SYMPHONY X

I got this album after "The Odyssey" and "Paradise Lost" because I was craving to hear more about Symphony X than just the 2 albums I just mentioned.

After my first listen, I was disappointed. Where are the catchy riffs? Where is all the rage and power? This seems to be too convoluted and a little too pompous. Sure "Egypt" did stand out but I wasn't thrilled with anything else. It is not bad, but why did everybody gave so high a rating? I was confused?

Then came the time when I thought I should write a review about this. I gave it a few more spins. It still looked too complicated to me but I started to like some other parts here and there. I was trying too hard to rate and evaluate each song. I was still missing the point.

Almost when I was going to give up on it, I realized that I should look at it as whole. And then, it clicked. No point in trying to describe each song here. Just let the music guide you from one song to another. There is a lot to like if you persevere listening to this album.

It gets heavy when it needs to just like at the beginning of "Evolution (the grand design)". I really like the classical approach in between song. The way each song flows into another is truly amazing. Take the end of "Transcendence" going into "Communion and the Oracle" as just an example of many fine moments.

For you, it might just click right away. For me it took a while, but I am sure glad that I gave this CD a chance. It was worth discovering and getting familiar with!

Not sure if this review would make sense to you, but it does make sense to me. And yes, it has grown enough on me that I will give it 5 stars!

The songs are nicely composed and have a high entertainment value! You never too sure of what's next. There are many changes in rhythm, you can't get bored. There is a lot of intensity and the sound is quite heavy at time. More specifically, I am referring to the catchy riffs of "Inferno", the choppy and heavy beat of "Incantations Of The Apprentice".

There are also some really good compositions that have a more classical approach. "Accolade II" really stands out. I really like the presence of the keyboards in the "Awakening".

There is also the pièce de résistance, the 24 min long epic title. I do like epic, as long as it keeps me entertained for the whole duration. This one certainly does. From the very pompous beginning followed by the soft and emotional "Journey To Ithaca", it does always evolve and keep you on your toes. I like the haunting vocals of "Sirens" which is followed by a very good classical and heavy portion "Scylla And Charybdis" before finally going into the conclusion of the epic. Just Grandiose!

My rating: A very strong 4 stars. An album that really balance well the classical/symphonic structure with an intense metal approach. Well done!

First, this guys really know how to structure their journeys... I mean they have a good balance between symphonic elements and metal, trying not to impress with their skills but trying to be dramatic, and make the instruments and the whole essamble takes you to particular emotions or sensations... this album has every trick on it and everything seems to fit excelent with the subject... Mythology is something fascinating and there are thousands of cliché albums and songs that are pretentous and miss the complete point to re-create some fantastic stories... Symphony X do not mess around here, you can see they spend time analysing their songs and give them more sense and feeling...

If you like a well thought album, with great vocals, melodic and still technically strong, this is your album... If you are not into prog metal or metal at all, this album is also for you... the strong passages are used only on the right dossis just to make a point, to for showing off or trying to seem too metallish...

This is an album to dive in with eyes closed and for sure you will enjoy the complete journey... I did it and I really recomend it almost to everybody, not just metal fans... 4 stars... easily...

So how good is this release? Read on?

After a quick intro, Set The World On Fire sets this CD on fire! I specially like the heavy part at the end but, somehow, I found the chorus the weakest part of this song. Domination is next and is one of my favourite of the album.

The Serpent's Kiss and Eve Of Seduction are in my humble opinion the weakest songs on this CD. Don't get me wrong, they are not bad, they just don't raise goose bumps like the others!

Paradise Lost and The Sacrifice are nice breaks among all the fury and energy. The Walls Of Babylon is sublime and really stands out. There is a powerful initial 3 minutes instrumental part at the beginning of what is the most theatrical song of the CD, with some very heavy part. Seven is another great song and Revelation brings a nice closure to this very strong album.

It could be argued that this release is not has progressive or theatrical than their previous albums. It has a much harder and faster edge to it. It is more straightforward and in your face. Nothing wrong with that, if you like a lot of metal in your prog. Still the music is far from being simple. It will be interesting to see what they will do next.

As a bonus, the artwork and presentation on this CD is top notch. Final rating: A very strong 4 stars.

