RARITIES AND DEMOS

This is a CD released by the official international Symphony X fanclub and actually the only Symphony X 'EP'. What do we have here? The demo version of the kick ass song "Inferno (Unleash The Fire)", which is a bit different and you can actually hear Allen singing (on some parts) the melodies the voice will do when the record is finally released instead of singing the lyrics. Also, the production on this track seems like cleaner, and not so over polished, low as heavy as the track we can hear on "The Odyssey" album. The "Overture" demo version of the gigantic epic "The Odyssey" is very, very similar and brought me memories of this big song I haven't heard in a long time. Also, here we've the demo of "Eyes Of Medusa", which was originally entitled "Gates Of Misery", and has a different chorus, and is absent the nice and dark instrumental intermission "The Isle Of Deadly Shores", and IMO that makes the song worse, in addition that the production on this song isn't very good. "A Winter's Dream Part II" (with Rod Tyler on vocals) has even worse production than the first SX album, and this song was going to be included on that album, but it was included (with the amazing Allen on vocals) on their second effort, "Damnation Game". "Disillusioned" figures as an unreleased track but I feel it as a very different version of the wild "Taunting The Notorious", but equally great. To close this 28 minute disc, we've the "Star Wars Suite", which is basically Romeo covering that song we all know, with amazing melody and solos, it's a pleasure listening to that song.

Overall, a disc that is logically recommended just to Symphony X's fans or collectors of this kind of rarities. Definitely worth a listen for a fan of the band.

Rating: 2.0/5