THE DIVINE WINGS OF TRAGEDY

25 years or so ago, Progressive Metal was in a very, very good stride, a golden era maybe? Images and Words was the Sgt. Pepper of Metal (When Dream and Day Unite being Beatles For Sale), pushing the limits of virtuosity and showing that it is possible to excel and reach new ears. Then came an army of young'uns looking to get into this very select League of Gentlemen.

Enters Symphony X, a band who quickly climbed the ladder almost to the top, and stayed 'till today I guess. And with Divine Wings, all the elements are turning like a well oiled machine, light years from their first album only 3 years before. Now that's grow spurt if I ever saw one!

Divine Wings is proudly giving street cred to the Metal Prog scene, not being top dog but surely flexing every muscle possible. Yngwie...er.....Romeo being at top form, doing the impossible with his axe, litterally giving birth to some pretty intense tapping (Sea of LIes) still considered a milestone today and giving headaches to youngsters aspiring to become a master shredder.

PInella is still on his streak of Transylvanian keyboards and blending classical influences in the mix to our supreme pleasure. He deserves more credit in the musical world and it's a shame he so undershadowed by some poseurs (*cough* Holopainen).

Last but not least, Russell Allen. Arjen Luccassen once said in interview that he considered Allen as the best in world....and this record is showing Russell singing his heart out...literally. I suspect his stomach and lungs just popped out at Out of The Ashes. The guys is big and tall, with eternally wet hair and sporting lots of chest and facial hair (maybe shoulders also, I haven't check). While Labrie is more delicate and romantic, Allen is knightly in-your-face like a modern jousting Sir Lancelot, with a mace in one hand and a roasted muttton leg in the other.

Divine Wings is well sporting it's name: almost every aspect is brought with angelic ease and representing well l'air du temps that was the metal years of the second half of the 90's.

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