Now, 'Twilight in Olympus' isn't quite better, nor is it worse. In fact, I think it stands as an equal to its predecessor. One thing any Symphony X fan will notice is that 'Twilight' isn't much different from 'Devine'. In fact, musically it's pretty similar, although 'Twilight' does seem a lot tighter and more intense, and some of the songs are a lot more ambitious.

Sadly, some of the songs of this album are a tad bit sub-par with Symphony X's standards, and although all the songs on this album are great, there are one or two that aren't as amazing as others.

But not-to-worry, I've still rated this album five stars simply because, if anything else, the first half of the album is definitely some of the best music I've ever heard. 'Smoke and Mirrors' and 'In the Dragon's Den' show how Symphony X can out-metal any modern band, and 'Church of the Machine' and 'Through the Looking Glass' have to be heard to be believed.

As usual, the musicianship is the best you'll ever hear, and there is a lot of guitar/keyboard duelling which is always fun to hear.

Overall, this is a great album, which if you enjoyed 'Devine Wings of Tragedy', then you'll most definitely enjoy this.

Well, I stopped it at the 2nd track... as I thought, it was just an excuse to the singer to take the roll of the devil and get screaming about how much the devil hates the mankind between some though power symphonic metal... and forget about the album.. months later, I discover and fell in love with the "New Mithology" album and really didn't believe how they where so good and creative and sound so great... so I give it a second chance to the famous Paradise Lost... God... how wrong was I... it sounds like an almost perfect album... but first, I point at the highlights... that are too many....!!!

First, the theme was something so ambicious, I doubt another band could make the honor to this greatest poem -One of my favorites books also...- the musical thematics while some could say are already use in other albums and by other bands, I really feel the emotion through the whole piece and been coherent with it's own goal... you know... you kinda feel the hate through the devils speach, and then I almost cry in the "Paradise Lost" song with that beautiful piano and the suffer of Adam when he discover the sin of Eve... you know... "Love is a tragedy..." and all of it... just great... the heaviness maybe is too much for the soft prog fans... but I really love the power of this album... I mean... this is how heavy an album can be without been annoying... at list, for me... and then, the quality of the players is just tip-top... they truly are on the level of the DT guys... and the vocals seems to fit well in this more heavy music... Allen become one of my favorite singers with a lot of range and texture, but this album is not his best... while the music is really demanding and heavy...

Then, why is an "almost" perfect album... well, I know many do not care about the lyrics, is fair to say that if you are talking about the origin of the world and the suffering of the mankind and you only takes the roles of the demons and the men, don't you think there's something a little miss there...??? like GOD... I mean... I don't say they have to take a religious way... but who send the devil to hell...??? and, who said to Adam to avoid eating the forbiden fruit...??? It's silly that the band avoid to put the role of God somewhere... Not even in an instrumental song or something... so I really feel that it could be more respectable for a rock band to take the risk and break another "cliché" of avoiding talk about God... I mean, they alone pick up the subject... so why don't to take the whole risk...??? but well... now that you're aware... really, dont' aloud yourself to loose this oportunity to really enjoy a real masterpiece of symphonic rock... one of my favorites albums in the last years... Symphony X is on the level of the greatest... sure is for the delight of my generation...!!! cheers...

I can rate these two, I've listened them again one after another and so differences are clear. By average rating, it's their best compared to their almost best. Well, this one is less melodic, but (now I'll leave Mythology and focus only on Odyssey) Ulysses (I don't like this name, in my language, it sounds like word, which has equivalent in English language with word "sleazy"), as he's on his journey (or, hehe, odyssey). This journey is more fascinating in some things, like that it uses less expected structure, melody and other things, except words. Lyrics are quite clear to guess, it's about famous tale (at least here in Czech Republic, I know it from school, good old book called "Old Greece fables and stories" - shortened Homer, about gods, Heracles...) about man seeking his home & finally redemption. Turn point of entire album is 8. The Odyssey (24:09). From first fanfare- like tones to last acoustic outro reminds me something I knew all my life, but wasn't (and I'm not) able to describe appropriately. Something of great beauty, adventurous. Mix Odyssey and metal and my memories on this story in modern, metal take and you get this. This synth (emulating instrument I can't remember which one) from 6:50-7:04 reminds me very much music of one game from my youth, Warcraft II. Also fantasy like setting. And first three minutes, do I have to say more ? However, vocals here are sometimes almost of growling type. Or at least very harsh. Not bad, but it's interesting that I actually don't mind this.

