Symphony X

[Diesel 11]

And the grand finale to Symphony X's debut is their first attempt at a true epic in "A Lesson Before Dying". Since this one covers a full twelve minutes in its runtime, I'm going to break it down into sections as best as I see it.

The Intro:
What a beautiful way to open up the song. Those acoustic guitars are gorgeous and I love them. A pity that a terrible, drunk-sounding Rod has to come in and overshadow them, something like if the Greta Van Fleet singer was having stomach issues. I swear I'm going to overlook his ramblings though because otherwise the piece is brilliant. And then that key change comes in and it brings everything to another level of awesomeness. It reminds me of some of the scores to films of my youth, and in particular reminds me of the song "Shining Time" from Thomas and the Magic Railroad. I have so much nostalgia wound up in that movie, so hearing this in a Symphony X song is an instant win and now I'm getting tears just thinking about it. So good, even if Rod is so bad. I also dig the choir section (but wish they'd ditched Rod). As a whole that intro was terrific and it's going to be hard as hell to continue on from it.

The 'Core' Song:
The intro turns into a... well, lackluster riff. It doesn't particularly keep the attention gained from that awesome first two minutes. The way the synths back it is cool - and overall, Pinnella is the star of this song - but otherwise I'm not terrible interesting. When the song switches into faster playing it actually reminds me of Dream Theater. Really digging the piano in this piece, it's quite nice. Then the verse comes in and Rod sounds bored out of his mind. What a shame. The verse leads to a chorus which is emblematic of the majority of choruses on this album: technically fine but really nothing to write home about. The fact that we have to go through another verse and chorus AND an extra pre-chorus just because is kind of disappointing. So far there's nothing here that holds up to the intro.

The Bridge:
The acoustic guitar jumps in after that second chorus reprise, and this time the vibes I get are of Rush. Before I have any time at all to process this (or even get my hopes up that things are going to get better from here on out), Rod jumps right back into the mix to croon about the 'wounds of love'. WTF. It's so poorly placed into the song it's ridiculous. Just like his stupid fucking vocals. This whole section is bah and should've been left on the cutting floor. Jesus.

The Instrumental:
The start of the instrumental section gives us a little guitar / bass solo piece, which foreshadows some of the work the band will do later on (and I'm specifically reminded of "The Divine Wings of Tragedy" in particular). After that though, things are kind of just... boring. Even when the heavier guitar comes in it never really gets anywhere. I do like what Pinnella does though; he really gets a chance to shine and accents the otherwise lackluster pieces quite well, particularly that one piece where the piano keeps hitting that off-kilter note - very cool. Towards the end there's a piano / guitar piece that segues into a heavy, groovy riff section which is pretty awesome, but it's over so fast and comes right at the tail end of it all so it barely sticks out. Being that this is the longest and weightiest instrumental piece on the album, it's a shame that it's a fucking disappointment. So much potential wasted.

The Ending:
And we close with a chorus reprise and an ambient outro where the synths hold the energy and the guitar progressively injects more of itself into the mix. And then we fade-out. A really strong way to incorporate an outro that does come out of left-field, but still feels like it belongs. And a solid way to close out the album.

-- CONCLUSION --
"A Lesson Before Dying" starts off with one of the best pieces on the entire album, but then never manages to hit those same heights again. It's a shame, because there was so much they could've done here that never got anywhere. The good moments are overshadowed by boring and often times bad ones. It's not a terrible song, but it's a very weak start to a band where the epics are what they're most often known for succeeding the most at. It's only emblematic here for one thing: Longer does not mean better.

 

[Detective Beauregard]

A few weeks ago, I believe I had said that Absinthe and Rue was the strongest track on the album. I no longer believe that. For some reason, A Lesson Before Dying is a song that I always forget is on the debut - possibly because it is too strong to be lumped in with the rest of it.

The song has a solid (but not great) chorus. That's okay, because it's not a pop song. The actual riffage is nothing too heavy, but that's fine, because it's not a metal song. This is prog. This is what Symphony X would go on to excel at for their next five albums, and later decide isn't worth it and half-ass it from their seventh album onward.

I truly believe that this track is strong enough to hang with The Edge of Forever and A Winter's Dream. It's not as good as the former, but I'd say it's on par with or as strong as the latter. Its biggest weakness, is, of course, Rod. He's in full imitation Dio/Russell form here, and he's kind of like imitation crab meat. Pre-packaged and not as tasty as the real thing. In fact, I greatly prefer imitation crab meat to Rod Tyler's voice. Maybe I'll pick some up later.

