i dont get all discussion about are they (still) prog...gues what, WHO CARES?! its just music, its great music, try to look it that way.....and if you are fans than you should know that Romeo hates when people are saying that SyX is prog/symphonic/power, he never said that SyX is prog or trying to be prog. he always says "we just play metal music"..he never labeled his own music other than metal
Symphony X's official Facebook page lists them as progressive metal.
I haven't posted in eons but returned as, by chance, Underworld is releasing on my birthday. Feeling it was meant to be, I took a leap of faith and ordered it to arrive on its release date.
This will be my thirtieth birthday. When I started listening to Symphony X, I was a pimply-faced derpy teenager. Practically single-handedly, SX exploded my appreciation for musical composition. I listened to The Odyssey, Accolade I/II, Communion and the Oracle, and especially the entire live album so many times I probably had a mental illness lol. When I fell on tough times, the fact that I could always listen to this band was like a security blanket. It also expanded my horizons and allowed me to enjoy many other musical experiences I would otherwise have ignored. Even though I don't listen to them very much anymore, it's hard to imagine Symphony X ever being topped as my favorite band ever. These guys have my utmost appreciation.
But alas, all things change in time. Paradise Lost isn't what I expected after such a long hiatus. I gave it a chance, and learned to like it -but I didn't love it. It was the CD to go for when you just wanted the sheer metal effect (that is, if your ears could survive the audio mastering for the entire CD). It still had the signature SX "special sauce". It was just slathered over a Burger King patty instead of a steak. Sometimes you like the sauce and don't give a shit.
I listened to Iconoclast exactly once. Not out of spite or disgust -I simply didn't like it that much and kept walking. But when that CD came out, I knew for sure my favorite band had gone by the wayside. And you know what? That's OK.
As I approach "the big 30", I find myself shedding a lot of useless shit. Pointless attachments to possessions, habits, thought patterns, long gone relationships, or whatever else might be pointless. What better time to stop bitching and moaning over SX?
Let it go guys. Damn. I don't expect Underworld to be a masterpiece, but I'll enjoy the ride as what it is. Newer SX is not bad as long as you don't compare it to their older work. That may seem hard to do, but you could be missing out on what you'd call a decent CD had it been made by another band.
The band is human. They worked their asses off making that music, for our benefit. I don't think they ever got rich doing that. Let's be glad that for a LONG time, SX was about pushing the envelope. If you had the option of working far less hard and suddenly making more money, would you take it? Maybe you would choose to do so after doing us all a favor and roughing it out. That's what they did, and I don't feel we're in a position of authority to question it. They owe us nothing, in fact, for many on this forum they've given us far more than any other band. I'm still thankful for the fucking pieces of art they cranked out. Yes, I know, we should live in a perfect world where SX will always be there to take all our problems away with impossibly good music lol. To risk sounding a bit cliche, something is not beautiful because it lasts forever.
Let's face it, everybody, including Romeo himself, knows there was a change. I respect change, but I can't help but feel like he's alienating his oldest fans by not only admitting it, but also backpedaling to try to make it seem like this was always the bands ethos. No it wasn't man cut that shit out lol. It's on your facebook page dude. And the old CD liners.
For my 30th birthday, I will be either pleasantly surprised with a good dose of Symphony X, or find a good opportunity to let go and move on in life without selfishly judging what they do. They are, after all, a lot more popular now. Even if it's not your birthday, I think many of the forums most stalwart members would do well to have the same mindset on July 24.