ICONOCLAST

On my first listening to Iconoclast, I'll admit that wasn't really taken with this release. It seemed to have a bit too much thrash here and there, a few unpleasant speed-metal passages, and the "voice of doom" which I will always find off-putting. But...

As happens with all good tunes, much of it has worn rather well over time. How could anyone who was a fan of the Dio-era Blackmore's Rainbow not enjoy the majority of tunes on this Special Edition release? Imagine where they would be now. To me it seems that there is a lot of this influence explored on Iconoclast, mixed with a bit too much thrash here and there, a few unpleasant speed-metal passages, and the aforementioned "voice of doom". Slide past those awkward moments. The rewards are the blistering guitar breaks and Dio-powerful vocals that are both truly awe-inspiring.

The following tracks were the standouts for me: 2) The End of Innocence 3) Dehumanized 5) Heretic 6) Children of a Faceless God 7) When All Is Lost 8) Electric Messiah 11) The Lords of Chaos 12) Reign in Madness

And concept be damned, I would suggest skipping past tracks 1, 4, 9 and 10 for the first while. At least until the power and quality of the music on this release reveals itself (patience - after a few listenings).

Could Iconoclast be perceived as leaning towards a semi-commercial metallic formula for Symphony X? I'm an old fart. What do I know about this new-fangled prog-metal stuff? You'll need to figure that part out for yourself.