Who knew that Symphony X was going to release a new album this year!? I sure didn’t. That’s why I got such confused feelings after popping this album in. Sure, the band might have changed their name to Anthriel for some reason, but who cares!? It’s a new Symphony X album! I listened with delight to the wonderful compositions of Michael Romeo. Sure, they hadn’t progressed their sound at all, but had returned to the chunky power metal of Divine Wings of Tragedy and Twilight in Olympus. The only thing is that Russel Allen’s voice had changed a bit. It was still excellent, but not quite as deep. Well, weirder things have happened.

I have been assured by those in the Metalreviews staff that this album is not in fact by Symphony X. I feel raped. How could I be so blindly deceived? Like a hooker with a penis, this ”Anthriel” (If that IS your real name…) was not what it first seemed to be. But also like a hooker with a penis, you can either let an unexpected surprise ruin your night… or you can just make the most of it.

So, if you hadn’t guessed, the band sounds like Symphony X, or at least the first four or five times hearing the album it did. After a few listens, the songs began to stick and I really started to enjoy it. After all, power metal is in a real rut. Sonata Arctica sound like unicorn’s having sex, Blind Guardian is running out of books to sing about, Guitar Hero is failing, causing Dragonforce to fade like McFly. The current state of the genre really just… well it fucking blows. That is why despite being tempted by this band expecting sweet Michael Romeo poon I got balls. And while I have not been a big fan of balls as of late, I know a good pair of balls when I see them and let me tell you, this is the only interesting pair of balls I’ve heard all year.

I need not name songs, they are all good. Everything here is solid stuff. Is it earthshattering? Not at all. And if this were released a few years ago it would have made even less of an impression. But right now we need something big in the world of power metal to shake up the pot. Until then, I’ll gladly accept someone doing an old trick well. This is not one of the albums of the year and I probably won’t have any cravings for it on my drive to work, but I can’t see myself ever not being in the mood for it. Anthriel definitely do not suck. It’ll do until Symphony X writes another album…