(InsideOut, 2007)
Of course, it seems strange having a 2007 album in the monumentum section but you have to keep in mind that some albums are not just important for the Metal scene. Some albums mark an important moment in a band’s career as a starting or an ending to a specific era/discography. In the case of SYMPHONY X “Paradise Lost” set a milestone in the band’s history leaving behind the heavy and - I will dare to say - restrictive sound of Progressive. Yes, I do believe that Progressive can be restrictive and in some times can ‘destroy’ the joy of listening to music and having fun watching a band onstage. So, all the Prog fans should holster their guns and at least give a chance to explain myself.
“Paradise Lost” came 5 years after the “The Odyssey” album that was based on Greece’s Homer epic poem “Odyssey”. That was an impressive piece of work reaching a climax with the 25 minutes self-titled song that was also chosen as the album closer. But, as a band walks down the Progressive path it can easily get lost in the maze of ultra complex structures, long time durations with so many changes in a single song that the average listener quickly loses interest with no focus as he struggles to digest musical parts and bits. Personally, I have a fuse (yeah, it may be short) that goes off as soon as a song has passed the point of no return with so many changes that it could be considered as a collage of several songs. In this way of thinking I have been considering Progressive Metal as a restrictive sound that pushes a band to do and add more in every album. So, with “Paradise Lost” the US band decided to go one step behind and reconsider the music profile of SYMPHONY X. The songs were composed keeping in mind that they should sound the same when performed live. If you think a little this is how Metal was born; a music to be played live and - of course - loud. What’s the point of over-loading and album that is impossible to present it from the stage? Ok, I can see some raised hands with objections to go with but music is about having fun, expressing emotions among others and not a podium for showing off.
I am implying that SYMPHONY X turned their back to the Progressive sound in “Paradise Lost”; the songs are still complex but have a more straightforward attitude and a heavier profile. “Set The World On Fire (The Lie Of Lies)” works exactly this way kicking in after the album’s intro. This song is riff based and sounds heavier than the previous SYMPHONY X albums. The chorus is catchy and dead on melodic and hence, it lures the listener’s interested without accepting a trained ear in the Progressive scene. This song works absolutely great onstage with the killer guitar vibrato and of course Russell Allen’s powerful vocals. The trademark keyboard/guitar solo are still there but Michael Romeo has kept the economics on this making them last as long as needed to keep the interested in high levels. “Eve Of Seduction” is the perfect example of Romeo's guitar work and song management perfectly balancing between heaviness and complexity plus it features amazing finger work in the beginning of the song. Here, Russell shines through the vocals’ mix moving at ease between aggression and melody underlining the fact that the Metal scene should pay more attention to his doings. The song bridge/chorus is simply amazing!
Based on John Milton’s poem the album features a dark atmosphere with emotional breaks that makes the result even more interesting. The perfect proof of this saying is the homonymous track with the piano driven rhythm section and -yes- the Progressive structure we all learn to love years ago just before it had turned into the behemoth of showing off torturing our ears with the ridiculous number of overlaying melodies and leads.
I admit, there is a great possibility that my intelligence is not enough to comprehend the nowadays Progressive scene but still, was enough to understand how “Paradise Lost” has changed the way SYMPHONY X work with their music. And I am more than happy watching the band still walking on this path with their latest release “Iconoclast” keeping a golden balance in the songs. I had the chance to watch the band live during the tour before the album release and listening to the entire “The Odyssey” in the encore was a mind blowing experience and work absolutely fantastic with the rest of the setlist that was based on the ‘new’ material.
Tracklist
01. Oculus Ex Inferni
02. Set the World on Fire (The Lie Of Lies)
03. Domination
04. The Serpent's Kiss
05. Paradise Lost
06. Eve Of Seduction
07. The Walls Of Babylon
08. Seven
09. The Sacrifice
10. Revelation (Divus Pennae Ex Tragoedia)
Lineup
Russell Allen - Vocals
Michael Romeo - Guitars
Mike LePond - Bass
Michael Pinnella - Keyboards
Jason Rullo - Drums