5(-) because some flaws occurs (like some unnecessary parts happens), it's not so easy (in fact, it's quite hard) to conquer my heart. Only few managed to do it and those get 5(+). This one is close.

But I also worship idea that every genre should be approached differently. For example Egypt sounds egypticaly. Well, first I heard Egypt theme in Nightwish music (Tutanhamon? I suppose) and know that it's not so easy to bring certain feeling to music. The one you want. And not only this one, seems like tracks here in general are part of one concept. I like concept albums, because feelings about music are raised even more by A Tale. And these gothical (are they?) sounding organs in Lacrymosa , yes, for some this may sounds like usual pattern of prog metal and maybe in some parts it is. But this is it. It sounds good and lack any mistake. Maybe one melody is repeated used in various styles through few tracks, just a little.

But 5(-) for mythology (secretly fantasy)

After some time I read some reviews about "The Divine Wings of Tragedy" and found that this band was more appreciated by non Prog Metal followers and catalogued as pompous by the fans of the genre, so bought the album thinking that this would fit my taste better, and was really impressed, they are just what I expect from a Prog Metal band,

I don't know or care if their members are more or less virtuoso than other musicians, or if they have less solos, I value more the fact that their music is absolutely coherent and they work as a team rather than as Rock stars trying to prove they are better than the rest of the band. But more important for me the Symphonic elements of their music make me think of SYMPHONY X as a real PROGRESSIVE Metal band and not a Metal band with keyboards.

The album starts with the powerful "Inferno", in which the fast guitar complements perfectly with the vocals, it's true that I'm not a fan of growling, but Russell Allen manages to control it and balance this radical singing with clear vocals.

The short Mellotron introduction makes of "Sea of Lies" a promising track and combined with the fast guitar plus correct vocals ,make the listening experience pleasant. Even though it's simpler than the opener, the band manages to keep the interest of the listener.

"Out of the Ashes" highlight is in the excellent vocal work and chorus, of course the Neo Classical approach of the lead guitar is delightful, the album keeps the level, even when still not reaching the level of a masterpiece.

The acoustic guitar and violin of "The Accolade" bring KANSAS to my mind instantly, but that isn't all, the use of the guitar also remind of Rich Williams even when faster, but that's only the beginning, the song presents radical changes every minute, jumping from soft to frenetic in a matter of seconds, simply delightful, a box of surprises from start to end.

"Pharaoh" and "The Eyes of Medusa" are two Metal racks with little of Prog but a lot of attractive, not what I usually listen but enjoyed both while"The Witching Hour" is a more transitional song between the previous two Metal tracks and the Prog epic that is about to start. Fast, in the vein of IRON MAIDEN with operatic vocals and excellent chorus, the temperature is rising.

"The Divine Wings of Tragedy" is everything a Prog Metal fan can expect, the extremely dramatic vocal opening reminds of religious chorus with a mysterious touch, but only after it the show starts, as in an epic movie the song develops with a military majestic mood, the Mellotron in the back only adds more emotion and then...the beast is set free, SYMPHONY X attacks with everything they have, powerful drumming, amazing guitar sections and pompous keyboards to enhance the effect, but the changes keep coming, from calmed passages to frenetic sections, strong choirs, speedy guitars, in other words everything a Prog fan can expect, 20:40 minutes of pure Progressive Rock with Metal leanings.

After such an epic, it is necessary to calm the moods, "Candlelight Fantasia" does that and more, the soft, acoustic intro is only a demonstration of this band's versatility, even when they never resign to their metal essence, the strong melody and sentimental vocals create a contradictory but delightful scene that even a Symphonic fan not too fond on Metal.

Until now I only heard three SYMPHONY X albums, "V The Mythology Suite", The Odyssey" and the one being reviewed, even when I consider the first one mentioned more solid, can't give less than 4 stars to "The Divine Wings of Tragedy" less than 4 stars without feeling unfair.

Highly recommended as an introduction to Prog Metal for fans of the classic bands from the 70's.