Anyway, let's answer some questions before we begin...

I know I've heard the guitar/bass jazzy break at 6:45 before. What song is this used in later?!

You're thinking of 13/20ths of the way through The Divine Wings of Tragedy. Complete atonal jazz with classical overtones but with a great groove.

First appearance of the Symphony X "PLONK PLONK PLONK" atonal chord hits over a groove at 8:26. Expect to hear this one at least three more times in the discography (Domination? Gates of Babylon? Something on Iconoclast? Something on Underworld?).

Domination (from Paradise Lost) and Electric Messiah (from Iconoclast).

Let's get started!

• I agree with @Diesel 11 - this intro is beautiful. It's haunting. Romeo's guitar, Pinnella's synth pad, Rullo's cymbals - excellent. Aside from Rod's weird and unnecessary "awwws," he is tolerable here. Then Miller comes in with that sweet early Opeth-sounding ascending bass part.
• At 1:25 we have a tonality change and another solid melody, this time with harmonics and piano! I dig it.
• 1:52 is typical Symphony X riffage, but I like the keys here. This song (and album) would be so much stronger with better production. Anyway, this riff is a fine example of the band syncing up the kick drum with the riff itself. They do it often, and they do it so very well.
• Proggy wank at 2:22, but that's okay because this is the last track and that's what we signed up for. Pinnella's dissonant part is reminicent of Awakenings from The Odyssey. Once the chords ring out I like the simple bass line, grooving with the kick drum.
• At 2:55 we have the first verse. I honestly have no problem with this. My favorite part is Pinnella again, as even playing simple chords, his keys provide most of the emotion (Rod sure as hell doesn't).
• Progginess, then chorus. It's a solid chorus, and more feeling is applied around halfway through. I always cringe when the word "fantasy" is used in metal, though. It's just too nerdy for me to handle.
• The second verse at 4:03 is even better than the first. I normally don't like the straight sixteenth note chugging, but the little break at the end of each measure gives the section just enough flavor. Again, Pinnella carries it, and I love the random triplet turnaround halfway through for absolutely no reason. That's prog for ya.
• I guess the next part is a pre-chorus, and it's just as good as the chorus proper. Lyrically, "staff in hand" is up there with "fantasy," but that's my only gripe with this part (other than Rod, of course).
• Romeo's acoustic guitar is beautiful in the bridge - but Rod isn't. He's fine until "it replaaaaaaaaaces!" Ugh. Why would Romeo write that melody for this guy? Anyway, I love the bass groove here, and when the section picks up, Pinnella's piano once again shines. Rullo's simple and tasteful fills lead us into the next section.
• Finally, at 6:43 we have the Dream Theater part... only more tasteful, of course. Yes, even with all the absurd noodling that will follow in the next four minutes, this is still more tasteful than Rudess-era Dream Theater.
  • This bass groove is absolutely killer. This is easily the musical highlight of the album for me; the way Miller throws major notes in there, yet the groove is so start-stop (e.g. at 7:17)... I love this. Whatever Romeo is doing is fine... I think this is a solo? I don't care. Miller and Rullo steal the show here. This style comes back at 13:59 in The Divine Wings of Tragedy.
  • 7:21 is eerily similar to 13:39 in The Divine Wings of Tragedy. Low polymetric bass groove while Romeo is underwater. I wonder if he has scuba gear or if he is an amphibian? He'd need to be to survive this album.
  • At 7:39 whatever Romeo is doing is evil. So cool. I like that he plays a lead melody for once, and the chugging ups the sinister vibe. I also love the notes ringing together.
  • 8:26 is basically what would become Domination (and later a Domination rip off in Electric Messiah). In this case, Pinnella hammers away at a diminished chord like a drunk uncle at a family party while Romeo and Miller play an ominous Sabbath-style riff. I love this sound. I also love playing it for people to see their confused faces.
  • At 8:52 we have the solos. Let me preface this section with this - I think the ascending backing riff, which modulates several times, is insanely catchy. It's like a plane taking off... or, since this is Symphony X, a harpy or equally nerdy creature taking off.
    • Pinnella's first solo is probably his best on the record. It reminds me of something Rudess plays in The Great Debate (yes, I know that this album came before Six Degrees). Love it.
    • Romeo wastes no time letting Pinnella imitate Dream Theater as he bursts onto the scene with his version of Beyond This Life. Man, Dream Theater really liked to rip off Symphony X back in the day, huh?
    • Pinnella's next solo is not as catchy as the riff underneath.
    • Romeo plays with some emotion in the middle of his final solo with a descending lick that weirdly reminds me of Metallica. As if Kirk could... Romeo...
  • Okay, so at 9:51 there's another Pinnella highlight with a super-weird jangly creepy piano thing that reminds me of the French progressive metal band Adagio. If you haven't heard them, their album Underworld is excellent. At 9:43 it's the same; more Adagio with Rullo getting his stab at a solo.
  • After some riffage, we finally settle back into a groove at 10:09 with some glorious start-stop polymetrics! No Symphony X album would be complete without complicated polymetrics! Shut up, Paradise Lost... you're Symphony X Lite and you know it!
  • At 10:23 we've come full circle and are now back at the pre-chorus. That lyrical cheese though...
  • Something I had never noticed before is how this final chorus is in a triplet feel, while the first two were straight eighths with running double bass and a cliché power metal beat. Needless to say, I prefer this one. A lot.
  • That outro... wow. Symphony X doesn't pull an Opeth out of their pockets too often (they do once on Iconoclast), and this is outstanding. Once the reverse gallop starts it loses the creepy forest vibe, but the whole section is really quite impressive and adventurous for them. If they ended it with a more rhythmic syncopated riff, they'd be straight up ripping off of Opeth (from the future). Gotta love Rullo's performance here.

