V - THE NEW MYTHOLOGY SUITE

I really like progressive music. Sometimes I also listen to progressive rock bands, like Marillion, Transatlantic or Kansas, but my real passion is the progressive metal. I think now I know about 100 prog metal bands and one of my first prog metal bands was Symphony X. They are still my favourites since such a long time, and all the bands I`m getting to know can't top them. Their 5th Studio Release is this conceptual Masterpiece combining nice melodies with complex compositions and roughness. So it's a perfect blend of Power Metal, Math-Prog and Progressive Rock. Like just mentioned there are quite complex bits it's partially exertive, but that abates with the time. The oftener you listen to it the more you understand this album and the more you like it. Some critisized that there are no catchy tunes within this cd, but they're actually wrong because they're coming with the time. Well there're people alleging the strory is kitschy and cheesy because it deals with Mythology but I think it's a dumb way to argue. They don't like it because it is something else compared with all the other concept albums which are overall dealing with almost the same topics. And behind that Mythology sphere the're creating a connection to the today's society (e.g. "A Fool's Paradise"). But now I want to say something about the tracks. There are 13 songs on this cd. Through the concept they are musically connected and you could regard it as one huge song. Starting with a power metal vein it turns with "Fallen" into the Math-Prog-Metal genre. Just listen to the guitar work. But else than usual math-prog bands they're are combining the complexity with an interesting catchy (with the time) melody and a fantastic atmosphere. The next song is a short symphonic instrumental interlude reducing a whole orchester to 5 incredible guys."Communion and the oracle" is a much more progressive rock song than metal with an awful melody and the required complexity and amazing vocals by Russell Allen, for me the best vocalist in the ProgMetal genre. "The Bird-Serpent War" features again a lot of complexity with bodacious drums. Another Instrumental- Symphonic-Compositions follows up with "On the Breath of Poseidon". Longer then "Trascendence" and with a heavy passage and again a lot of orchestral effects. Next part of the trip is "Egypt", one of the best Progmetal track ever. Wonderful Chorus and an genious instrumentalpart within and an amazing solo (bass guitar). THe guitar solo is one of the best I#ve ever heard. It's not as fast as he could play, it's quite slow but is very special and awful. Now we have a nother Instrumental with "The Death of Balance" and the 2nd part of the song "Lacrymosa". "The Death of Balance" features again a heavy part and an incredible drum work. "Lacrymosa" is a variation of Mozart's "Lacrimosa". They used latin text again like they did in the "Prelude". Someone got excited over the fact that they wrote it with "y" although it's latin and supposed to been written with "i" but I think they emphasised that this is a variation. The next song in the line is the nice " Absence of Light", asong in the usual Symphony X style. Contains a nice solo and again a fantastic melody. "A Fool's Paradise" comprehends anew a wonderful melodie, a latin text part composed and sung in the same way as "Prelude", and a nice classical styled solo. The End is a 13-minute song consisting of 2 parts. The first part, about 1 1/2 minutes long is a harmonic soft instrumental part with a soft guitar and strings reminding me a bit of Pink Floyd. The 2nd part is amazing. The best song of the cd and one of my all time favourites. Wonderful Melodies, different styles from soft to heavy and a piano interlude to a rough and post-apocalypse style but composed in such a great way that it all fits together. The work of all Instruments is amazing. Well, Jason Rullo doesn't put in so many specials like Mike Portnoy for example but the stil so many complex signatures and amazing breaks that it's not that worse. And who could top Michael Romeo and Michael Pinnella? They are amazing. Their style changes from title to title and rarely you experience such a virtuosity. But what would Symphony X be without the incredible Russell Allen with his enormous range. But as well the new bass player Michael LePond is awful. Listen to the bassline in Fallen-inredible, or the solo in Egypt. It needs time till you understand and may if you dont like it give it more tries, it deserves it because it because it is one of the most amazing pieces of work ever in the music scene and of course a masterpiece. Symphony X are creating a fantastic longevity and a perfect togetherness of music, lyrics and vocals that is quite important for me especially on a concept album. I heard it about 300 times ore more often but it's still not disappointingand I've not yet discovered any failures within the album and I just can highly recommend it to everyone.

My rating: 94%