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 Post subject: 'Symphony X - Paradise Lost (#3912)'
PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 2:18 pm 
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Symphony X - Paradise Lost
Progressive Metal
Quoted: 98 / 100


Click here to see the review.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 2:56 pm 
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Great album but i don't think it ranks as their best, although im sure this will be the album that the band gains the most fans with, it's by far their most focused and intense cd.

Serpents Kiss is by far the best song here imo. The title track is where i think the album shows it's weakness, if ever it does. It's just not up to the standard of Communion and the Oracle.


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 3:07 pm 
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The Odyssey was much better in my opinion....


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 3:49 pm 
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This album is fantastic, haven't heard it enough yet, but I can say it is a fantastic work. I liked Allen's vocals a bit better in V.
I will see them in Cleveland on the 20 th of july, yeah!!!!


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 3:57 pm 
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:dio: Album of the Year hands down!!!

A perfect score 100/100 for me. And there are only 2 other albums this decade I would award that honor to.

This album is so very intense and crushing I can't believe it. I have always liked Symphony X and all, but honestly I didn't see this coming. A pleasant surprise to say the least.

I have to give the band credit. They didn't play it safe and just put out another very good power/prog album safely within the realms of the genre. The really pushed the boundries of what this kind of music can sound like. This album has the heaviness and intensity of death metal, the melodic sense of power metal and hard rock, and of course the technical mastery of prog.

Honestly wheather you like this new direction or not, it is exactly what this genre needed. I mean how many times have we heard people say all power/prog band sound the same and Blahh blahh. And on the surface who could blame them. I don't think anyone could say that about this album at all.

P.S. Russell Allen is a bad a@@!! I have always enjoyed his aggressive tinged singing and obviously it's brought to a new level here. Make no mistake however, this is still singing and not death metal growling.


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 5:11 pm 
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Oh man, this album is completely amazing in every way. Its definitely become my favourite Symphony X album (which is saying a lot)- it flows perfectly, as a concept album should, and the music reflects the themes of the songs (not to mention that they do a good job of turning Milton's Paradise Lost into song lyrics). So many outstanding riffs and leads... Romeo is indeed a God, not because he can play fast as shit, but because he can play fast as shit and still infuse melody and feeling into his solos, something other metal guitarists (cough, Petrucci) need to learn from. And Allen's vocals are extremely well done- I'm impressed he went in such a completely different direction, but they fit the album well. Oh yes, and their drummer does an outstanding job too.

Favourite tracks:
Set the World on Fire, Paradise Lost, Eve of Seduction, Seven, Revelation

93/100

(Oh yes, and just to confirm: The album is indeed based on Paradise Lost by John Milton, an epic poem telling first of Lucifer's rebellion against God, his subsequent banishment from Paradise, and then his corruption of Adam and Eve (Milton was among the first to present Satan in a somewhat sympathetic light). My third favourite work of epic poetry after The Iliad and The Aeneid, I very much reccomend it.


Last edited by Caligula_K on Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 6:14 pm 
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Ist Krieg
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A great album. It is becoming my favorite Symphony X album. I'm loving the heavy feel that's present on nearly all the tracks. It sets the album apart from their older albums and other power metal albums. I haven't even had time to really analyze the Paradise Lost theme yet. 94/100


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 6:44 pm 
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Metal Slave

Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2005 7:01 pm
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It's just another masterpiece album released by them.
My favorite track: Seven.
I just wish Romeo could shake off him the influence of The Accolade (Communion And The Oracle; The Accolade 2 and now the title track, Paradise Lost)!
Anyway, i love The Sacrifice and i think is better than the title track, for the reasons i mentioned before.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 7:38 pm 
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Wolfie wrote:
I just wish Romeo could shake off him the influence of The Accolade (Communion And The Oracle; The Accolade 2 and now the title track, Paradise Lost)!
Anyway, i love The Sacrifice and i think is better than the title track, for the reasons i mentioned before.

Yep.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:46 pm 
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Jeff@Metalreviews wrote:
The Odyssey was much better in my opinion....


