Artist: Symphony X
Label: InsideOut Music America
Release Date: 11/5/02
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Title: The Odyssey Artist: Symphony X Label: InsideOut Music America Release Date: 11/5/02 |
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Abyss's Review:
Hey Symphony X! Homer called, he wants his title back!
"These guys make the last few Dream Theater albums sound like a drunken chimp playing 'Chopsticks' on a toy piano." The Odyssey is the sixth album from these New Jersey boys, but this stuff sounds anything but American. While this band is pretty new to me, they've been putting out symphonic, progressive power metal for quite a while now, and are about to embark on their first full North American tour with Blind Guardian. So it looks like the time is perfect for them to make their move into the popular conscience; the question is, is this the album to do it for them?
With a title like The Odyssey you expect a grand, epic scale work, and that's exactly what they've delivered. The most striking thing about this album is the technicality on display right from the get go. The musicians' mind boggling complexities and velocities literally had me agape from the moment I pressed play. These guys make the last few Dream Theater albums sound like a drunken chimp playing "Chopsticks" on a toy piano. My first astonished thought was 'Wow!' My second astonished thought was, 'These guys are trying way too hard!' And while I find that fact annoying and distracting, there is much more than showboating on this album. The riffs are beyond impressive and interesting; they're pretty damn cool. The guitar sound keeps the band firmly in the metal realm, sounding much heavier, and dare I say dirtier in tone, than many in the genre. It is this firm and hefty underbelly that allows the exorbitant leads to reach such wispy velocities without lightening the whole song.
And the vocals really add to the mix as well. Singer Russell Allen has a solid voice. The best part is that he is not only blessed with pitch and tone, but an underlying power that keeps the lyrics anchored and effective. His vocals sound beautiful, but also angry, something needed in all facets of metal in my opinion. When you put it all together you have a powerful, well-crafted, far-reaching album that has my interest piqued even though this isn't my sort of thing.
"I still don't really think this is my thing, but I'm sure going to get to the Blind Guardian show in time to see these guys." While many bands seem to fall back on their technical ability when they don't have the songwriting chops, Symphony X is a band that might actually be better if they toned down their dexterous theatrics. Either way, this is a band that can hold the attention of both fans of guitar virtuosos and classic metal, a characteristic that is not all that common. I still don't really think this is my thing, but I'm sure going to get to the Blind Guardian show in time to see these guys. One word review: Impressive.
Death's Review:
Symphony X has been around a while, but with Odyssey, I am just now sitting down for my first focused listen. I am impressed. Symphony X are the forerunners in what I think of as the post-Dream Theater, post-Fates Warning progressive metal movement. Taking strong influences from those two aforementioned bands and then combining them with traditional "prog" elements a la Yes, Rush, Genesis and the like, adding in some of the grittier aspects of straight classic hard rock like Deep Purple and Rainbow, employing a crunch-heavy metallic guitar sound at times evoking classic Metallica or Pantera and topping things off with a strong modern power metal element a la Blind Guardian or Iced Earth, Symphony X are more than just second-tier Dream Theater clones. With Odyssey, Symphony X have come up with a record of their own to be proud of, a modern-day classic that future bands will surely want to imitate in the years ahead. With a range of sound spanning from searing metallic riffs to lofty, orchestrated passages evoking the feel of part of a film score, Odyssey is a veritable sonic masterpiece that brings so much to the table. You will need repeated listens to come anywhere near close to cleaning your auditory plate.
"Odyssey is a veritable sonic masterpiece that brings so much to the table."
Vocally, Symphony X singer Russell Allen delivers a smooth, James LaBrie meets Ray Alder flourish yet tempered with a bit rougher, more "street," bluesier aspect which really helps to emotionally propel many of these new tracks over the top. The guitar tone employed by band founder Michael Romeo is absolutely perfect, keeping the band squarely within the realm of metal despite the wide variety of sounds and influences brought to bear. As with any band playing music this complex, Jason Rullo's drumming is outstanding and, like Dream Theater, Michael Pinnella's keyboards often take a lead role and run stride for stride with the guitar. In short, the new album from Symphony X is a first rate, grade A effort that should expand the audience for the band even further into the realm of mainstream metal. The forthcoming tour with Blind Guardian will surely help matters along. I look forward to seeing what the band can do in the live setting.
"The new album from Symphony X is a first rate, grade A effort that should expand the audience for the band even further into the realm of mainstream metal."
Hel's Review:
So it turns out that I had Symphony X all wrong. I'd never heard them - just saw their album covers go by. I knew they fell in the "progressive" category, but, for some reason, probably the artwork, I had lumped them into a mental "power" metal category. Turns out that I was very wrong about that. I was thinking "Blind Guardian" when I should have been thinking "Fates Warning"! Silly me.
"The chosen topic is the ancient Greek epic poem that nearly everyone on the planet is required to read at some point... Homer? Simpson, right?" Now that I have yanked my head off and screwed it back on facing in the proper direction, I can more clearly focus on the task at hand. This is one of those bands that plays their instruments so well, each member gets one measure per song to just noodle and show off on their instrument. And then there's the mega-part song at the end, with several sections that could easily accompany you on any given Disney ride at any of their many theme parks. Why is that?
"If you can't stand being able to hear every single note and spend each moment marveling at the proficiency of the players, well, this isn't your band." Symphony X has clearly attended the Dream Theater school of prog rock. All of the songs are well composed multi-layered. Based on the level of composition alone, it seems clear that this is a band that puts a great deal of thought and detail into every word and note on the album. Here, the chosen topic is the ancient Greek epic poem that nearly everyone on the planet is required to read at some point or other during his or her formal education. Homer? Simpson, right?
The bottom line here seems clear. If you simply cannot stomach a man articulately singing in upper registers, well, this isn't your band. If you can't stand being able to hear every single note and spend each moment marveling at the proficiency of the players, well, this isn't your band either. If those last two things appeal to you, and you are currently sweating while reading this review - damn, you've got issues! There is help for your condition: many years of intensive psychotherapy OR The Odyssey. At the end of the day, I am not completely drawn in, but that may only be a matter of time. Definitely take the time to give this album its due consideration.
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