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Immolation - Close To A World Below



8.6 | 322 votes |
Release date: 7 November 2000
Style: Death metal

Owners:

358 have it
38 want it


01. Higher Coward
02. Father You're Not A Father
03. Furthest From The Truth
04. Fall From A High Place
05. Unpardonable Sin
06. Lost Passion
07. Put My Hand In The Fire
08. Close To A World Below

Top 20 albums of 2000: 5

Staff review by
Herzebeth
Rating:
9.7
The good old Immolation, you can't loose with this band if you are into Extreme Metal, there is a question that most Immolation fans can't answer (or don't want to answer, or don't even care), Is Unholy Cult better than Close To A World Below? Well I'll do my best to answer this question right now.

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published 13.02.2005 | Comments (5)

Didn't you say Jesus was coming?

A few years ago, I started the tradition to listen to Immolation's masterpiece, Close To A World Below, every Easter. I pass down the tradition down to you, the uninitiated. For Close To A World Below stands out as one of the most infernal and meticulously put together death metal albums of all time. It has an impeccable production that blurs the riffs which sound as if they are coming behind a curtain of hellfire. The growls are so monstrous yet so well performed that every blasphemous line roars loud and clear. The frightening drumwork is maddening in all its complexity and brutality, giving you the sensation of falling down a hole for all eternity. From the terrifying intensity of "Higher Coward" to the apocalyptic grand finale that is the title track, Close To A World Below is a sublime album every self-respecting heretic must listen to.

X-Ray Rod's picks | More picks ››
Thumbs up: RaduP, Dream Taster, nikarg, Yaniv
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Comments page 2 / 2

Comments: 51   Visited by: 944 users
18.12.2014 - 10:34
Rating: 7
Dr. Strawberry
Written by Alex F on 18.12.2014 at 00:21

Written by [user id=4365] on 18.12.2014 at 00:14

From an interview with the band's founding member:

Ah so it's basically the exact opposite of what GodBuster said... good to know!

It was not a report but only my speculation according to my repeatedly exploration to their music.
I chose not to believe what he'd said. Stressing music comes first could be their camouflage to their Trade Secret.
I seriously don't know, it's just a subject which is open for discussion.
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18.12.2014 - 11:15
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Dr. Strawberry on 18.12.2014 at 10:34

It was not a report but only my speculation according to my repeatedly exploration to their music.
I chose not to believe what he'd said. Stressing music comes first could be their camouflage to their Trade Secret.
I seriously don't know, it's just a subject which is open for discussion.

No, you were just talking shit again. Speaking factually when you had no possession of any facts. Pretty standard for you. You have no credibility any more.
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18.12.2014 - 11:23
Rating: 7
Dr. Strawberry
Written by [user id=4365] on 18.12.2014 at 11:15

Written by Dr. Strawberry on 18.12.2014 at 10:34

It was not a report but only my speculation according to my repeatedly exploration to their music.
I chose not to believe what he'd said. Stressing music comes first could be their camouflage to their Trade Secret.
I seriously don't know, it's just a subject which is open for discussion.

No, you were just talking shit again. Speaking factually when you had no possession of any facts. Pretty standard for you. You have no credibility any more.

This is only a forum for disccusion, not reporting something.

I didn't mean to gain any credibility here as I am not a reporter to publish anything concrete here.
What I am saying here are trivias, personal opinions even some speculations that are really hard to prove.
it's you took them too seriously. sometimes even... too aggressive
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18.12.2014 - 11:33
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Dr. Strawberry on 18.12.2014 at 11:23

This is only a forum for disccusion, not reporting something.

I didn't mean to gain any credibility here as I am not a reporter to publish anything concrete here.
What I am saying here are trivias, personal opinions even some speculations that are really hard to prove.
it's you took them too seriously. sometimes even... too aggressive

When you say that a band writes the lyrics before the music this is not speculation; it's either pure guesswork or proven fact. There can either be one right answer or a wrong one, and you got it flat out wrong which shows that you were lying. You can try to wriggle out of it if you like, like you usually do, but that won't save you from the fact you "report" things as though actual facts on a regular basis when you are clearly making them up.
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18.12.2014 - 11:42
Rating: 7
Dr. Strawberry
Written by [user id=4365] on 18.12.2014 at 11:33

Written by Dr. Strawberry on 18.12.2014 at 11:23

This is only a forum for disccusion, not reporting something.

I didn't mean to gain any credibility here as I am not a reporter to publish anything concrete here.
What I am saying here are trivias, personal opinions even some speculations that are really hard to prove.
it's you took them too seriously. sometimes even... too aggressive

...it's either pure guesswork or proven fact. There can either be one right answer or a wrong one...

It's my pure guesswork, it could be wrong (and it could be right)
You didn't ask that's why your assumptions were always not valid
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18.12.2014 - 11:48
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Dr. Strawberry on 18.12.2014 at 11:42

It's my pure guesswork, it could be wrong (and it could be right)
You didn't ask that's why your assumptions were always not valid

Maybe stop presenting factual statements as part of your arguments then. Maybe do the research before embarrassing yourself. Just a thought.
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19.12.2014 - 07:41
Rating: 7
Dr. Strawberry
Written by [user id=4365] on 18.12.2014 at 11:48

Written by Dr. Strawberry on 18.12.2014 at 11:42

It's my pure guesswork, it could be wrong (and it could be right)
You didn't ask that's why your assumptions were always not valid

Maybe stop presenting factual statements as part of your arguments then. Maybe do the research before embarrassing yourself. Just a thought.

