THE DAMNATION GAME

Symphony X' second album was just released eight months after their debut in 1994, but you can clearly hear that the band already have improved very much stylistically since then, starting to establish their signature sound in full force, foreshadowing what's to come on Divine Wings of Tragedy. Also, new vocalist Russel Allen is introduced and would be a huge part of the classic SymX sound from now on, his powerful and dynamic voice was a perfect fit for them and he quickly became one of the best vocalists in prog metal. The songs are in the vein of melodic power metal with some prog elements present, the two mini epics 'The Edge of Forever' and 'A Winter's Dream' being the best tracks here, both teasing for what to come later in their discography. Some of the shorter tunes are slightly weaker to me, but still enjoyable enough, and while it's not SymX' most essential album, fans should check it out. 3.5/5