A Lesson Before Dying's Russell Factor: With a side of cheese fries, please.

This song would slot in well amongst the band's early epics if Russ performed on it. It's not as strong as The Edge of Forever, but it's more musically impressive. It doesn't have A Winter's Dream's dynamite chorus, but it's a more impressive song. Like every song on this album, the weakest part is Rod. But even he can't drag the music in this song down, because it's simply great.

10 out of 10, would recommend.

 

[MrKnickerbocker]

I'm totally on board with you both in terms of the first section being fantastic. It's the strongest section of the album in terms of "songwriting". I have to side with @Detective Beauregard on this one, though: the bridge is amazing. Yes, it has a ton of wanking, but it really does flow together and has killer groove with interesting chops popping up from every member (minus Rod).

The Ending:
And we close with a chorus reprise and an ambient outro where the synths hold the energy and the guitar progressively injects more of itself into the mix. And then we fade-out. A really strong way to incorporate an outro that does come out of left-field, but still feels like it belongs. And a solid way to close out the album.

-- CONCLUSION --
"A Lesson Before Dying" starts off with one of the best pieces on the entire album, but then never manages to hit those same heights again. It's a shame, because there was so much they could've done here that never got anywhere. The good moments are overshadowed by boring and often times bad ones. It's not a terrible song, but it's a very weak start to a band where the epics are what they're most often known for succeeding the most at. It's only emblematic here for one thing: Longer does not mean better.

That ending is really cool. It's literally the only time on this album where song ends well and adds a new component without sounding terrible.

"Longer does not mean better" is usually my feeling, but in this case, I don't think there's a stronger song on the album.

I truly believe that this track is strong enough to hang with The Edge of Forever and A Winter's Dream. It's not as good as the former, but I'd say it's on par with or as strong as the latter.

I strongly disagree. This song is good for its respective album. I do not think it can compare to any of their later "epics". Okay, maybe Lady of the Snow.

You're thinking of 13/20ths of the way through The Divine Wings of Tragedy. Complete atonal jazz with classical overtones but with a great groove.

That's it! I honestly can't keep track of the amount of times Romeo recycles small bits of music or motifs.

Domination (from Paradise Lost) and Electric Messiah (from Iconoclast).

I knew Domination but I honestly couldn't tell you a single thing I remember from Electric Messiah except for the chorus (which was probably their intention).

 

[Diesel 11]

I guess I just don’t like this song as much as you two do. Which is great! Maybe in time it’ll grow.

I strongly disagree. This song is good for its respective album. I do not think it can compare to any of their later "epics". Okay, maybe Lady of the Snow.

Seconded, although I think “Lady of the Snow” is way better (and “A Winter’s Dream” too, which is the best of the four songs we’ve brought up).

