Album Rating: 4.5

tsop rules, prefer it to this and their first 3 tbh



but it's close between it and sbg

idk this album just lacks some of the charisma that the previous 5 albums had

the reason why I prefer tsop is cause it has that extra umph in terms of intensity and epicness

I honestly rarely listen to either record anymore though, late period death was crucial in getting me into metal but I appreciate the 80s albums so much more now

late period death was crucial in getting me into metal but I appreciate the 80s albums so much more now

Album Rating: 4.5

"TSOP is Death with all the soul and truth sucked out and replaced by technicality that occasionally borders on wank"



I completely disagree. Imo, it's one of the only times where they sounded like they actually cared about displaying more emotion and adding less repetitive bridges/refrains. I know I bring up the refrain thing a lot, but it really is a continuous problem for me.

JT I definitely agree with the borderline wank, I mean honestly now id probably prefer this but back in the day when I used to jam the last 4 albums all the time this was always my least fav

but yeah there are cringeworthy wankmoments on tsop like that one part in bite the pain

@Necro: I don't really get any emotion from TSOP, at least nowhere near as much as from this and Human.

Album Rating: 4.5

Not even Voice of the Soul?

tsop definitely does have a stronger emotional impact imo, like the whole moment of clarity solo section and the outro, honestly forget what I just said im pretty sure ill always prefer that album to this

haven't heard either one in ages though

There are moments with emotion but I mean overall it doesn't resonate with me much.

To be honest I do need to give TSOP another listen soon.

I just feel like chuck had more passion in him when he wrote that album and you can feel it in the music, like he might have gotten a bit carried away at points but overall I think that album definitely serves as a better end point for death

also I think its a way more consistent album, each song is like a mini epic of its own

Album Rating: 4.5

I think the ambition's what I enjoy so much about TSoP. There's really genuine effort and you can tell Chuck wanted to push the band's boundaries with the record

I prefer my death metal to be somewhat more pure/refined and less technical, focussing more on feeling and aggression so I guess it makes sense that I like TSOP less than other Death albums.

Album Rating: 4.5

^ Oddly enough, that's how I prefer my death metal too, and yet I still enjoy TSoP the most.

Album Rating: 4.5

weird cause thats why i like it more. it feels more based on pure cathartic energy where this one, while mystical still pretty emotionally potent, kinda gets a bit redundant towards the end in how it shoves the progressive elements (time changes, guitar solos, ambient/quiet sections and long songs) down your throat. and as a result it all kinda comes out feeling really stale to me - pretty much all the songs sound the same. TSoP has more dynamics, I think. plus the vocals sound pissed as hell.

I guess I just cant look past the overly technical nature of the album.

This album just makes such good use of simpler (and more effective) musicianship while still having a progressive edge.

Album Rating: 4.5

I never found TSoP that technical compared to a lot of death metal albums I've heard, tbh. Bands like

Necrophagist and The Faceless are way more wankish and ridiculous with technicality

Yeah and I hate those bands lol.

Album Rating: 4.5

weird i never thought of it that way. to me its their most clearly emotional album, even if it is still pretty technical it isn't super obvious about it or overly flashy





*shrugs*

Album Rating: 4.5

The thing is, in metal in particular, a classic record has to have a certain "wow" factor to me. Those amazing moments that make you go "what the hell just happened?" Symbolic never had that quality in my eyes (or rather, in my ears), it just always seemed like an average, everyday metal record.