I was listening to The Damnation Game today....

[RediscoveryoftheAccolade]

..and I hadn't listened to it in a while. I go through periods where I'll play an album to death, and then take a long breather from it, eventually coming back around again. Anyways, after listening to it again today, I've realized that its among my favorite Symphony X CD's. I have to say that of all their records, (and being a guitarist of 14 yrs myself who plays shred guitar), this albums features my favorite Michael Romeo solos. He's just blinding on this album, I think even more so than the first album, which in all honesty, I only listen to for the guitar playing and overall musical performances. A lot of people say the quality of Damnation isnt very good, and while its certainly not the greatest (compared to V or Odyssey), its certainly not the worst.

And I dont know who else agrees with me, but I find the sound quality and overall production of Damnation Game to be very similiar sounding to Romeo's "Dark Chapter" CD. In fact, to my ears, Damnation sounds like the Dark Chapter with vocals added, and vice versa. Does anyone agree with me on this? To my ears, and ive analyzed both albums to death soundwise, and to me the next logical step up from Dark Chapter would be Damnation Game, because I really think it sounds so much more similiar than the first SX cd. Anyone's thoughts or take on this? I'm curious

 

[RediscoveryoftheAccolade]

But at any rate, I still can't stand "Savage Curtain" lol...the only SX I could never get used to no matter how many listens...but the solo is awesome!

Peace

 

[The Metal Chick]

Damnation Game is a great CD. And I agree that sound production is fine. It's not like it sucks. There are other bands, such as DT and Blind Guardian, whose first albums have production that's not so hot. But yeah, TDG is great. As for comparison with Dark Chapter, I haven't heard that one in SO long...I really should break it out and give it a spin. I actually forgot I even had it

 

[Prismatic Sphere]

The Damnation Game was definitely the album that put them over the top for me and made me love this band more than any other. I actually prefer the production on this record to much of the over-bombastic quality on some of the others. It's always been my favorite because they had just discovered that undiscovered place where that SX magic is kept inside a very deep well. The melodies and the soloing to me are better here and they stand out. And personally, I think very few people(even on this board) give this album the respect it deserves.
I mean, hell- not bad for Romeo & Co. right after losing a singer and getting newer(and better) blood.

 

[RediscoveryoftheAccolade]

I would agree with you about the album not getting the respect it deserves. A lot of people talk about Divine or Odyssey and of course, V, but for me Damnation has a unique quality to it. You can really hear each individual instrument pretty clearly (sometimes the keyboard gets drowned out), but I think its a very strong effort. To boot, songs like Edge of Forever, Haunting, and Winter's Dream (1 & 2) are among my favorite Symphony X songs. Later

 

[Rediscovery (Part II)]

The title track and The Edge of forever are awesome songs, the others took me some getting used to

 

[SyXified]

I actually have to say I think the production on Damnation Game suits the album perfectly. It has sort of a rich, saturated feel that works extremly well for songs like Damnation Game and The Accolade. The album contains some really fantastic vocal harmonies and arrangements. Not to mention Dressed to Kill has always been a favorite of mine, and definitly my favorite Michael Romeo solo. I also think Savage Curtain is a pretty decent song. There are good parts and dull parts, but the vocal break at 'have we not a perpetual inclination....' (that's the lyrics I hear anyway) is fantastic. Not to mention the tempo change in Damnation Game is extremly unique and so very bad ass. I'd put that album on equal footing with Twilight and Divine Wings any day. I wouldn't even bother trying to compare it directly to V cause they are completely different styles of music when you do a concept album versus a song to song album.

PS. Damn Damn Damn really does kick ass

 

[scanner313]

The guitar solo in Savage Curtain is my favorite on that entire album. It's awesome!

As for the rest of the album, I think the quality of songs is very high and the only drawback is the production, which isn't that bad. All I know is that when I put this album in my car CD player I have to jack the bass setting up to about 5 when I usually keep it at 1 or 2. The bass is very weak on this album. And the song "Secrets" isn't a standout either, although the guitar solo rips!

Bottom line (and I think we'll all agree here) it's a great album! But how could you expect anything less from SyX?

 

[shredmaster]

I think it`s great, it contains some of my favourite Symphony X songs, like The Edge of Forever and A Winter`s Dream pt. I and II...

 

[OfSinsAndShred]

Sweet album. I love when they throw "Prelude in Cm" into "Dressed to Kill." It seems like they didn't know how to use Russel's voice to its fullest yet (I think he didn't realize his full potential until "V" and "Odyssey"). Damnation's cool because they were doing neoclassical like a lot of other bands, but just MUCH BETTER.

 

[karelrulez]

It's a very mysterious album, with a real warm atmosphere. Especially in A Winter's Dream and The Edge of Forever. Certainly not my favorite but I do give it a spin once in a while.

 

[symphonyXjapan]

I have always talked about how this album doesn't get its due respect. I think that if the sound quality weren't so bad it would be a good contender with DWoT and V. I do not understand how anyone could think that there was nothing wrong with the sound quality on that album. I really wish that they could rerelease it with better quality. Not necessarily better quality that they re-record the tracks, but only a polish on the sound quality if so possible. I think that maybe the main problem with the sound is the quality of the bass, as the person above mentioned. I find myself only listening to this album if I can play it on a big boombox with the sound and bass cranked up to almost max. I can't even get a good loud sound from my portable cd player being turned all the way up. It is ashamed too because I do believe that TDG is some of their best material.

 

[arglebargle]

The Damnation Game has some of the best X songs.