 

[Detective Beauregard]

It's clear that Lady of the Snow was trying to serve the same purpose on Twilight as Candlelight Fantasia did on Divine Wings (remember that Twilight in Olympus was originally going to be an epic title track, but due to time constraints was omitted and the music redistributed throughout V). Aside from atmosphere - and I really do love that Oriental sound - I think Lady of the Snow fails immensely in that regard. It's the one "progressive" song from the band's early days that never quite hit me like all the others did. But more on that in a few months!

 

[MrKnickerbocker]

My final thoughts before moving on next week...

Symphony X - Symphony X (1994)

The biggest takeaway from this album for me is the sheer display of melodic and virtuoso playing. Sure, the songs are not amazing, the singer is really quite bad, and the production is beyond terrible, but the playing is really great and shows signs of being much, much better. What draws me to Symphony X is the emotional layers present in the virtuoso songwriting. It's not just math, it's not just scales being played in odd signatures, there is a real emotion to the compositions.

Okay, not Romeo's solos, but generally there is a lot of emotion in the playing and the choice of modes and tones used by Symphony X.

The debut album is not very good. It really does sound like a demo. Every song has a different mixing style, nothing matches, and the songwriting is all over the place. But there are signs of something great and that's enough.

Also Thomas Miller's bass playing is rad.

My rankings for the debut album:

Into the Dementia/The Raging Season - 5/10
Premonition - 5/10
Masquerade - 5/10
Absinthe and Rue - 8/10
Shades of Grey - 3/10
Taunting the Notorious - 6/10
Rapture or Pain - 5/10
Thorns of Sorrow - 7/10
A Lesson Before Dying - 9/10

Album Rating - 5.8/10

It should be noted that my rankings are unweighted (if that's even the correct term), i.e., they do not compare directly to any other album by the same band and are judged solely on the merit of the album on which they appear. This means that just because I give A Lesson Before Dying a 9/10 does not mean that I like it (or find it equal in quality) to a 9/10 song on an album like V. That score is given strictly due to the song's quality in relation to the album.

 

[Diesel 11]

The building blocks are all here for them to grow from. Every song here is worth something. Typically it's within the instrumental sections, but some choruses, riffs, and backing melodies are great too. Every member here has a moment where they nail it. Even Rod, but barely. He's easily the weak point and the band will get so much better without him.

Here's my attempt at scoring the songs:

1. & 2. "Into the Dementia" / "The Raging Season" - subpar intro / average song. 5/10
3. "Premonition" - an imperfect but memorable early masterclass. 8/10
4. "Masquerade" - we stan Pinnella but the rest of this song is pointless. 4/10
5. "Absinthe and Rue" - VmNmNmNmNm but the music is awesome!! 7/10
6. "Shades of Grey" - it's all good and all fine but at certain times you just need to shut the fuck up. 7/10
7. "Taunting the Notorious" - filler. 5/10
8. "Rapture or Pain" - a disappointment. 5/10
9. "Thorns of Sorrow" - already over before it's even begun. 6/10
10. "A Lesson Before Dying" - longer does not mean better. 6/10

Average Score: 59%

Seems about right. Kinda hard rating these tracks but I think this is mostly accurate for now.

 

[Detective Beauregard]

I've been a fan of Symphony X since late 2002, and I treasure almost everything they've done. Over the years, I'd always get a sour taste in my mouth while thinking about the debut album, but after going back and actually listening to it (multiple times), it is not as bad as I previously thought. Sure, it's the weakest in their discography by far, but aside from Rod Tyler's "performance," there just isn't much to dislike here. Is the songwriting as strong as it is on the albums that follow? Of course not. Is the production weak? Relatively speaking, sure - but it's not like it's black metal. The album has some killer riffs and some delicious slices of prog, and it is clearly a blueprint for what the band would become.

The strongest component of this album to me? Thomas Miller. He's a monster on the next three albums, but he's next level on the debut. Maybe it's the poor production, but he punches through the mix very well. Dueling Romeo in a solo section? Whatever he's doing near the end of Absinthe and Rue? Stunning. Underrated. When a lot of people think of Symphony X, they drool over the guitar parts and relegate the other guys to backing musicians. While this definitely is more apparent on their three latest albums, what I loved about their first five (possibly six) efforts is that the band was actually like a symphony in that all the parts were equally important. Romeo's ego (or conscious style change, which I think is a more accurate description) didn't really take off until The Odyssey, but it hit full stride with the straightforward, guitar-driven Paradise Lost.