I feel the same way.Granted I personally like the subject matter a bit more,but this new cd just isn't clicking with me,some of the songs I don't enjoy which is a first for me with this band.Their prior works while not as heavy unfortunately I like more,though the production on Paradise Lost is killer to be sure.The Odyssey is still my favorite hands down though.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:49 pm 
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i never really gotten into this band..i got the odessey...but i did'nt likte it...will i like this?


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 11:09 pm 
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metal_xxx wrote:
i never really gotten into this band..i got the odessey...but i did'nt likte it...will i like this?


I dont think so.

Anyway this album is really great, my favourite after Divine Wings Of Tragedy and in some moments even better, no filler to be found here all songs work great and give the album a really good flow,after all this years Michael Romeo keeps delivering great guitar leads and riffs without compromising the actual songs wich is something other prog guitarrist should learn how to do, although IMO Jorn Viggo is the king on that department, and Russell Allen sounds better than ever truly a great vocalist, this album is certainly up there with the Odyssey and thats saying a lot.


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:27 am 
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Great cd up there with Threshold and Redemption's latest for me. Suprised that V only got 72 it's an awesome cd.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:14 am 
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Ist Krieg
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Location: Husker Nation
Brahm_K wrote:
Oh man, this album is completely amazing in every way. Its definitely become my favourite Symphony X album (which is saying a lot)- it flows perfectly, as a concept album should, and the music reflects the themes of the songs perfectly (not to mention they do a good job of turning Milton's Paradise Lost into song lyrics). So many outstanding riffs and leads... Romeo is indeed a God, not because he can play fast as shit, but because he can play fast as shit and still infuse melody and feeling into his solos, something other metal guitarists (cough, Petrucci) need to learn from. And Allen's vocals are extremely well done- I'm impressed he went in such a completely different direction, but the fit the album well. Oh yes, and their drummer does an outstanding job too.

Favourite tracks:
Set the World on Fire, Paradise Lost, Eve of Seduction, Seven, Revelation

93/100

(Oh yes, and just to confirm: The album is indeed based on Paradise Lost by John Milton, an epic poem telling first of Lucifer's rebellion against God, his subsequent banishment from Paradise, and then his corruption of Adam and Eve (Milton was among the first to present Satan in a somewhat sympathetic light). My third favourite work of epic poetry after The Iliad and The Aeneid, I very much reccomend it.


You and your history. I wish I could sit down and read The Iliad.

Yep. In the running for album of the year for me as well. I agree with everything brahm and Aleksie said about Romeo's ability to focus his solos on melody. Yay for Michael Romeo! I'll have to put this in the same light as The Odyssey, I can't decide between the two. 92/100


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:48 am 
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Svartalfar

Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2005 2:09 am
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Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico
I like it very much although I do believe divine wings is slightly better. I love both the ballads very much as well as the intro. Best song for me is the walls of babylon because of its time changes and progressive sound.

Very solid album. 85/100


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 12:04 pm 
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As close to perfection as you will ever hear. It's hard to pick a favorite song. I had a copy a month before the release but still bought it when it came out. It's hard to stop listening to it :dio:


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:53 am 
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The problem with this album is that it doesn't offer nothing new, on the other hand its a very solid release, they really played it safe here. Better than doing something stupid, though it was a surprise since they took a 5 year gap.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 2:25 am 
Bleak wrote:
The problem with this album is that it doesn't offer nothing new, on the other hand its a very solid release, they really played it safe here. Better than doing something stupid, though it was a surprise since they took a 5 year gap.


After a one listen I feel the same way - Odyssey Part 2 is what I'm mostly hearing. That's not to say it's a bad CD in any way, but I didn't sense an effort to cover new ground or create new motifs. Time will tell of course, for this is complex music.


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 Post subject: for the inexperienced
PostPosted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 11:06 pm 
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Svartalfar

Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:57 pm
Posts: 3
I have not had the privelage of listening to Symphony X's older albums, but I must say for a first impression they were not bad at all.


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 Post subject: Killer album!!
PostPosted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 3:11 pm 
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Svartalfar

Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2004 10:14 am
Posts: 15
Do you believe what the others say, believe your ears!!

HEAR IT. OWN IT. WORSHIP IT.


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