Symphony X - Sayerville, NJ 2/3/2012

Symphony X returns to their home state for this stop of their "Iconoclast" tour, and needless to say it was a brilliant performance. I've seen the band before, but that was in a larger venue in NYC and I was standing on the second level. This time I made sure to be right on the front rail and it was such a difference in experiences! More on that later.

The show opened up LA thrash metal band Warbringer. They are your run of the mill, straightforward thrash metal band. No frills, just pure thrash. I am a fan of thrash so it wasn't bad at all but the lack of variation did wear on me a bit. It was only a 30 minute set yet by the end I was really bored. Some variation would have been nice. The band itself though is quite musically talented and the drumming was intense.

Next was Iced Earth, a band I've known of for years but never listened to before. I thought they were a power metal band, and was surprised to hear they are largely a speed metal band, with some progressive-ness thrown in. It was a great show, and the band is obviously very talented topped with great vocals.  He ranged from borderline death growls to soaring falsetto. They did it all: thrash, groove, melodic and mellow, some awesome riffing, intense drumming and decent variation in their songwriting. I plan to look into some of their stuff now thanks to the show. It was an hour and a half set (they were technically co headlining with Symphony X) and it didn't drag on at all, always a good sign.

Finally, the stars of the night: Symphony X. They came right out and played the first 4 songs off "Iconoclast" not giving you a chance to breath until it was over. The 11 minute title track was a truly epic way to start the show.

Once the run was over they mixed things up with the ballad "When All is Lost" before finishing the "Iconoclast" portion with "Electric Messiah" and "Children of a Faceless God" which have 2 of my favorite choruses on the album. Superb live. The finished up with their two biggest songs, "Inferno" and right into "Of Sins and Shadows"

They encored with three songs from their previous album "Paradise Lost". "Eve of Seduction" the uber groovy "Serpents Kiss" and topped it off with the epic thrasher "Set the World on Fire"

The band was of course awesome and they put on one hell of a show. They really know how to fire the place up. While it's great to experience live, being right up front was a whole different beast. Getting to see Michael Romeo play up close is something else (and will put to shame any dreams you have of being a guitarist) and is just so much more intense. The band has a great stage presence, Russell Allen likes to interact with the audience both during and in between songs.

You can tell they really enjoy what they do and care about the fans. During the encore vocalist Allen jumped down from stage and sang while making his away across the front row. I was lucky enough to have stop directly in front of me to sing, I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel like a teen girl standing in front of her idol. Earlier in the show he grabbed someones iphone with a video going and proceeded to sing while recording the crowd! Great to see a band that genuinely enjoys performing, playing with each other and most importantly enjoys the crowd.

Needless to say their musical performance is spot on and Allen's vocals are perfect. Sounds just like the album and is just as powerful live. A great show and utterly spectacular performance by Symphony X.

I didn't even know this show was going on. Was this at Starland Ballroom? I live 10 minutes away from there.

I saw Iced Earth there back in 2004 (Trivium opened for them, and they were booed most of their set, mostly because the lead singer/guitarist was a dick). They put on a good show. If you like Symphony X, you'd probably like Iced Earth, they're the closest to prog metal you can get without actually being that IMO.

I saw them in Quebec this weekend and I almost totally agree with you. In Quebec the sound was extremely loud, that was insane. My ears still hurt and trust me I've seen a lot of concert and it never happened. SX playing was amazing as always, they are one of my favourite band. But the letdown, IMO, was the setlist. They played the songs I find the less interesting except for Inferno, Iconoclast and When all is Lost. I was kind of disappointed 'cause I feel they are going in a direction that is less interessting than their 'before Paradise Lost period'. Anyway it's always a pleasure to see those guys enjoying the stage. They are still my favourite Progmetal band and I think they will always be.

Haha you're right I saw Agalloch once and it was quite loud too. Yeah I'm more an old school SX fan, when they were very progressive but I can enjoy Paradise Lost and Iconoclast and I choose them anytime against a DT album haha

Well...honestly you'd luck out if a band played an equal distribution from their discog when I saw Opeth and even those avant garde metallers Agalloch it was largely their newest album/newer stuff. Agalloch played only one song from The Mantle!

Hey I like their pre PL stuff better, but a band has to change it up! I love the heavier, more "brutal" Symph X and it's still their sound anyway.

Sounds awesome. I also thought similiar to what broseidon said above me, "be nuts if they played a portion of the odyssey". I live in Newfoundland so the shows here are lacking (although deep purple stopped by in febuary), to see symphony x would make me a very happy person. Congratulations.