Anyway, time to review this thing with raw data. I will note that I have an ability to enjoy a song even if I don't like the vocals, since I am not a vocal-centric person. The music (including vocal melodies) will always come first to me, with a vocalist's sound and lyrics being less relevant.

• Into the Dementia / The Raging Season(s) - Filler intro followed by blueprint for typical Symphony X opener. Nothing special. 6/10
• Premonition - First sign of melodic progginess. Catchy, but too brief. 8/10
• Masquerade - Weak vocal melodies but cool riffs and music. Overrated. Don't know why they picked this one to redo with Russ. 6/10
• Absinthe and Rue - Heavy yet proggy, the only weakness being the vocals and vocal melodies. Excellent quiet interlude. 9/10
• Shades of Grey - Solid, other than the cringing chorus. Emotional and proggy, but the chorus is just too horrible. 5/10
• Taunting the Notorious - Better chorus than the previous song, but the rest is pure filler. 5/10
• Rapture or Pain - Catchy chorus, mid-tempo crunch, great music... but too brief. Missing something. Not spicy enough. 7/10
• Thorns of Sorrow - Blueprint for many songs to follow. Spicier. Love the cheese factor. Catchy. 8/10
• A Lesson Before Dying - The album's highlight. Proggy, emotive, technical, epic... you name it. Rod is the only low point. 10/10

Overall Rating: 71%

Like @MrKnickerbocker, my ratings are relative to each specific album. A Lesson Before Dying is a 10/10 for this album, much like The Odyssey is a 10/10 for its album... but they obviously differ greatly in terms of quality.

It's interesting to note that the style of the next album, The Damnation Game, is very similar to the debut. The production is better and the singer is from another planet, but the songs themselves sound like they were all written in the same session. More on this soon.

 

[Diesel 11]

I really gotta say that it has been a blast to go through this first album with you all, particularly as a newer fan of the band who’s still forming his opinions on them. Easily one of the best parts of my day whenever we come together to discuss and review another song. Looking forward to the Russell era tremendously.

 

[Detective Beauregard]

Agreed, @Diesel 11. It's fun to dive into this stuff in such a detailed manner, and I think Symphony X are a band that benefit from the analysis due to the nature of their music. Here's to eight more albums!

 

[MindRuler]

Looking forward to the detailed review of The Divine Wings Of Tragedy, my first encounter with Symphony X and to this very day not only my favourite of them by far but in my alltime Top 50 albums ever.

 

[Spambot]

A Lesson Before Dying

Yes, that intro is great. You guys said a lot about the guitars in the intro but I have to praise the good use of back vocals. Usually throughout the album, when back vocals kick in they overshadow the main melody whereas I'm of a opinion they should enrich the melody (which is the case here). It's quite obvious I'm starting the discography while rest of you know it quit better: Rod doesn't sound that bad here (or it could be my lack of vocal knowledge).

Verses are a bit generic and maybe that's OK considering the song's length. When the faster riff starts, I'd prefer some other synth effect, that one is quite "in your face". First part of the chorus reminds me on chorus from The Raging Seasons. Second part of it, eh... It doesn't really go anywhere. I know it's to early to say for progressive epic, but 4 minutes have passed (end of first chorus) and I'm afraid the song still doesn't deliver (considering the intro).

Now bridge that leads to second chorus is, to me, maybe the most interesting thing in this song. Quite catchy, simplistic, melodic and I wish they had more bits like this in their songs to bring a bit of balance. But pretty soon, I regret what I said. The melody is simple, but vocal is all over the place and his singing just oozes with aura of pathetic. Back vocals come to the rescue at the end.

From 6:50... I don't see (hear) what's so great about this part. If something kept me from progressive music, it's this. I've listened to this part several times and there's nothing positive for me to say about it. There is one minute of it where the lead guitar takes the melody and that is good, I guess. But then again, that neurotic piano comes in. I could go on, dissecting this part in details but I don't see the point of it. Overall, just when I think I managed to grab what they're trying to do, they take a hard left turn and I'm in completely different setting.

At the end of the song, chorus seems even better, maybe because of all those 4 minutes that came before it. All in all, yes, it's an epic but it feels so disjointed and leaves an even worse impression on the whole album.


