Death - Symbolic (Pianist continues his exploration of heavy metal)

[@Greatmeasures]

Based on his reaction to this one, what’s the next Death song that we should show Judson and why? **If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse and they’re ready to get help, contact us via email.** [e-mail]

[@tibolaf55]

Death "Without Judgement", another underrated masterpiece of the same album and with great melodies

[@grutopsy]

Everyone will say Voice of the Soul but hear me out, show him Lack of Comprehension, has cool riffs, solos, drums, bass, and also a music video

[@MrThrash3d]

1000 Eyes, Misanthrope, Without Judgement or something from Control Denied. Why? Musicanship, great lyrics and athmosphere.

[@batweed]

Death - The philosopher Gene Hoglan drumcam 🤩

[@blackritus]

Pull the Plug for something less melodic and more raw, great lyrics as well. Also, what do you feel about maybe marking the time of a part you liked, and then revisiting it after the end of the song? I haven't seen any channels do that

[@darrenmetal3338]

"Lack of Comprehension" or "The Philosopher" Or you can do a song of the band on Richard's T'shirt!

[@diazluisdiaz]

Yes to those two, especially the LIVE in LA version

[@belowyellowbells]

They should do a video of like 5 death songs back to back, given how every album is a departure in style from the last. Evil Dead, Pull the Plug, Trapped in a Corner, In Human Form, The Philosopher are my recs

[@puppetmaster8551]

2 amazing songs, some of their best

[@lawrencefine5020]

Anything from Obituary is good with me.

[@HarmonicResonanceScale]

Obituary can be a bit funky to get into. Theyre like the lynyrd skynyrd of death metal. John Tardy has that "cat in heat" death metal vocal style.

[@smokerman81]

Voice of the soul. No words and pure heartache.

[@filipiwestphalen]

spirit crusher!!!

[@grant49]

Empty Words, 1,000 Eyes, Perennial Quest, Crystal Mountain, basically anything from this album. It’s perfect.

[@biorythmicshifter]

The lyrics are quite powerfully philosophical. “Symbolic acts so vivid yet at the same time were invisible…”, Chuck was well beyond his years penning words like that at the time.

[@consonaadversapars]

Nothing compares to these lyrics. Truly profound, they cut really deep.

[@Eirath]

You know you will have to play Lack of Comprehension and Crystal Mountain to Judson.

[@scottspears9347]

Misanthrope is a very underrated song

[@zacharyseibert6788]

An absolute banger!

[@GeneticReconstruction]

Facts🔥

[@johns1625]

First death song I had. It was the only metal song I had on my ipod mini and I listened to it on repeat probably 40 thousand times lol.

[@horrifyinggelatinousblob]

I literally played this album in my car until it stopped working through high school (before you could burn CDs). Every note of it is burned into my soul. RIP Chuck.

[@toiddiot1629]

Symbolic measures!

[@Greatmeasures]

🤘

[@marcinmatyszczak461]

Death is the most important band in death metal history. Show him many many mor song of this band. Best of the bests! Death will never die. I saw death few times live! It was absolutely magnificent!

[@colonelinfernal5004]

Voice of the Soul! I think he'd genuinely be surprised since it's a much more chill and in the feels track.

[@xtreck8020]

Crystal Mountain next 🙏

[@PéterTátrai-u4q]

Or empty words

[@karlricardo4088]

Crystal Mountain and The Philosopher are the Enter Sandman of Death.

[@Metalton95]

Without Judgment, Empty Words, Secret Face, See Through Dreams, and Jealousy > Crystal Mountain :(

[@PéterTátrai-u4q]

@@Metalton95 it dosent matter chuck was not a metal guitarist he was mozart

[@harleyhunt6073]

@@karlricardo4088 So perfect then for Judson, who is not a seasoned metalhead. Besides, I think Judson would have an interesting thing or two to say about Crystal Mountains lyrics. Would love seeing him react to Cosmic Sea though!

[@toiddiot1629]

Lack of comprehension is my favorite, Spiritual healing is close second!

