On disc: Symphony X

 
- Symphony X
 
- Volker Raabe -
 
 


 
- The Divine Wings Of Tragedy
 
- Volker Raabe -
 
 


 
- Live On The Edge Of Chaos
 
- Amir Djawadi -
 
 


 
- The Odyssey
 
- Xavi San Antonio -
 
 

The Odyssey

(InsideOut Music - 2002)



 
 

 

Symphony X's new album is a prodigy of virtuosity, something that Michael Romeo's band has a personal brand.

This album sound is, in my opinion, more powerful than it was in the ones before which leads to the road of stripping from them the label of 'progressive rock band' a bit more than it did with their celebrated V.

The band's line-up is the same of the last albums, so fans will enjoy again Romeo's guitars, Michael Pinellas's keyboards, the rhythm section with Jason Rullo on drums and Mike Lepond playing bass and Russell Allen's vocals. Quite a luxury!

Based on Homer's masterwork The Odyssey the band give us with a 24 minutes song - which is the title track of the album, formed by different sections - some more progressive, other more symphonic and even other more into metal which enrich a lot this masterpiece.

Some other highlights from the album can be found in songs like Accolade II, King Of Terrors (which can be download from their home page) and Awakenings where the band flirts with the styles mentioned above. The rest of the album brings us again a band in full form and constant evolution, always trying to surprise the listener.

I sincerely believe that all comparisons with Dream Theater (constant and repetitively done by some critics) are out of place as Symphony X had found their own style, one that takes them as far from progressive rock as from heavy metal and that's what makes a band original.

The album will be released in two different formats, a single one with 8 tracks and an special one with a deluxe booklet and a the bonus track Masquerade '98 taken from their album Prelude To The Millennium.
 
 










Xavi San Antonio


  
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Live On The Edge Of Chaos

(InsideOut Music - 2001)



 
 

 

Some bands are really great in the studio, but fail at the live-performance. Other combos let you miss music-skills, but equal this with great performance on stage. Both doesn't fit on Symphony X!!!

On one hand this American five-piece brings periodically, under world-wide observation, high-class studio-productions, and so won one of the higher places in the 'Prog Metal-Top 10', and on the other hand the presentation of the compositions, also on world tours, succeeds in a considerable way.

So, why not recording it? To conserve the performance of the successful last tour (recorded were shows in Strasbourg, Ludwigsburg and Paris - France and Germany count to the No1 fan countries of the Symphony X fans).

So, we have a double live-album, which leaves hardly no wishes. The first CD contains the complete live-performance of the last CD The Mythology Suite and ends with Candle Fantasia and The Eyes Of Medusa, of the highly regarded The Divine Wings Of Tragedy album.

On the 2nd CD they offer a look onto the 3 best songs of the Twilight In Olympus release (e.g. Smoke And Mirrors) before they travel back in time, e.g. with the title track The Divine Wings Of Tragedy. The habit of Symphony X - to make harmonic songs and complex compositions - is shown live impressively - who once saw a live show of this Americans, already knows it... On one side there's the musically quality-work of Michael Romeo at the guitar, Michael Lepondat on bass and Michael Pinella at the keyboards - always hold in line by drummer Jason (not Michael ;) ) Rullo. On the other side the hardly stoppable frontman Russell Alan, who rocked every hall. Really a pity, that the planned tour with Savatage didn't take place - there you could have killed your hunger on live-action.
 
 










Amir Djawadi(translation: Sascha McKechnie)


  
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The Divine Wings Of Tragedy

(InsideOut Music - 1996)



 
 

 

The 20 minutes long title track is a killer! The best song on the latest Symphony X release. Mastermind Michael Romeo focused on quality and so their fantasy speed metal had a touch of progressiveness and is well arranged. The opening track Of Sins And Shadows and the title track are good reasons for buying this album. The rest is like a bonus. The production lacks a little bit of power... Anyway, the band developed. Congratulations!
 
 










Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
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Symphony X

(InsideOut Music - 1994)



 
 

 

After the 2nd album The Damnation Game of Symphony X good just positive reactions InsideOut Music decided to release their self-titled debut outside Japan. The debut also presents songs with a touch of Dream Theater, some influences from prog and power metal. Musically on a high level, but the productions isn't that good.... Anyway, who liked The Damnation Game should buy their debut as well.
 
 










Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
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