SYMPHONY X — The Odyssey (review)

SYMPHONY X — The Odyssey album cover Album · 2002 · Progressive Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
aiylyn
Onward metal soldiers....

You'd better believe Symphony X are standing tall in 2002. When such a band releases a landmark album - in this case, 2000's V - which reaches a whole new audience and firmly settles the band into the top position in the progressive metal arena, people soon begin to wonder - how will they follow such a monument? Will the next offering be even better? In this case, Symphony X has done probably the best thing they could have done: a departure in style. From the first song on The Odyssey, you will realize that this is a new Symphony X. New stylistic elements are coming in to place, and some old ones are fading away. The guitar riffage on the first few tracks bring to mind another popular American metal band: Pantera. The keyboard solos, which many people found irritating on past albums, are lessened here, and indeed there are more prominent piano patches employed, something I find to be a welcome relief. There is less sheer speed and more melody. From track 4 - The Accolade II, with its amazing chorus - through the remainder of the album, the band is in its finest hour. The Odyssey itself, the closing epic, is probably the best concept song the band has done so far. This overture is far superior to a certain other overture released by another band earlier this year... Be prepared for a new mix. The drums are drier than they have been in the past, and the kick drum is way out of proportion from the bass, which suffered a lot in this mix. The vocals are heavily processed and way out in front of the rest of the band. This is album's only demerit, in my view; as I prefer the older mixes over this new one. Overall, the new Symphony X have taken center stage as kings of symphonic metal, a position which probably will not be challenged for a long time to come.
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