Symphony X - Odyssey

I was a little hesitant about buying this new Symphony X album, and I’m not sure why. It wasn’t that I hadn’t enjoyed their 2000 release, V. In fact, I thought it was one of the best metal albums of that year. Maybe it was a sense that the band was fitting too tightly into their neoclassical/prog metal niche. Let’s face it, the best metal bands are deadly, they attack, they snarl. There were plenty of heavy, satisfying moments on V, but there was also enough pomp and show to give me pause.

It is therefore with great pleasure that I report that the band’s latest album, Odyssey, is their heaviest to date. Don’t fret, prog fans. All the beloved elements are still there: superb technical guitar-playing by band leader Michael Romeo, dexterous and adventurous keyboard runs from Michael Pinnella, airtight double-bass playing by Jason Rullo, striking melodic singing by Russell Allen and bassist Mike LePond holding the entire experiment together. But there is also darkness, anger, an edge the band hasn’t had before. The result is something I didn’t suspect: an album that actually surpasses V and stands with 1997’s Divine Wings of Tragedy as the band’s best work to date.

A little background… Symphony X was founded by Romeo in New Jersey in 1994. The band's initial self-titled release was well-received in Japan, but did not make a big splash elsewhere. The Damnation Game, released in 1995, would be the group's last album with vocalist Rod Tyler. The gifted Allen would join the band shortly thereafter, drawing comparisons to metal legends like Ronnie James Dio. The band's 1997 opus, The Divine Wings of Tragedy, was an inspired recording and it established the band in Europe, where the press hailed it as one of the best progressive releases of the year. This was followed up with Twilight in Olympus, another strong work. Then came V, a concept album that told an original story based on legends of Atlantis, ancient Egyptian mythology, astrology and Edgar Cayce's clairvoyant readings about the Atlantean civilization. Confusing, yeah, but a great listen and a very epic undertaking for the group.

2002’s Odyssey is also a significant undertaking. Right from the top, they come off aggressively, Romeo swirling on the fretboard in an unbelievable lead piece. Then a riff that blows away anything Trouble ever recorded. This is the sound of a band finding their soul. “Accolade II” is a sequel to “Accolade” off of Divine Wings. It cranks. Another riff that could tear Goliath a new asshole. And Russell sounding at times like Tony Martin lit on fire—oh! By the end of the excellent “The Turning,” Allen’s gotten so revved up that he actually utters some unclean growls (low and nasty like a beast)! He then flips it on its head and sings a heart-touching ballad a moment later to Pinnella’s gorgeous piano in the beginning of “Awakenings.” It’s a stunning performance, truly inspired. Anyone who suggests Allen is slumming by singing nasty has no right to call themselves a metalhead. This is the sound of a metal act taking charge. "The Odyssey" is a 24-minute epic which follows the storyline of Homer's epic poem of the same name. The song is divided into seven parts, and here the machine slows down a bit. A little disjointed transitionally, the band ventures into neoclassical symphonics for one of the rare times on the album and covers a lot of musical ground. But it would be unfair to say they are just paying bills to the prog crowd. It’s an amazing 24 minutes of music, and the final lines, as Homer finally returns home after twenty years in his journey, are poignant.

Any fears I had of this band stagnating have been dismissed with prejudice. Romeo promised a more riff-focused, aggressive record and he has delivered in spades. This is definitely one of the best albums of 2002 and Symphony X should now have enough cross-over appeal (with the heavier edge) to appeal to even more fans in the metal community. Take that along with tour dates in the U.S. (finally) and a swing through Europe with Stratovarius in 2003, and the band seems to be poised to embark on an odyssey of their own.