V - THE NEW MYTHOLOGY SUITE

In 2000, Symphony X, hot off the dual successes of Divine Wings of Tragedy and Twilight In Olympus delivered their greatest work yet. V is a concept album about the history and mythology of Atlantis. I figure they named the album V since its the fifth studio album by the band. To this day that remains my biggest (and really only) problem with the album. The boys could write a rich story line inventing a religion but they couldn't muster up a few words for a proper title? No matter. Like with all albums, the importance is with the music (duh). The album contains elements of the beauty of past albums mixed with the heaviness of the follow up The Odyssey.

The concept is pulled off without a hitch though you will probably need out check a web site to fully understand the meanings of the concept. Russell Allen dazzles with his Dio- esque operatic screams, LePond fits right in with the boys with his great basswork (though he lacks some of Miller's aggressive bite), Pinella's keyboards are rich without being dominant, Rullo dazzles without showing off, and of course, Michael Romeo's fretwork is godlike.

Highlights of the album are Fallen, Evolution (Grand Design), the final track, and Communion and the Oracle, though every track is at worst very solid. V should and hopefully one day will take its place alongside DT's Scenes From a Memory and Queensryche's Operation Mindcrime as a masterpiece prog metal concept record. Fans of prog metal must have this record.

Grade: A