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Symphony X - Paradise Lost review



Reviewer:
9.0

1064 users:
8.64
Band: Symphony X
Album: Paradise Lost
Release date: June 2007


Disc I
01. Oculus Ex Inferni
02. Set The World On Fire (The Lie Of Lies)
03. Domination
04. Serpent's Kiss
05. Paradise Lost
06. Eve Of Seduction
07. The Walls Of Babylon
08. Seven
09. The Sacrifice
10. Revelation (Divus Pennae Ex Tragoedia)
11. Sacrifice Prelude [demo] [Japanese bonus]
12. Opening Alternate Intro [demo] [Japanese bonus]

Disc II [Live DVD]
01. King Of Terrors [Paris]
02. Out Of The Ashes [Paris]
03. Dressed To Kill [Tokyo]
04. In The Dragon's Den [Tokyo]
05. Inferno [Milan]
06. Evolution [Madrid]
07. The Odyssey - Part II [Hollywood]
08. The Odyssey - Part V & VI [Hollywood]
09. Smoke And Mirrors [Hollywood]
10. Of Sins And Shadows [Gigantour USA]

Five years my friends, we had to wait five really long years to have the luck to finally listen to the new Symphony X. The band promised something great and "heavy", I can tell you that they didn't lie to their fans because "Paradise Lost" is probably the heavier and darker album of the American combo but also one of their bests. It's good to see that SX is back and better than ever and after all even if it was long, we didn't wait for nothing. "Paradise Lost" is an amazing album damn so, be prepared for one of the biggest blast of the year 2007!!!

I will never say that "Paradise Lost" is better or not than the other albums of Symphony X for the simple reason that anyway, I love all their albums and I don't want to do any classification. But be sure of one thing, with "Paradise Lost" SX respects its promises. The album is really aggressive with a ton of heavy and loud riffs (like with "Evolution (The Grand Design)") and of course with all the ingredients of the musical recipe of the band. The great melodies, the symphonic arrangements, the super technical keyboards and guitars soli and the really long songs are still there but the main change on this release is the voice of Russel Allen. Here, the amazing singer uses a lot of aggressive voices (even a bit hoarsy sometime) and you'll be able to see that it's heavy yeah! "Paradise Lost" is a bit like "V" with the principal difference that this release is a lot more "in your face", not so complex and it will maybe be problematic for the fans who like pure Progressive Metal. I cannot say that "Paradise Lost" is not "Prog" because it's progressive for sure but when you compare it to "The Odyssey" or "V" it's a bit different. "Paradise Lost" is easier of access which doesn't mean that it's bad, at the opposite, but a song like "Eye Of Seduction" (even if it's all but not simple) is clearly more oriented toward the Power and Heavy Metal direction than the Progressive one. Some of you will like it, some others will find that it's maybe a bit too simple for a band like Symphony X and will regret the lack of complex passages, but don't worry, this is the only reproach that I will do today and this reproach is only for some few songs (I will never say that for Revelation (Divus Pennae ex Tragoedia)" for example).

Except this little remark about the lack of complexity and "deepness" on some songs, all is great here. The musicians are better than ever (this is probably the best performance of the American musicians, even if I regret that Russel doesn't use a lot his classy super clean voice. Agressive vocals are cool but pure clean vocals are great too...) and from the beginning to the end, "Paradise Lost" just kicks our asses. I listened to this album a dozen of times already and it's never boring, at the opposite the choruses and melodies all stay in our memory and it's clearly some kind of songs that you'll sing in your head during all the day. Plus the production is just amazing and the heavy sound of the band is super perceptible and I have nothing to say about the philosophical lyrics about the problems produced by the humans which are just excellent (as always with the band). "Paradise Lost" is a bit like a synonym of perfection.

"Paradise Lost" is a real must, a masterpiece of Metal. Clearly more accessible than the previous albums of the combo, it will probably be the album of the consecration for the American act, the album for ALL the fans of Metal. Nothing to add really, we didn't wait for nothing and Symphony X confirms one more time that they're one of the best combos of the whole Metal scene. Don't wait anymore, "Paradise Lost" is out now and this is a must so run to your records-shop to buy, for me (and for now of course (we're still in July hehe )) the album of the year 2007!


Rating breakdown
Performance: 10
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 9
Production: 10

Written by Jeff | 28.06.2007




Comments page 3 / 3

Comments: 72   Visited by: 366 users
20.11.2009 - 07:29
AnEpicDeath

@reviewer: Wow, your English is terrible!

I haven't gotten my hands on this one yet, but I've listened to about 1/3 of it, and have a bit of a concern: it seemed that this album dropped all of the neoclassical melodies and rhythmic elements! Is this true for the entirety (or majority) of it? Not that that makes it a worse album (it's lessened complexity takes care of that ), but I love Yngwie and neoclassical in general.
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11.02.2010 - 20:58
Rating: 9
Winterthrone

Written by AnEpicDeath on 20.11.2009 at 07:29

@reviewer: Wow, your English is terrible!

