THE ODYSSEY

Contrary to some of the reviews here, this was my first Symphony X album, and it did not deter me from the band in anyway. I had purchased it on a suggestion, and received it about 1 week prior to seeing the band tour to support it. Needless to say I had little time to truly absorb the music before the show. I had not even listened to the title track more than fleetingly. All that changed when I saw the music performed live, with the band coming back and playing The Odyssey as their encore. A truly amazing piece and amazing to hear it pulled off flawlessly in the live environment.

While the album overall is not as high on my list of favorites as its predecessor 'V', it is still an album that is often played. As I write this, it's getting played once more. The high point for me is the title track, but songs like Inferno and Wicked nail you to the wall when played. Every member of the band does nothing that I would detract from or take away. Classical references are still evident, as with the nod to Chopin in the beginning piano of Awakenings.

Definitely on my short list of favorite albums overall, this is a great work by Symphony X.