Symphony X
Underworld

The masters Symphony X return with a new album, and the band's most die-hard fans immediately had a question arise: "What intentions did Symphony X have during the writing process of this album? Did they decide to return to the sound of their roots? Or will they continue with this 'thrash turn' (the quotes are not there by chance) that has characterized their musical offering from Paradise Lost onwards?" Well, the opening track "Nevermore" (preceded by a brief instrumental intro) leaves no doubt, and the correct option is the second. Massive guitar riffs, aggressive vocal lines, and devastating bass and drums characterize almost the entire duration of the album, but of course, the Symphony X trademark is branded into every track. By that, I mean that there are no shortage of melodic openings (interpreted by a superb Russell Allen) that have so characterized the band's discography, nor are there moments of great epicness and emotional pathos. The performance of every musician is excellent. Besides the aforementioned Allen, the now-recovered Jason Rullo (his health problems finally resolved) beats the drums like a madman, but every passage is never trivial and is always perfect in every context. LePond is the usual pillar to rely on, his deep bass drives and harmonizes perfectly with the already mentioned drummer, but the real honor goes to the two Michaels (three counting Lepond, but we've already talked about him). Pinnella, somewhat overshadowed in the first part of the album, nonetheless shows off an excellent performance with catchy solos flavored with highly baroque sounds absolutely perfect for the musical context, while Romeo churns out granite riffs and hyper-technical solos that still remain etched from the first listen. A lot of technique, therefore, but also a profound sense of good taste from a band that, despite a few small missteps, has always given us excellent albums and, above all, great emotions. The variety of the record also stands out. "Kiss Of Fire" is a punch in the stomach with a furious Allen, whereas the stunning "To Hell and Back" is very epic-sounding, while "Nevermore" and the title track offer us those melodic openings alternated with tightly packed verses that we love so much. Even the power-ballad "Without You" doesn't disappoint; on the contrary, it stands out for its distinctly unique personality. And that's it, Symphony X has not disappointed us this time either, and though the more purist Prog fans might frown at this more "metallic" turn, it certainly hasn't disappointed those who, like me, loved "Paradise Lost" and "Iconoclast". I recommend it to everyone, we are talking about a more than excellent metal album, and if I had to compile a personal ranking of the best releases of 2015, well... this would enter by right. Well done, guys.