I haven't gotten my hands on this one yet, but I've listened to about 1/3 of it, and have a bit of a concern: it seemed that this album dropped all of the neoclassical melodies and rhythmic elements! Is this true for the entirety (or majority) of it? Not that that makes it a worse album (it's lessened complexity takes care of that ), but I love Yngwie and neoclassical in general.

First, Jeff comes from France so English is obviously not his first language. Yes there is a few grammar mistakes and few formulations borrowed from French (as a French speaking person i noticed 'em). But his review addresses all the important things you should know about this crazy album and, in that sense, it is a good review! I agree with the review and the rating. I follow Symphony X since The Divine Wings Of Tragedy and this is their best album with The Odyssey in second place.
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16.02.2010 - 03:17
AnEpicDeath

Written by Winterthrone on 11.02.2010 at 20:58

Written by AnEpicDeath on 20.11.2009 at 07:29

@reviewer: Wow, your English is terrible!

I haven't gotten my hands on this one yet, but I've listened to about 1/3 of it, and have a bit of a concern: it seemed that this album dropped all of the neoclassical melodies and rhythmic elements! Is this true for the entirety (or majority) of it? Not that that makes it a worse album (it's lessened complexity takes care of that ), but I love Yngwie and neoclassical in general.

First, Jeff comes from France so English is obviously not his first language. Yes there is a few grammar mistakes and few formulations borrowed from French (as a French speaking person i noticed 'em). But his review addresses all the important things you should know about this crazy album and, in that sense, it is a good review! I agree with the review and the rating. I follow Symphony X since The Divine Wings Of Tragedy and this is their best album with The Odyssey in second place.



No need to take too much offense at meager Grammar Nazis like myself. Actually, I agree that "The Odyssey" may be Symphony X's finest work, certainly being more consistent than any of its predecessors, while simultaneously *cranking* the progressive elements to a whole new level and even giving us an epic as great as "The Divine Wings of Tragedy". And to a large degree, their neoclassical side was waning (and had been since "V", I suppose) in favor of the emphasis on progressive metal riffs and writing. Which I was fine with, as change is inherit to progress, and the band demonstrated clear growth in complexity and maturity. However, "Paradise Lost" has toned down both of these aspects, so I wonder what is left. A goth-tinged blend of thrash, heavy metal, and NWOBHM? I've given the album a few listens since my last writing, and have concluded that, while certainly a great album, as are all SX releases, "Paradise Lost" is lackluster, somewhat pared down and uninspired, possessing stunning highs but boring, mediocre lows as well.
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24.05.2010 - 02:46
Hammer Pie

This album was a disappointment for me. The compositions aren't as varied or interesting as their previous releases, and Russell Allen's "angry" vocals are forced and overused. The title track is awesome, but other than that, even the better tracks feel a little uninspired and repetitive, and a couple songs are just flat-out boring. It's not a bad album by any stretch, but it's the only Symphony X album I can't listen to all the way through.
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16.07.2010 - 17:27
Rating: 7
Dark Cornatus
Powerslave
Written by Hammer Pie on 24.05.2010 at 02:46

This album was a disappointment for me. The compositions aren't as varied or interesting as their previous releases, and Russell Allen's "angry" vocals are forced and overused. The title track is awesome, but other than that, even the better tracks feel a little uninspired and repetitive, and a couple songs are just flat-out boring. It's not a bad album by any stretch, but it's the only Symphony X album I can't listen to all the way through.

I agre with you 100%, i have not really listened to this album since i first bought it because it is so boring. Everytime i give it a go i have to change songs. Whereas the older albums, which i have had for a lot longer, and have listed to for over 6 years, i still love.
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12.10.2010 - 13:56
Rating: 6
Oriax

This Album just gave me a headache and the vocals were poor and un-inspiring for me. Rated 6.
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16.10.2010 - 15:55
MeTalRea|istiK

Written by Oriax on 12.10.2010 at 13:56

This Album just gave me a headache and the vocals were poor and un-inspiring for me. Rated 6.

i second that!!
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17.10.2010 - 14:43
Zmaj Ognjeni Vuk
To Mega Therion
But 6 stands for "average". Is you dislike it so, shouldn't you rate it lower?
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Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one, and they all stink.
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11.11.2010 - 10:31
Rating: 8
Wes

Yup, seriously annoying and bad album. I've thought so from the start. All things that make SymX godly are missing from this album.

I hope with the new record label they will make a come back but until then I'll be listening to the solo on THE RELIC.
Screw Paradise Lost, its an entire genre change, and I hate to say it but a sell out.
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21.04.2011 - 07:49
VloRD

Man, the vocals are so forced and uninspiring.
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08.01.2014 - 00:28
Strawberry

Dafuq am I reading? This album kicks ass!
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23.12.2018 - 01:10
Rating: 10
BlankFile

One of the best Symphony X records, absolutely memorable, spectacular, amazing. Highlights? All the songs, basically. Tremendous work, outstanding really.
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