About the album

I'm going to be honest with you guys: If it weren't for this deep dive thing, I think my listening to Symphony X's debut would be a one time affair. I could never put the numbers on the songs and calculate the average grade so I won't do that now. Best I can say is this: if the rest of the discography is great, one day I'll come back listening to this one again. Otherwise, there's nothing to return to here. Funny thing is, skimming through the songs the one that stuck to me the most was Shades of Grey. Funny because I think it's the lowest point on the album and that also says something else about it all. I remembered that saying about movies and I'll use it here: You know what are the worst kind of movies? Forgettable ones. It's the same with this debut. If something's good - you remember it; if something's bad - you remember it. Everything in between? You forget about it.

Now, if I was a music manager in the 90's and 5 guys came to me with this... I'd take some time and I would turn them down. Even worse, I would do the thing I hate the most. I'd say "Sorry guys, this is not for me right now, but when you do record a second one, call me immediately". Because, there are bits and bobs which are really great. You can hear every one of them is talented and has that something (OK, maybe except Rod) but can't really say the final product represents it. It looks like they had the idea but lacked that something to bring that idea to the finish line. If their entire approach was progressive they wouldn't stoop down to those generic choruses. If they wanted to make rocking record, they wouldn't have all that noodling and confusing tempo changes. They wanted to show their influences? Fine, then show how they influenced instead of pure emulating. It's a bit confusing record with no clear direction and accompanying factors down help them that much (production, sound effects etc.).

Overall, this may be an ugly thing to say, but I'm glad we're over with this one for several reasons. First, I knew their debut is generally the lowest ranking one. Second, I think I'll appreciate later albums more now. Third, because this just isn't for me.

 

[Diesel 11]

I don’t think you’re so far off the mark from the rest of us, to be honest. We very nearly skipped the debut album altogether while we were discussing setting up the DDD in a private convo. But ultimately going through it has shed light on aspects we’d probably miss otherwise, and since each album that follows is better in almost every regard (until we get to Iconoclast and Underworld, which, I’m going to be bluntly honest, I straight up haven’t heard more than once because I pretty much don’t want to hear them again), it helps to see their early attempts at what they would so perfectly succeed at and excel at down the road.

 

[MrKnickerbocker]

Enter the damn...damn, damn, damn...nation game!

The Damnation Game (1995)

After receiving some praise but very few sales for their debut album, Michael Romeo and crew set out to do better the second time around and released The Damnation Game less than a year later.

Rod Tyler was not into the band's material and wanted out. Ironically, it was Rod who introduced the band to their future lead singer, Russell Allen (who was previously jousting at Medieval Times and singing in a southern rock band called Sin River). According to Michael Romeo, Rod's introduction went something like this, "I know another singer: maybe he’s not as good as me, but I can introduce you to this guy Russell". (Source)

No source for this tidbit, but @Detective Beauregard and I spent about an hour talking to Russell after a show on the Paradise Lost tour and, when a very overzealous fan kept bugging him about playing songs like "The Edge of Forever", his response was that he was not a full band member during that album. He basically showed up and sang what they wanted him to sing. He felt like Divine Wings was the first time they were really a band.

Anyway, on with the show!

The Damnation Game

NOTES:
The intro of cites Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's Solfeggietto in C minor (H 220, Wq. 117: 2) (1766)

LYRICS:

Spoiler

Forever cursed by this game, he who plays with sin
Incantations summoned up our creations
We're players cast in this tale, believe it stranger than fiction
This justice thunders our condemnation

PRE-CHORUS:
Falling into innocence by a shadow's kiss
He speaks what mortals dare to say, will he betray?

CHORUS:
If you dare play the game, your descent preordained
From their fiery thrones screaming cursing your name
On the terror it feeds, breathing fire and greed
Watch him jest as you bleed
Screaming enter the damnation game

We cannot keep our heads clear
Or our tongues from evil (evil)
By this sword, certain death at our own hands
To have no wants is divine, untrue!
Platinum waves tainted gold, we can only watch from the shores

PRE-CHORUS
CHORUS

[Guitar Solo]
[Keyboard Solo]
[Guitar Solo]
[Guitar/Keyboard Unison]

