THE DIVINE WINGS OF TRAGEDY

Unfortunately everyone in the prog-metal genre is compared to Dream Theater. Does the band sound like DT, or do they not sound like DT and to what degree. This can be a bit unfortunate for some bands. While Symphony X does have a lot of sonic similarities to DT, they are also sufficiently different to have their own unique style. While all the musicians are excellent, they eschew the technical wankery of DT in favor of greater musical variety like acoustic guitars and atmospheric keyboards. SX is also heavier than DT on average with crunchier guitars and the better vocal arrangements.

The vocalist, Russell Allen has a phenominal voice for this style of music. He's one of the best vocalists in all of prog-metal, not just my opinion but a general consensus. He sings with great range, power, and just a hint of evil. At times he sounds remarkably like Ronnie James Dio, if not in voice then in style. In fact, SX borrows more from Dio era Rainbow than DT. The subject matter and the delivery are very reminiscent of the material Rainbow put out during that time, just heavier. Some may find that cheesy, but being a big fan of that era of Rainbow I have no problems with it.

As for The Divine Wings of Tragedy, this is Symphony X's best album. The songs are well written, memorable, and different from the majority of American prog- metal. The use of classical piano (Out of the Ashes) and choral vocals (The Witching Hour) in many of the songs really differentiate their music from DT. The highlight of this recording is the self titled track. It has a great church choir opening and at no time does it get boring. The band deftly switches between heavy and light segments with some terrific solos thrown in. It is one of the few 21 minute songs that feels like it ends too quickly. I love this album, and in my opinion it is one of the best of the genre and would make a welcome addition to most anyone's prog-metal collection.