[@RicardoRemo2011]

Dissection, Thorns of Crimson Death would be something. Or Arcturus, Ad Astra.

[@Hladavzor008]

Yes Dissection is a great intro to black metal. Either Dissection or something off Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk by Emperor

[@enricomadrigal9168]

Or Arcturus - Alone. When he starts singing the melody of the voice mixes with that of the guitar and it is something magic, like the whole album La Masquerade Infernale, stunning and unique album.

[@SkepticShay]

What I've always appreciated about Death, beside its musicality, is comprehensibility of Chuck's words in his harsh vocals and philosophical, thoughtful lyrics. Thank you. Among the many of their great songs, I'd recommend; -Trapped In A Corner -Without Judgement

[@Maz08]

Chuck was a genius connecting his riffs. His songs are like two songs when he loops the parts together again, usually always after a bridge part. That was the first thing I noticed when I first started listening to Death and something I could never seem to figure out as a young struggling death metal bass player in my youth. My favorite Death metal band of all time and Chuck is in my top 3 favorite song writers of all time. Long live Chuck! And Judson is right. Chucks lyrics were so true about real things. He wasn’t all about the evil satanic gore stuff. He wrote about real things.

[@dimebag1999]

Schuldiner best metal composer of all time

[@HiroBrown]

Such an iconic opening riff

[@harolddeschenes4640]

Their riffs are insane, great soloing, but I can't get passed that voice!

[@brothermanner]

​@@harolddeschenes4640it's an acquired taste for sure. You're missing out though

[@rednek666]

As song progressed to a solo with that depressive main riff in the first part of it, i saw Judson went to a different place in his mind for a second. That`s why i love this band, it makes you change dimentions for a while.

[@blppt]

The second solo is one of my favorite oddest yet amazing creations in metal. Bobby Koeble is the man.

[@Breno1997]

My favorite song of all time posted on my birthday. You guys just blessed my morning 🙏

[@Greatmeasures]

Happy birthday! 🎊🎂🎈🎉

[@Breno1997]

⁠@@Greatmeasuresthank you very much 🙏 I shall make sure to be jamming Symbolic all day long for this day 🎉🤘

[@Szabby999]

Dear Richard! Thank you so much for this! Chuck Schuldiner's music and especially Symbolic has got a special place in my heart. Nice to see he is not forgotten.

[@zeigbert1743]

This album's a masterpiece methinks.

[@oatmeal710]

death is one of very few bands that doesn't have a single bad song in their discography, hail chuck schuldiner

[@_mateunio]

what are the other few in your opinion?

[@oatmeal710]

@@_mateunio electric wizard used to be one before their newest album; necrophagist, ghoul, dystopia, nausea, repulsion, autopsy, acid bath, and shrum off the top of my head, i'm sure i forgot a lot

[@naturalianoss]

Best death metal album ever .

[@henkzebravink]

Perennial Quest would be great! Especially because of the solo and the rhythm guitar during the solo.

[@AKJACKAL99709]

This album was my introduction to Death and I heard this right as I was beginning to explore lesser known metal (basically, stuff that was not Big4) in a search for faster drums and crunchier riffs. At one point, I even referred to Death, Sepultura, Testament, and Kreator as my "Other 4."

[@fabiolignelli7372]

Great reaction! I'm happy because a while ago I suggested exactly this song for you to analyze!!! The album "Symbolic" is a masterpiece and, for me, it is the best of Death's Progressive Death Metal phase...Greetings from Brazil!!!

[@Samael78]

Crystal Mountain and Without Judgement

[@BlackRoseImmortal]

Death - "Crystal Mountain" - Live in Eindhoven '98 - [03-11][HD]

[@Nikita_Kash93]

Thanks for reaction! Death is my favorite band in death metal \m/ And I think you can continue to explore Symbolic stuff - Crystal Mountain or Zero Tolerance would be great choice :)

[@Hyriudragon]

Death took extreme metal to another level. It's the Technical Death Metal. The genius of Chuck and the whole band was mixed anothers genres, techniques, explore another areas and bring a new aproaching on extreme metal.