CHORUS

Enter the damnation game
Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn

• Some things are immediately clear upon listening to this first track after completing the chore of the debut album...
  • The production is better.
  • Barely. The production is barely better.
  • The band is going for a more aggressive approach here, in terms of directly heavy material.
  • They have certainly leveled up in terms of vocalists.
• Now, with all that said, this is not a perfect nor classic song. I have very fond memories of this album because it evokes a certain mood for me (um, winter, d'uh), but as an opener the title track is merely sufficient.
• The intro is incredibly neoclassical, and by that I mean: classical. See above, re: Bach. Thomas Miller's bass fill into Rullo's pummeling double bass section is awesome. The heaviness and aggression, and pure virtuoso showmanship, as surely leveled up.
• Unfortunately the recording and mixing is still sub-par. It's not completely underwater like the debut, I'd say it's more like...behind a waterfall at the end of a lazy river. I think the main thing to blame here is the mixing, which is just not very good. All the instruments sound fine enough, and Romeo's guitar sounds much better than the debut, but the mix is incredibly uneven and muffled.
• The vocal melodies are, honestly, not that much better than on the debut. But Russell Allen's vocal power really lifts them to a new level. The lyrics and melodies are not great, but at least they sound great.
  • Most of the time. Russell doesn't 100% pull off this song, if I'm honest. He's still light years better than Rod, but clearly sounds like a hired gun. Lines like "thunders our condemnations" don't his voice any better than Rod's and are clearly written by Romeo.
• I love the grooviness in the first half of the pre-chorus and wish it lasted longer. The chorus is fine. Once again, it sounds good enough but is not very memorable. It's mostly too wordy, like this dissection. Anyway!
• The backing vocals are mixed too loud and it makes the whole thing sound cornier. Though I do like the choir vocal part that transitions back into the second verse.
• The solos are fine, but also not memorable. Pinnella’s patches are still bad. The reprise of the unison from the intro is cool, though.
• The best part of this song is what it signals for the future and that’s all in the last 30 seconds. Russell’s vocal wailing sounds great and pained, the drums synching up with that heavy riff are cool, and Pinnella’s bad keyboard patch is actually really chaotic and dark here. It boasts of better things to come.

 

[Mosh]

Thanks for the Russell Allen anecdote. That sorta explains why they never play from the album, I guess. More later.

 

[Diesel 11]

Rod's introduction went something like this, "I know another singer: maybe he’s not as good as me, but I can introduce you to this guy Russell".

Oh god.

 

[Detective Beauregard]

Funny thing is, skimming through the songs the one that stuck to me the most was Shades of Grey.

I'm glad I re-listened to the debut, because other than that abomination of a chorus, the song is actually solid.

(until we get to Iconoclast and Underworld, which, I’m going to be bluntly honest, I straight up haven’t heard more than once because I pretty much don’t want to hear them again)

While I believe that these two albums (along with Paradise Lost) are still better than 99% of the metal out there, they absolutely do not capture the same magic and appeal that the band's previous albums did. I almost wept when I listened to Iconoclast for the first time, only because I love the sound this band used to have, and it became clear somewhere around the song that used djent Meshuggah riffs that it was gone. Their style was incredibly unique, and the other bands that tried songwriting in a similar vein rarely even came close.

According to Michael Romeo, Rod's introduction went something like this, "I know another singer: maybe he’s not as good as me, but I can introduce you to this guy Russell". (Source)

He was joking, right? Please tell me he was joking...

 

[Mosh]

Ahh, Symphony X’s baroque period. I love the harpsichord sound and the Bach intro is awesome. Point taken on Allen’s struggles during this song, specifically with those ridiculously jumpy vocal melodies, but I do think he makes up for technical limitations with a great delivery. It’s already a huge step up from what we got with the original vocalist and, frankly, it’s going to work for everyone who isn’t a vocal coach or otherwise pro singer.

The solo section tradeoff sets the template for what you typically get with Symphony X’s short rockers. I actually think the instrumental sections tend to be a weak point for Symphony X because they’re so formulaic and Romeo and Pinella aren’t very exciting players, but there are still some cool licks in there. The guitar/keyboard duel is a ton of fun, but too short.

I agree that the outro is a highlight, great groove.

Overall, I love this song. It sets the template for a great Symphony X short rocker. Lots of sixteenth notes, lots of neo classical influences, catchy chorus. The halftime pre-chorus is awesome. Great riffing. It’s no Of Sins and Shadows, but we’re getting there.

 

[MrKnickerbocker]

Ahh, Symphony X’s baroque period. I love the harpsichord sound and the Bach intro is awesome. Point taken on Allen’s struggles during this song, specifically with those ridiculously jumpy vocal melodies, but I do think he makes up for technical limitations with a great delivery. It’s already a huge step up from what we got with the original vocalist and, frankly, it’s going to work for everyone who isn’t a vocal coach or otherwise pro singer.