I don't find expressing personal opinion is embarassing as I know music composition far more better than you.
You don't know art direction in music, you're just a metal listener that's all.

If you don't agree just leave it !
I find you have too much free time to keep on argueing with people here...do you need to work ? what is your job (occupation) actually ? A student ?
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19.12.2014 - 14:12
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Dr. Strawberry on 19.12.2014 at 07:41

I don't find expressing personal opinion is embarassing as I know music composition far more better than you.
You don't know art direction in music, you're just a metal listener that's all.

Once again, going into a discussion with 13% of the facts, 87% making-it-up-as-you-go-along: http://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=3593

Come back when you have an actual leg to stand on. I'll be quite happy to have a real debate with you when it's not based on bald-faced lies and ill-educated nonsense on your part.
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20.12.2014 - 01:36
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Aye, that we would.

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08.06.2015 - 00:45
Rating: 9
Isalith
Written by LeKiwi on 01.07.2014 at 20:46

Written by Troy Killjoy on 01.07.2014 at 18:44

I personally don't think it has the same kind of catacomb-like atmosphere of a Mitochondrion per se, but I do agree that it isn't your typical old school death metal album.

Yeah, I should have been been clearer. I just meant that the guitar riffing style is very similar, despite that Mitochondrion can get a bit avant-garde with that sometimes.

I understand what you mean. It sounds a lot like the Album "Obscura" by Gorguts in my opinion. Definetely no typical Old School Death Metal if you ask me. The rythm section is far too technical for that aswell as the discordinant riffing. I don't want to label it as Technical Death Metal, but especially American Old School Death Metal is extremely different. Just listen to Obituary and you will know what I mean.
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16.06.2015 - 07:21
Rating: 7
Dr. Strawberry
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 30.06.2014 at 14:55

Written by LeKiwi on 30.06.2014 at 14:45

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 30.06.2014 at 14:27

How isn't this straight forward death metal?

Doesn't sound like typical death metal at all...sounds like a relaxed version of Ulcerate. Those riffs...they're so...sophisticated.

Listen (to everyone), I'm not trying to fuel another another genre argument...That's just what I'm hearing from this album.

What Immolation plays is straight forward old school death metal. Slow and relaxed dm.
If you think this isn't straight forward dm you're probably extremely unfamiliar with the osdm sound.

Agreed with Lekiwi. Immolation is always not a straight forward death metal band. Their early works combined with a lot of progressive elements and composition but started diminishing after the 3rd album.
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06.03.2018 - 23:11
Rating: 9
musicalkaratekid
Whilst this album doesn't show too much of a deviation from the previous few immolation records, I believe it stands out because of how grandiose everything sounds, the general atmosphere being pumped up so that it makes the songs themselves sound more "evil" and majestic than the instrumentation already allows. Musically though, it's on point as I expected. Guitar tone has this doomy, groovy feel throughout but matches the intensity of the vocals. This is essentially the album that sums up Immolation's core sound, what they were building towards since being founded as Immolation (I.e., after rigor mortis). A consistently creative and brilliant release. One of death metal's finest works.
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05.05.2018 - 18:14
Maco
Pvt Funderground
They ended the concert with the title track. I went apeshit.
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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16.07.2020 - 20:43
Rating: 10
sgtrobo
I just went through and re-listened to their discography. There is a HUGE difference between this and even Failures for Gods. The dissonance especially. There's a lot more to this than just 'basic OSDM'. Their first 2? Sure. Classic OSDM. This one marked a notable change and the addition of more complex songwriting, especially the guitar.

Still one of the best DM albums ever released.
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12.10.2020 - 19:17
Rating: 8
Growing
Great riffs and atmosphere, but the vocals are way too monotonous even for death metal, which says allot.
Still very enjoyable overall
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27.10.2021 - 15:15
Rating: 7
F3ynman
Nocturnal Bro
Contributor
Powerful, blasphemous death metal! My favorite tracks at the moment are "Father, You're Not a Father" and of course the title track
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21.12.2021 - 19:50
R3SP4UN
Greatest Album! A must have for every self-respecting metalhead
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04.06.2022 - 18:30
Rating: 10
Jack_Torrance
How is this not in the top 200
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14.09.2022 - 07:51
Rating: 8
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
This album is an undeniable death metal classic. For me It's one of the best produced in all death metal, and overall one of the best sounding with a magnificent guitar tone, and the drumming is a phenomenal highlight for me. I always thought there was a slight blackened sound to it aswel, it's got a real sinister and brutalness to it.
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08.05.2024 - 21:44
Rating: 10
Helios1
Didn't really get this one at first, but a few more listens made me appreciate it much more for sure.
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Never stop dooming.
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16.08.2024 - 03:32
Rating: 10
This is fucking death metal perfection!
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A sight to bring insanity to all dimensional reality.
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