[@MFewwy]

Death is amazing. Such a great band of pioneers

[@rahbeat9785]

This was one of my favorite 'post-talk' by Judson, made me realize even further what i love about Death so much

[@helenakasunic8810]

Love Death! Great reaction, I`m glad he liked this one more. Maybe "Zero Tolerance" next, I think he could like the drum parts in that one too.

[@TheDretch]

Amazing album amazing song! Let's get some Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness going

[@biorythmicshifter]

Blessed Are The Sick is a little more sophisticated, his ears won’t bleed (for the devil) as much…

[@farleysnerdcaveofdoom5195]

I second Altars of Madness

[@TheDretch]

@@biorythmicshifter Disagree!

[@biorythmicshifter]

@@TheDretch personally I like Altars a little more as well, it’s a bonafide classic and one of my absolute favorite albums of all time so I agree with you but to the uninitiated it may sound too chaotic to process. Blessed has a cleaner production for a newbie to pick up the nuances of their riffing style, it would be easier for him to follow. I don’t think this dude’s ears are tuned to appreciate the sheer violence of Altars although Immortal Rites may be a good starting point.

[@TheDretch]

@@biorythmicshifterI feel you! But Trey's solos are the darkest of unholy mastery!

[@joedegroot76]

Death- Jealousy. Judson can get a taste of DiGiorgio’s fretless bass lines and LaRoque’s lead playing. Continue on chronologically backwards and eventually land on something like Zombie Ritual. Maybe then he will be ready for some Obituary vocals? 😅

[@karlricardo4088]

I find Individual Thought Patterns so much more sonically interesting than Symbolic.

[@Chet_Philodenge]

@@karlricardo4088 First two tracks are incredible.

[@Chet_Philodenge]

Leprosy

[@karlricardo4088]

@@Chet_Philodenge I love Leprosy and Spiritual Healing too.

[@kellymacdonald9618]

Love hearing both of your opinions on one of my favourite bands. More please, Richard and Judson! 😊

[@Jeetareest]

Death

[@Eirath]

Seconded

[@Dystopia1111]

Almost any track from Necroticism is chunky, groovy, technical goodness.

[@bumblefluff79]

Judson is now a Death fan! I'm fresh to them too and loving what I've heard so far. Ps. Atomic clocks are still affected by relativity so aren't universally accurate. They're just extremely accurate within your frame of reference.

[@TaylorHayes-xo5zw]

Thats the Death song formula. Almost every song, at least from Symbolic on are ABCABC sometimes with a D bridge in there like Flesh and the Power It Holds

[@seaburyneucollins688]

Yeah, and that formula's always been my least favorite part about Death. It's interesting how for other listeners it improves the song by giving it more structure/cohesion, yet for me it makes the song worse by making it more boring/repetitive.

[@GraphiteBlimp27]

⁠@@seaburyneucollins688I’m interested because music in general is ABABCAB. Basically it’d be like cutting the second verse/chorus (which reduces repetition) and has multiple verses usually. I like his writing style, and a lot of what I listen to is prog so I’m down with abrupt turns and surprises.

[@seaburyneucollins688]

@@GraphiteBlimp27 Well, yeah, but most death metal isn't really ABABCAB, usually it's less repetitive, not more repetitive, than Death. Like, I've literally heard songs that are pretty much just ABCDEFG... LOL. I love Death though, I just wish they would do more to keep the song interesting after the guitar solo.

[@Knokkelman]

Sometimes I'm glad I'm not a musician, so I can keep listening to songs in a more naive, innocent way. Cause in a similar way, since I got my driver's license I can't stand sitting in a car with my parents driving, now realizing how close they drive to other cars, how late they break and all that shit. But I found most Death albums relatively easy to get into, compared to other death metal, so there's that.

[@Knokkelman]

Two great songs that really touch me emotionally, Foolish Games and Symbolic, great combination.

[@JohnJan721]

It's always interesting to hear Judson interpretation.

[@enricomadrigal9168]

Chuck was by another planet, his songwriting is incredibly good, a true visionary. Only the goods die young say an Iron Maiden song...

