Symphony X - Underworld

This release was just announced a couple days ago:

http://www.symphonyx.com/site/news/the-new-album-titled-underworld-will-be-out-in-july/

Big fan of the band...Russell Allen is one of the best singers in metal.

Hope it's better than the last one.

Even though their last one followed the formula of Paradise Lost, it was still pretty good.

Russ is also one of my favorite modern vocalists, so it will be interesting what the put out with this one.

I bought The Odyssey years ago and just could not get into it at all...  Was that not the album to start with?

Kerrick wrote:I bought The Odyssey years ago and just could not get into it at all...  Was that not the album to start with?

...check out Paradise Lost...then Iconoclast.

Ah.  Well, I probably have enough on my "to buy" list already, but I may do that one of these days.  A couple of the songs were decent, but overall I just thought it was very boring. 

Kerrick wrote:I bought The Odyssey years ago and just could not get into it at all...  Was that not the album to start with?

It is their masterwork.

The Odyssey is brilliant!

I saw "The Odyssey" (song) performed live and it was the greatest piece of music I've ever seen performed live.

Hmm...  Maybe I'm just a weirdo.  [Bet not comment on that, anyone...  ]  I love me my epic songs, but I thought that the title track was pretty boring and didn't really go anywhere...  Eh, to each their own I guess!

"The Divine Wings of Tragedy" and "V" are still my favorites by them.

No, Kerrick, you're not weird for not being able to get in to The Odyssey.  For multiple other things, but not that.   I haven't been able to get into it (or most of their earlier stuff that the long term, hardcore fans of the band drool over, for that matter) very well either.....head for Paradise Lost instead.  It's probably what most people should listen to first to introduce themselves to the band.   It's produced in a way emphasizes the "heavy" over the "proggy" aspects, and I have a suspicion that is what you need to get into the band.

I like every album Symphony X put out ....Divine Wings of Tragedy is my fav....then probably Odyssey.

FreeRangeBeliever wrote:I like every album Symphony X put out ....Divine Wings of Tragedy is my fav....then probably Odyssey.

Divine Wings is a close second for me.

I bought V and totally hated it.

I heard some stuff from DWoT and thought it sounded pretty cool.

exo wrote:No, Kerrick, you're not weird for not being able to get in to The Odyssey.  For multiple other things, but not that.

exo wrote:No, Kerrick, you're not weird for not being able to get in to The Odyssey.  For multiple other things, but not that.   I haven't been able to get into it (or most of their earlier stuff that the long term, hardcore fans of the band drool over, for that matter) very well either.....head for Paradise Lost instead.  It's probably what most people should listen to first to introduce themselves to the band.   It's produced in a way emphasizes the "heavy" over the "proggy" aspects, and I have a suspicion that is what you need to get into the band.

Absolutely LOVE Paradise Lost. The title song alone is worth the price of the album in my opinion. But like Kerrick, I can't get into Odyssey.

Paradise Lost was decent enough, but not enough to keep me interested.

My favorite is Paradise Lost because it has a heavy and polished production. The older stuff like Divine Wings and V are great too, but as someone said, the songs and production emphasize the prog over the metal. I think they do the metal better, unlike Dream Theater. Odyssey kinda has a Pantera-ish guitar tone, which is cool. Not a huge fan of the title-track though, and Prog Epics is my middle-name  

Superjuice wrote:

FreeRangeBeliever wrote:I like every album Symphony X put out ....Divine Wings of Tragedy is my fav....then probably Odyssey.

Divine Wings is a close second for me.

Odyssey is a close 2nd for me...

The only album I don't care for is their first. (No Russell Allen)

One of my favorite bands ever! Excited for this new album.

I can't believe this thread hasn't been updated.

This is a great album. On par with Iconoclast. Maybe not as heavy as Iconoclast, more elements of their earlier classics, but great quality production and songwriting.

What do you guys think?

Well, since Iconoclast is Paradise Lost's (far) lesser sibling, I think you're paying the new disc a disservice with the comparison :p


It's good, has what might be my favorite track they've ever done, Russel Allen is his usual stellar self, and they manage to blend their earlier tendencies towards the progressive with a modern heavy stomp that reminds me almost of Lamb of God at times, and in other spots hits an almost symphonic black metal feel.  Still not my personal favorite, but it's up there.  Very well executed.