PARADISE LOST

Normally, I find myself more at home with Gabriel-era Genesis or Bardens/Latimer Camel. But, probably because I am a drummer, every now and again, I gotta have something with an edge to it (you prog-drummers KNOW what I mean!). On a short visit to the in-laws in Phoenix this summer of 2008, I had to stop in at Zia Records (a GREAT record store in Arizona!) and I had to see what they had in stock in prog. To make this long story shorter, I found Symphony X, 'Paradise Lost,' and bought it without having read much review on it ahead of time. From the first listen, I was captivated. I had listened to some Symphony X live-stream tracks on ProgArchives and said, Yeah, they're pretty good, but after listening to this album - several times! - I would have to say this is my favorite metal album - and I am not really into metal!

With my classical upbringing (my mother almost was Beverly Sills contemporary at the New York Met!), track 1 is a great opening to what is almost a prog-metal rock opera.

Track 2, Set the World on Fire, definitely delivers. Can I hear an 'Amen' to Russell Allen is the BEST rock-metal vocalist - EVER! Jason Rullo gives some tasty machine-like double-bass drumming that Portnoy could only wish he could do! Michael Romeo is a Petrucci wanna-be, but - hey - the man can do it! Even Slash drools at Romeo's prowess.

Track 3, Domination, is a very nice speed metal / ballad that mixes the best components of prog metal ideas.

Track 4, Serpent's Kiss, again accents Allen's powerful metal vocals, as well as some great musicianship from the band.

Yeah, I am more for the symphonic sound at times (hence, Genesis and Camel); therefore, the title cut, Paradise Lost, is right up there with some of the greatest prog ballads of all time - metal or not.

I have to admit that I skip through Tracks 6 and 7 almost all the time, so I cannot comment coherently on those.

All is I can say about Track 8, Seven, is someone found a way to load it onto Guitar Hero (my teenage son showed that to me). And, with good reason - Romeo is shredding big time! Petrucci, eat your heart out!

Track 9, The Sacrifice, is the best second best prog ballad of all time - a real great song. Everyone in the band shines on that, especially Michael Pinnella on keys.

Track 10, Revelation, is another track I skip over more often than not. But the opening of that song is classic Symphony X!

Despite the fact that I often skip over two or three of the tracks consistently, this album is a must for even you symphonic proggers. If there was ever a prog metal band that symphonic prog could get behind, Symphony X would be the one (even over Dream Theater! Yeah, I really said that...)