[@fistfulmetal]

Spiritual Healing. Also Lack of Comprehension

[@Knokkelman]

15:55 "Clocks move slower depending on.. how high you are" - True in (at least) two ways.

[@Cuttersway]

Amazing song. Nice takes. 👌🏼

[@manamatron]

Chuck has some of the best writing of that era. Glad you guys did this one.

[@mrb8094]

One of my favorite songs on one of my favorite albums. The wisdom of the lyrics even get more meaningful the older I get.

[@holograms007]

without judgement next!!!

[@scottmark5345]

Hello from Australia, I didnt understand this album in 1995 - it was too advanced for me - they toured here but not in my state for this album, bought the album tshirt - still have it! took me 20 years to really understand it - more melodic and jazz type structures. Gene Hoglan was told on this album and the previous album Individual Thought Patterns basically to do what he wants to add those different elements and time signatures so its not basic cookie cutter death metal drumming - (Looks at the Leprosy album - no drum fills on that album!)

[@Horizzzz]

Gene machine❤

[@ScrappyMcSlap]

Hands down the best Death album by a mile IMO, and, one a fantastic track. 👌

[@grooveampkiller]

story to tell,he just like it

[@soakedbearrd]

Symbolic is such a good song, Death was a great band.

[@Jamesonnnnn]

Song recommendations: 1. Left to die 2. Pull the plug 3. Evil dead

[@rubengonzalez6656]

Death are amazing! The next step should be Dissection. I think he would like it because of his pianist side. Something like "Thorns of Crimson Death", "Storm of the Lights Bane", "Unhallowed" or "The Somberlain", he might love it.

[@Knokkelman]

Oh yes, Thorns of Crimson Death, there's a really cool Piano Cover on YT by "Still the Pianist", also several other bands that were listened to here (I think the algorithm even showed me that after I watched several Great Measures videos)

[@joemiller7082]

IMO, Death were so far ahead of the rest of the genre. Not only the best death metal band of all time(imo) but one of the greatest metal bands of all time overall.

[@douglaswilliamson5641]

Now that you introduced Gene, show him Stapping Young Lad. Aftermath or All Hail the New Flesh are good ones.

[@localhoast2009]

Together as one

[@aidankendic9829]

Can you do Carcass next?

[@syntezjaofficial4240]

1000 Eyes, Empty Words or Perennial Quest would be good choice for next song from Symbolic. Such an amazing albums.

[@fr3ross505]

I was commenting and then I saw your comment! 🤣. The riffs on 1000eyes is so unique and brutal.And I just recently really been able to appreciate Perranial Quest. That song was a long journey form me but so worth it.

[@mattysoho]

The way Judson is describing his affinity for guitar that kind of fakes you out on the first beat of the measure until the drums come in is exactly why i love the beginning of "you fail me" by converge. 🤘

[@TRENDKILL0]

Crystal Mountain, Flattening of Emotions, or Lack of Comprehension

[@jamescostello2558]

Incredible band groundbreaking in its day and still relevant today

[@-Heavy-]

My favorite Death album!🤘

[@emersongomez877]

Death overactive imagination Malmstebb cavalino rampante

[@low_e_music]

There is a great synth cover of the entire Symbolic album by the band Nitelite. It's well worth checking out.

[@vichi2059]

Maybe it's too early for this but "Flattening of Emotions" is what really got me hooked on Death. My favorite song of their whole catalogue. Or how about Spiritual Healing. Incredible solos in that one.

[@journeymenforlife]

All this talk of Death and Obituary reminds me; a few times in the past it's been mentioned that Judson has been to a Cannibal Corpse gig. I'd love to know the story as I imagine would a lot of viewers. Much love 💚🤘

[@cbrolison]

Symbolic was a great tour..RIP Chuck

[@BruhMomentPatrick]

Hell yeah, one of my favorite songs

[@South-of-Heaven]

I don't understand how you could pass up introducing him to DEATH - Without Judgement. Without Judgement has been redone by orchestra's because its such a brilliant piece of musical sounds and arrangement. Also, it has one of the hardest, badass metal riffs.

