1132:The Metal Crusade
819:
765:
764:
671:
670:
654:"Perennial Quest"
599:"Sacred Serenity"
482:
481:
199:
198:
195:
194:
1783:
1720:Related articles
1529:Chuck Schuldiner
1511:
1504:
1497:
1488:
1481:
1480:
1474:
1466:
1459:
1453:
1452:
1450:
1448:
1441:Blabbermouth.net
1433:
1424:
1423:
1421:
1419:
1408:
1402:
1401:
1399:
1397:
1388:. Archived from
1376:
1370:
1369:
1367:
1365:
1360:on April 5, 2018
1356:. Archived from
1344:
1338:
1337:
1327:
1318:
1317:
1306:
1300:
1299:
1297:
1295:
1288:Record Collector
1278:
1269:
1268:
1266:
1264:
1247:
1241:
1240:
1238:
1236:
1224:Weeber, Thomas.
1221:
1215:
1214:
1189:
1180:
1179:
1177:
1175:
1168:Blabbermouth.net
1157:Bergman, Keith.
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898:Blabbermouth.net
890:
884:
883:
877:
869:
862:
817:
814:Steve Di Giorgio
783:Chuck Schuldiner
758:
683:
678:
664:
577:"Zero Tolerance"
552:
547:
543:Chuck Schuldiner
500:Record Collector
478:
477:
476:
472:
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457:
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428:
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397:Record Collector
352:Blabbermouth.net
346:
345:
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340:
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271:was released by
164:
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146:Chuck Schuldiner
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33:
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1715:
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1653:Reign of Terror
1640:
1608:
1548:
1544:Richard Christy
1539:Scott Clendenin
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1515:
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1234:
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1203:. p. 105.
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958:
934:
932:
931:. July 18, 2013
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1483:
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1301:
1281:McIver, Joel.
1270:
1242:
1216:
1209:
1193:Popoff, Martin
1181:
1149:
1119:
1094:
1082:Sentinel Steel
1065:
1029:
1004:
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911:
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738:
735:
731:
730:
727:
724:
720:
719:
716:
713:
709:
708:
705:
704:of "Symbolic")
695:
691:
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687:
684:
673:
669:
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84:
78:
77:
75:Tampa, Florida
68:
64:
63:
60:
56:
55:
54:March 21, 1995
52:
48:
47:
42:
35:
34:
26:
25:
17:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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1600:
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1590:
1586:
1584:
1583:
1579:
1577:
1576:
1572:
1570:
1569:
1565:
1563:
1562:
1558:
1557:
1555:
1553:Studio albums
1551:
1545:
1542:
1540:
1537:
1535:
1532:
1530:
1527:
1526:
1523:
1519:
1512:
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1343:
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1336:. p. 93.
1335:
1334:
1326:
1324:
1320:
1315:
1311:
1305:
1302:
1290:
1289:
1284:
1277:
1275:
1271:
1259:
1258:
1253:
1246:
1243:
1231:
1228:(in German).
1227:
1220:
1217:
1212:
1206:
1202:
1198:
1194:
1188:
1186:
1182:
1170:
1169:
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1054:
1053:
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1034:
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1018:
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992:
986:
983:
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966:
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957:
953:
951:
947:
943:
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929:
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918:
916:
912:
899:
895:
889:
886:
881:
875:
867:
861:
859:
855:
848:
843:
840:
837:
836:George Marino
834:
831:
828:
827:
823:
822:
815:
812:
811:
807:
806:
802:
799:
796:
793:
790:
789:Bobby Koelble
787:
784:
781:
780:
776:
775:
774:
768:
760:
757:Total length:
750:
747:
743:
739:
736:
732:
728:
725:
721:
717:
714:
710:
706:
703:
700:
696:
692:
679:
666:
663:Total length:
656:
653:
649:
645:
643:"Misanthrope"
642:
638:
634:
631:
627:
623:
620:
616:
612:
609:
605:
601:
598:
594:
590:
588:"Empty Words"
587:
583:
579:
576:
572:
568:
565:
561:
548:
545:
544:
536:Track listing
535:
533:
531:
527:
526:extreme metal
523:
518:
515:
511:
506:
505:Martin Popoff
502:
501:
495:
492:
491:
486:
451:
449:
448:
444:
443:
439:
437:
436:
432:
431:
401:
399:
398:
394:
393:
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386:
382:
381:
377:
375:
372:
371:
367:
365:
364:
360:
359:
355:
353:
350:
349:
319:
317:
314:
313:
305:
302:Review scores
300:
291:
289:
287:
283:
278:
274:
270:
263:
261:
259:
255:
251:
247:
243:
237:Musical style
236:
234:
232:
228:
224:
223:Bobby Koelble
219:
217:
213:
209:
205:
204:
189:
188:
184:
180:
179:
175:
171:
170:
166:
165:
161:
157:
153:
147:
144:
141:
140:
138:
136:
132:
129:
126:
124:
120:
108:
104:
97:
93:
91:
88:
87:
85:
83:
79:
76:
72:
69:
65:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
40:
36:
32:
27:
22:
16:
1737:
1732:Band members
1708:
1701:
1694:
1676:
1670:Compilations
1658:
1651:
1633:
1626:
1619:
1601:
1595:
1594:
1587:
1580:
1573:
1566:
1559:
1534:Shannon Hamm
1462:
1457:
1445:. Retrieved
1418:November 14,
1416:. Retrieved
1406:
1396:December 26,
1394:. Retrieved
1390:the original
1383:
1374:
1364:December 26,
1362:. Retrieved
1358:the original
1351:
1342:
1331:
1316:(in German).
