PARADISE LOST

This album just didn't do it for me. Symphony X's last album The Odyssey had many wondering where the symphony was; It seems like now they've lost the progressive too. Paradise Lost is a really heavy album with gritty vocals and wailing guitars, but the element of progressive is severely lacking. Most Symphony X albums have a coup de grace track that is substantially more complex, melodic, and engaging than other tracks. The tracks on Paradise Lost seemed very formulaic and uninspired. Where's the time shifts? The beautiful sweeping symphonic music? Pinnella's Keyboards? Orchestration? In my opinion, this is SX's weakest deliveries since their freshman album. Hopefully they will find their roots for their next album.