How do you rank The Damnation Game in their catalog?

[batmura]

I have been playing their Symphony X albums recently, mostly stuff through Twilight in Olympus. The Divine Wings of Tragedy has been a personal favourite of mine since day one, but I've always had a soft spot for The Damnation Game. Long after the band got big with the release of V: The Mythology Suite, I used to go back to The Divine Wings of Tragedy and proclaim it the band's masterwork. In the meantime, I'd play The Damnation Game and consider it such a leap forward after the debut, which I don't really like.

To me, The Damnation Game sticks out because it is arguably their darkest work musically. The themes, Russell's vocalizations, the way the keys linger on in the background even during the busiest musical passages give the album a distinct feel. There is no arguing that everyone in the band, especially Michael Romeo would improve by leaps in the following years, but the darkness factor that abounds on this disc would never be recaptured.

I was wondering what everyone on this forum thinks about The Damnation Game. How do you guys rank in their discography? Is it more of a stepping stone for its follow-up or more of a one-off experiment the band decided to walk away from? What do you think of the songs on it?

Any thoughts?

 

[JesterIF]

I think Damnation Game is an excellent album, I feel every song is strong and The Edge of Forever is truly a masterpiece. It's my 3rd fav after Divine and V.

You made me realize I haven't had a listen of this album in a long time. Might give it a play soon

 

[Danilo]

My list of favorite Sym X albums would be:
1 - V
2 - Divine Wings of Tragedy
3 - Twilight in Olympus
4 - Paradise Lost
5 - The Odyssey
6 - Damnation Game
7 - Symphony X

By the way, I was listening to Twilight in Olympus today and realized there isn't even one song that I dislike on that album, but still it's my third favorite one. I love V but I don't dig "Absence of light" at all, and from DWOT The Witching Hour is the one I end up skipping when I listen to that album.

 

[J-Dubya 777]

My first SyX cd was Damnation Game. Went to a cd store to pick up DWOT, but they were sold out. Definitely in my top 3 SyX cds....I think it is/was more of a stepping stone, rather than an experiment they walked away from.
I always wanted to hear them play the song Damnation Game live, and I don't think they ever have at any show I've been at....

 

[Postulate]

Good album, Edge of Forever and both parts of a Winter's Dream are really must-hears. The other Yngwie-Malmsteen sounding stuff is also good, energetic, lots of nice guitar, but the songwriting isn't as good as what would come after there IMO, mostly because there are a lot of awkward bridges still it doesn't feel quite as cohesive as the later rockers like Of Sins and Shadows and things like that. A song like Whispers sounds like an amazing song hidden within a good song, if that makes sense.

 

[Marwen]

1) It's got some pretty cool guitar solos and neoclassical lines namely in Savage Curtain (cool tapping stuff and then a SICK solo!), Dressed to Kill (awesome heavy song with a cool solo), and The Haunting (another underrated song with some great chord progressions and solos and shit).

2) It's got a beautiful angelic song called Whispers.

That's what I personally like most about that album.

 

[PrgrsveMetalnChains]

I don't really like it personally. On the Edge of Forever is the only song that stands out to me on that album...I don't usually load it on my MP3 player...

 

[Krowsnest]

Though Damnation game is probably my second-to-least favorite album (the self-titled album obviously being last), I still think its a great album. I generally listen to it when I'm in more of a mellow mood, because as stated, it is a darker and, I feel, slower album than the others.

Id warrant a purchase of the album just for the Edge of Forever and Winter's Dream , they're that good

 

[proulxski]

I love Damnation Game, the only problem I have is with the toilet bowl sound. But Winters Dream, Edge of Forever, are some of my fave symphony x songs. Top notch.

 

[Kenneth R.]

I like it quite a bit.

lol@ toilet bowl production.

 

[Weston]

#1

The Damnation Game is my favorite album of SX's entire discography hands down.

 

[ElvenShadow]

Ive always loved this album. I agree on the production. As long as you turn it up really loud its all good. Its a good album to blast in the car.

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

Is it more of a stepping stone for its follow-up

This.

A song like Whispers sounds like an amazing song hidden within a good song, if that makes sense.

I know what you mean.

I rank this album as second-to-last in their catalog (ahead of the debut obviously). I really only love two songs from it (Dressed to Kill and Edge of Forever), which is a big difference from most other Symphony X albums. I also feel that the debut album would have been just as good as this one if it had better production and Russell singing.

 

[Ryan M.]

My list of favorite Sym X albums would be:

1 - Divine Wings of Tragedy
2 - The Odyssey
3 - Twilight in Olympus
4 - Paradise Lost
5 - V
6 - Damnation Game
7 - Symphony X

 

[keeperxiii]

I have to disagree with some people regarding the production. It sounds perfect to me, it fits in nicely.

For me it's something like this, flame if you want:

1-Damnation Game -> first album I listened too so I can't get it out of my mind
2-DWOT - Would be first if I didn't had such nostalgia for DG :laugh:
3-The Odyssey
4-Twilight in Olympus - This one actually sounds more like a toilet production
5-V - lacks the melody of their other albums and makes them sounds like most other prog bands, just doing it by the numbers
6-PL - Too heavy, but good, hope the new one gets a better balance
7-S/T - I agree with the Detective

 

[Marwen]

Mine would be:

1) V: Pure magic
2) DWOT: Great album with some magical moments
3) TIO and Odyssey: Great albums
4) Damnation Game: Pretty good album
5) PL: Good album
6) S/t: Promising debut release

5-V - lacks the melody of their other albums and makes them sounds like most other prog bands, just doing it by the numbers

:zombie:

you should be banned

 

[Dark Lucidity]

I wish they would remaster it

 

[RuRoRul]

6th, where it belongs I have to say. Of course, The Edge Of Forever would most likely be 6th or higher in my Symphony X song rankings, but since I'm not one who hates any of the albums it's hard for The Damnation Game to top any of them. The Edge Of Forever and A Winter's Dream are great though and the rest are pretty good too, but even though it has one of their best all the other albums have two or three close to that level, and are better on average too.

 

[_Gentleman of_the Snow_]

:zombie:

you should be banned

LOL, I second this... whuuu?

V is so brilliantly put together... any other prog metal band would sell their metaphorical-souls to create something half as great.

:zombie::zombie::zombie:

 

[manticore999]

My list would be

1 - V
2 - Divine Wings of Tragedy
3 - The Odyssey
4 - Twilight in Olympus
5 - Paradise Lost
6 - Damnation Game
7 - Symphony X