1313:
1304:
1292:. Retrieved
1286:
1263:February 13,
1261:. Retrieved
1255:
1245:
1235:December 17,
1233:. Retrieved
1219:
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1016:
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997:September 2,
995:. Retrieved
985:
975:September 2,
973:. Retrieved
968:
959:
950:At the Gates
941:
940:
933:. Retrieved
926:
902:. Retrieved
888:
865:
795:Kelly Conlon
772:
699:instrumental
610:"1,000 Eyes"
540:
520:The webzine
519:
498:
496:
488:
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227:Kelly Conlon
220:
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185:
177:
176:
167:
39:Studio album
15:
1761:1995 albums
1727:Discography
1613:Live albums
1385:Metal Rules
1353:Metal Rules
1022:February 2,
935:December 7,
801:Gene Hoglan
530:heavy metal
522:Metal Rules
246:death metal
231:Gene Hoglan
1755:Categories
1660:Mutilation
1142:August 24,
1112:January 5,
1047:"Symbolic"
849:References
566:"Symbolic"
158:chronology
142:Jim Morris
128:Roadrunner
1294:March 30,
1257:Pitchfork
1159:"Review:
1138:(6). 1995
1107:Metallian
1058:April 28,
791:– guitars
769:Personnel
435:Rock Hard
385:Pitchfork
62:1994–1995
1596:Symbolic
1414:. Amazon
1314:issue 95
1230:Metal.de
1161:Symbolic
1052:AllMusic
942:Symbolic
928:Loudwire
866:Symbolic
514:AllMusic
485:Symbolic
374:Metal.de
316:AllMusic
269:Symbolic
250:Symbolic
242:Symbolic
203:Symbolic
178:Symbolic
135:Producer
59:Recorded
51:Released
41: by
24:Symbolic
1568:Leprosy
1447:May 30,
1174:May 19,
1087:May 17,
946:Carcass
904:May 19,
816:– bass
803:– drums
264:Release
191:(1998)
182:(1995)
173:(1993)
1740:(book)
1688:Videos
1635:Vivus!
1333:Select
1207:
797:– bass
689:Length
558:Length
490:Select
447:Select
390:9.1/10
310:Rating
307:Source
106:Length
67:Studio
1738:Death
1645:Demos
1582:Human
1518:Death
777:Death
761:26:09
686:Title
667:50:37
555:Title
440:10/10
378:10/10
356:10/10
286:Human
212:Death
210:band
156:Death
123:Label
82:Genre
44:Death
1477:link
1449:2024
1420:2012
1398:2018
1366:2018
1296:2015
1265:2022
1237:2011
1205:ISBN
1176:2024
1144:2024
1114:2023
1089:2024
1060:2017
1024:2021
999:2021
977:2021
948:and
937:2020
906:2024
880:link
751:5:55
740:5:40
729:4:24
718:4:10
707:5:55
702:demo
657:8:22
646:5:04
635:5:07
624:5:28
613:4:28
602:4:26
591:6:22
580:4:48
569:6:32
368:8/10
256:and
225:and
745:14.
734:13.
723:12.
712:11.
694:10.
682:No.
551:No.
512:of
218:.
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