THE DIVINE WINGS OF TRAGEDY

On occasion of the release of Symphony X new album, Underworld, let's mark The Divine Wings of Tragedy, which may be their definitive work. By definitive I don't mean necessarily the best (The New Mythology Suite may be their most artistic creation, while the uber-technical power metal of Underworld may be more difficult to play), but the one that best illustrates what they set out to do - marry the thrashy riffs of Metallica and kin, baroque theatricality of Queen and Yngwie Malmsteem's neoclassical leanings with his light-speed guitar/harpsichord-styled keyboard duels. The album begins with three fast-paced rockers featuring some of the over-the-top vocalisms. Following is a medieval- themed epic, three mid-paced clunkers, and the icing on the cake, the 20-minute neoclassical metal piece, that, while being quite cheesy, is remarkably well-composed for metal. That would be a fine end to any other album, but, wait, there's more, in a form of another classically-inspired rock sonata.