The solo section tradeoff sets the template for what you typically get with Symphony X’s short rockers. I actually think the instrumental sections tend to be a weak point for Symphony X because they’re so formulaic and Romeo and Pinella aren’t very exciting players, but there are still some cool licks in there. The guitar/keyboard duel is a ton of fun, but too short.

Absolutely agreed. Russell singing an inferior vocal line is still better than 99% of other vocalists singing the best melody ever. I guess my main point was that Rod Tyler might not have been solely responsible for the poor vocals on the debut.

I do tend to agree with you about the solo sections as well. I think both of them improve as they go, but neither is the most interesting player in the genre (despite my great love for Pinnella's work).

 

[Detective Beauregard]

Symphony X wastes no time with an intro and jumps right into the fire in The Damnation Game. Romeo really starts channeling his inner Yngwie here, and one thing is amazingly clear - the mix. It may not be perfect, but being able to hear all the instruments clearly is quite a step above the submerged debut album.

• The intro is spectacular. I think Romeo is playing the first few measures using string skipping, but then he starts sweeping. Pinnella's use of the harpsichord to play simple arpeggiated chords works well because it gives the section depth of sound as well as character. Once the beat kicks in it's pretty standard power metal fare with Romeo on top. Pinnella is definitely in unison with the guitar for some of this, though. The fact that this section is based on an actual classical piece makes it even cooler in my book.
• The verse is our first taste of the man, the legend, Russell Allen. He bursts into the scene with a ferocious power here, and I love the verse melody. Sadly, the music is generic straight chug - weaker than fragmented chug - and thus is as dull as dishwater. The most exciting thing here is Pinnella's chord changes in the background.
• The pre-chorus is the only point in the song with a solid groove, and I do love it. The keyboard once again provides character with a massive organ, and of course it wouldn't be a Symphony X song without a modulation - this time from Ebm to Bm. The rhythm section shines here. The tempo also changes for this part, but then goes back up to power metal speed.
• The chorus is... good. It doesn't wow me, as it's a bit too wordy and "throw everything at the wall." I'm sure it's supposed to sound frenetic and bouncy, like Romeo had too many treats before writing it, but it's not my thing. The ending is nice, though.
• The post-chorus interlude is neat, and changes keys once again (to Em). This fragmented chug rhythm is used by pretty much every metal band under the sun (and some never under the sun), but it usually sounds cool. The second half of this is a nice display of Russell's choir layers, but it almost feels like it was written just to transition back into the verse. But it's better than nu-Symphony X, who would just skip the entire section altogether.
• The solo section is a massive improvement over almost all of those on the previous album, but the underlying riff is quite pedestrian.
  • The first solo is Romeo being Romeo. Meh.
  • Pinnella's first solo isn't his finest hour. I find that a lot of his solos are just scalar patterns with very few "hooks," and are often only in the song to provide a counterpoint (more in sound than style) to Romeo. His solo patch doesn't grab the ear like a lead guitar should, but I'm also not pulling my hair out as if it were a Rudess solo. P's patches just need a little more bite, and they get there as the band evolves. His solos get better (but more infrequent), too.
  • Romeo's second solo is pretty cool. He bursts right in with those sweeps and then goes into that classical off-kilter "never the same pedal note" thing that I love so dearly (at 3:32, the pedal notes are the 1st, 3rd, 5th, etc. notes played while the higher and more prominent notes are played 2nd, 4th, 6th, etc., which is the opposite of a typical riff). Love it!
• The unison is reminiscent of the second half of the intro, but with more bounce and color.
• The outro brings back the "dundundundun, dundundundun" rhythm (along with Romeo shamelessly harmonizing himself), but it's even cooler now with Russell wailing about something ominous. It's also been modulated to Dm, which is the "heaviest" Symphony X can be since they always play in D standard and don't use 7-strings. Thomas Miller did use a 5-string bass on some tracks on the first four albums, but I can't think of any really noticeable sections where he relies on it.

Overall, this is a fun, aggressive tune and an outstanding showcase of Sir Russell's talent. A few of you mentioned that he seemed to struggle here, but I didn't hear it. I also don't focus on vocals as much as most do, since I see them as just another instrument. I don't know what the lyrics are about, but let's be honest - Russell could sing a geology textbook and we'd all still be in awe.

Also, the album's liner notes state that the entire band performs backing vocals, so those choirs are more authentic than I thought.