[@UNDERDAYS]

Trapped in a corner, is another cool song, that like very much. Steve DiGiorgio is involved, too. 👌

[@VallisMortem]

Without judgement! Or just the whole album!😂🤘

[@brianhansen6189]

First time I ever listened to this album was last week at the gym. Amazing workout.

[@MikaTarkela]

Crystal Mountain and Bite The Pain are my favorites!

[@jukkaalanen]

Schuldiner is such an important figure in metal world. First in the 80's he was right there giving birth to death metal and then when he evolved/got bored with it he gave birth to another new genre technical death metal. Who knows where he would've gone with Control Denied or something completely different.

[@coyscottberg2507]

I think the best way to look at harsh vocals is this way: clean guitars or guitars with distortion. For a while distortion was considered a crutch that hid bad playing, but now it's commonplace. It's just another effect really.

[@Cryptic-1-9-1-1]

You gotta have him listen to some old school Obituary!

[@elemenoplease]

love the obituary cause of death shirt with eyeball accompanying death symbolic… 😂

[@tropiq]

Death has so many good songs to choose from, i personally would suggest 'a moment of clarity' as it's my personal fav from them, but i can get behind 'lack of comprehension' and 'the philospher' too as far as getting into death goes, i totally went backwards, started with sound of perseverance and worked my way backwards through their discography, i feel i'd have a hard time going the other way as im more into the progressive sound than the osdm sound but each album is different and has something cool to offer

[@konstantinmukhametshin5737]

Like your t-shirt!

[@TheMadmetalord]

Time for crystal mountain and without judgement

[@julianortiz4151]

I vote for something from Individual Thought Patterns next. Overactive Imagination, Trapped In a Corner, the Title track, or The Philosopher would be good choices, but really anything from that album would be great. It’s Death’s most consistent album and you can tell the songs are somewhat connected. Cool to see Judson enjoyed this one. 🤘🏼🔥

[@simonisalas]

Symbolic is a Masterpiece to me, and to all , this is life bro !

[@jovan9989]

If you wanna hear something really schizophrenic, listen to Dillingers Escape Plan - 43% burnt

[@heldcomposer]

He was really into it.

[@jpbreeze44]

Man, we NEED to show him Voice of the Soul.

[@ch4hawkeyes]

Voice of the Soul!!

[@RobGamesNZ]

Itd be really cool to play him the end section of prennial quest, its freakin amazing with headphones

[@keithfarrington6616]

Brilliant. Keep doing Death. The Philosopher next

[@superlink235]

God, this album reminds me of highschool. Blew my mind, inspired my guitar playing and sonwriting, I would fall asleep to this every night haha

[@wolfMetall]

Gotta love me some Gene. A beast on drums. You should try Almost Again by Strapping Young Lad too.

[@RedLion_52]

I've got a collection of H.P. Lovecraft stories that uses the same painting as that Obituary shirt/album for the cover art.

[@omegjonneboy4027]

Around the 14:00 minute mark the structure and feel of the parts is definitely in the right direction, sequential but distinctly different parts, inversions and retrogrades of the riffs throughout, diatonic changes but relatively straight forward melodically, good ear Jud

[@cf3887]

Lack of comprehension is a good choice 👍🏾

[@ffade..]

Crystal Mountain, To Forgive is to Suffer, Sacred Serenity, Voice of the Soul are all fantastic songs by Death that you should try

[@suntigerrock]

great measures = great music

[@walkswithbear7935]

Without judgement and living monstrosity next

[@rickdeckard2240]

To me Symbolic is the perfect equilibrium between Human and Perseverance. It has the concise and focused way of composing of Human and the wildness and shifting parts (but in a WAY MORE cohesive way) of Perseverance. Symbolic's my fav album of all time, and the self titled song is a wild gem. And of course, it's by far the best Death produced album, and the only really perfectly produced album in Chuck's discography. For a next song to go into, I'd definitely recommend or Without Judgement from this album, it's the closest to classical music Death touched, or Flattening of Emotions from Human, which is really one of the very best Death songs, if not THE best. Love the channel, please persevere ;))