Symphony X
Underworld

When a band comes from a couple of albums where they've significantly hardened and intensified their offering, the spontaneous question that arises at the news of a new album being released is more or less always the same: will they continue in those extreme territories or will they return to something more moderately heavy?

With this spirit, all Symphony X fans approached "Underworld", the ninth studio album for the American power prog band. Their style was moderately heavy with significant symphonic, neoclassical, and epic openings in the first five albums. It became sharper and darker already in "The Odyssey" while still maintaining the neoclassical vein, presenting itself as an excellent bridge between two periods, and then seriously becoming harder and more modern with "Paradise Lost", later confirming the shift with the more technological "Iconoclast".

"Underworld", fortunately or unfortunately depending on preferences, follows the line adopted by the latest Symphony X. Still, very heavy guitars and sharp riffs, Russell Allen's voice tending toward angriness and a modern approach but, according to many, relegated to a secondary role for keyboardist Michael Pinnella. An album to be taken with its strengths and weaknesses, providing a good hour of excellent metal and some interesting ideas; however, the impression is that exactly the newer ideas present within could have been explored better; "Iconoclast" with its electronic and, in a sense, "cybernetic" and "futuristic" additions perhaps succeeded better in this endeavor; the album still shows a good variety of solutions, all adhering to a common denominator; we must remember we are talking about Symphony X, a band certainly not known for experimentation and research as their strong point.

A couple of tracks nevertheless succeed in impressing the listener. The powerful title-track, for example, stands out for its clear initial synths, demonstrating how keyboards, albeit in the background compared to guitars, play an extremely important role, often underrated; unimaginable would be tracks like "Run With The Devil" (also with interesting effects in the chorus) and the closing "Legend", where we witness majestic passages and interplays. "Kiss of Fire" offers unusual blast beats, while after listening to "Charon", one bites one's nails: what an amazing track it could have been if those oriental sounds in the chorus were more present and perhaps not overshadowed by the guitars, as well as the particular effects that masterfully close the track; here I relate back to the discussion already made in my review of the last Sylvan work, i.e., that experimentation should be approached with less shyness and more aggressively. A track that seems to succeed very well in this endeavor is undoubtedly "To Hell and Back", not only due to the excellent keyboard work but also for the unusual mood that especially characterizes the first minutes: that not-too-hard and incredibly melodic guitar, as well as the continuous and regular keyboard arpeggios, even seem to catapult us into AOR; more or less a cross between the early Dream Theater (how can one not think of "Under A Glass Moon" hearing that intro) and the early Saga albums; the track then goes in a direction similar to the others, but the first minutes are enough to let us speak of a breath of fresh air. Paradoxically, however, the track that most made me talk about a breath of fresh air is the much-maligned and for many, gaudy "Without You": that electroacoustic sound of the verses even reminded me of the recent Rush of "Snakes and Arrows" (those fast strums before the chorus even made me think of "Far Cry") while the chorus almost ventures into more modern and catchy alternative rock/metal, drawing legitimate comparisons with groups like Alter Bridge and Nickelback; it may be sly and MTV-friendly, but it is certainly a novelty for the band, such pieces are welcome.

The less interesting tracks, however, are undoubtedly the more purely metal "Nevermore" and "In My Darkest Hour", direct and powerful as needed, two good tracks but certainly not miraculous. The album's Overture is in the classic orchestral and Hollywood sound typical of some of their openings. As further proof that something of the old more melodic Symphony X sound persists, we have "Swansong", delicate throughout all its seven and a half minutes and more than ever guided by the piano.

The final judgment is that of a somewhat conventional but not too much album, there remains regret for that handful of interesting solutions that are not developed properly. Neither winners nor losers… no, perhaps there is a winner: it's Russell Allen, whose vocal timbre is always quite varied, being melodic at times, angry at others, hoarse in some moments, warm in others, even a bit virtuosic at times; perhaps his best performance?

Overall, it is alright, however, I think that if the band wants to move forward without repeating themselves, they need to abandon this vaguely thrashy approach; it was certainly nice to listen to it in these last three albums but it risks becoming a knot that could hinder their creativity, something they are capable of showing if they want to, as demonstrated at times. Evergrey, after a similar phase, mellowed their sound, arriving with the latest release to offer a sound not only more moderate but also completely restructured in sounds and influences. If Symphony X did the same, we could also have a new masterpiece that would effectively open a new phase in the group's career.