Iconoclast spoiler thread

If SX made a gangsta new wave deathcore album, most of you would say it's a masterpiece just because [...]

... if anyone can, Michael Romeo has the musical intelligence, talent and taste to make it work, and his bandmates have the musical talent and skill to pull it off.
 
@Marwen: Words can't describe it...

I'm also happy to see you're enjoying the album. I seem to remember you having your doubts. :) Though I'm sure we all did! Just nice to see not everyone is hard headed.

EDIT: On a side note, any news of a music video for any of the new songs? Not that its incredibly important. Id actually much prefer a live DVD but still. Its nice to see the band move forward.
 
One or two songs have a couple lines that still bug me but all in all a lot of those cheesy lyrics are starting to sound a lot better... After about 8 or maybe 9 listens to the songs (some less than others) I can safely say that it is a pretty solid release... I enjoy it 90% throughout... Much better than Paradise Lost... Although this album was the first time I've heard several obvious allusions to other bands and performers..Symphony X usually were pretty damn good at keeping their musical originality throughout.. Still great album..
 
Although this album was the first time I've heard several obvious allusions to other bands and performers..Symphony X usually were pretty damn good at keeping their musical originality throughout.

This is the first time I've noticed this, too. Some of the songs don't really allude to other bands (When All Is Lost, Electric Messiah, Prometheus), but many bring to mind Metallica, Dio, Meshuggah, Pantera, Iced Earth, Dream Theater, Opeth, and many others. I'm not sure how I feel about this. The only band whose influence I could hear clearly on previous Symphony X records was Kansas (as well as classical composers, of course).

I like it when Symphony X sounds like Symphony X.
 
This is the first time I've noticed this, too. Some of the songs don't really allude to other bands (When All Is Lost, Electric Messiah, Prometheus), but many bring to mind Metallica, Dio, Meshuggah, Pantera, Iced Earth, Dream Theater, Opeth, and many others. I'm not sure how I feel about this. The only band whose influence I could hear clearly on previous Symphony X records was Kansas (as well as classical composers, of course).

I like it when Symphony X sounds like Symphony X.

I think SX has had some pretty obvious Dream Theater influence at points since V. The Damnation Game definitely has shades of Yngwie Malmsteen, too.
 
You are missing my point. I'm not saying you have to be a "tr00 fan" or worship the band or support them blindly. All I said was to give the album a chance by listening to it. I never said to just blindly buy it without hearing it. I happen to like every album Symphony X has made but there are plenty of bands I listen to where they have released things I don't like and I simply don't listen to those albums. That doesn't mean that I wont at least give a listen to something they put out before I condemn it as shit or because I am afraid I wont like it. And if Symphony X actually did release an album that I honestly thought was crap, I wouldn't be afraid to say it. Just because someone happens to like everything a band has released doesn't make them a mindless fan boy just because your opinion is different. I used to be a HUGE fan of Evergrey but ever since Monday Morning Apocalypse came out they haven't been very good. That doesn't change the fact that ISOT is an amazing album and it didn't stop me from giving Torn or Glorious Collision a chance. Even though both of those albums arnt very spectacular at least I gave them a listen and found a few songs I could enjoy to an extent. (and I know someone will make some smart ass comment about Evergrey always sucked or something, but it's just an example)

Even if you don't end up liking it, what did you really lose... 80 minutes of your life? Doesn't sound like a huge loss considering you might actually find some songs that you end up enjoying for a long time. But... like I said, your loss.


I really didn't care for MMA or Torn myself; however, I thought Glorious Collision was great album. It is not as good as albums like ISoT, Recreation Day, or The Inner Circle, but it is definitely better than the last two and shows some sign of a return to form. It didn't impress me too much the first couple of listens but once I got more familiar with it it started to really hit me in the right spot. I think with Torn it actually got worse with each listen...

Anyway, sorry for going off topic.
 
This is the first time I've noticed this, too. Some of the songs don't really allude to other bands (When All Is Lost, Electric Messiah, Prometheus), but many bring to mind Metallica, Dio, Meshuggah, Pantera, Iced Earth, Dream Theater, Opeth, and many others. I'm not sure how I feel about this. The only band whose influence I could hear clearly on previous Symphony X records was Kansas (as well as classical composers, of course).

I like it when Symphony X sounds like Symphony X.
I think they've always had moments where I'm reminded of other bands. Yngwie Malmsteen is never too far out of mind when I hear Symohony X. Of Sins And Shadows has the Queen Bohemian Rhapsody part ... The Odyssey has some chorus parts that are nearly identical to Rainbow's Street Of Dreams. There's tons of other examples.

I love SymX, but they aren't all that original.



Britt
 
Out of any album I've ever listened to this one took the longest to grow on me, but boy does it grow a lot! I feel like this album furthers what they were trying to do on Paradise Lost, but this album succeeds where PL failed...
 
The people NOT buying the limited edition fucking miss stuff!!! Reign in Madness is IMO one of the best tracks of the whole album, if not one of their best tracks ever.

The whole album is fucking good, I only listened to it one time all through, though. AND the tracks I liked at the first listen a few times after that. I feel like this album will grow, even if it's fucking cool already. But sadly, the lyrics aren't really that good :/ .
 
I have heard most of the songs waiting for my copy to arrive, but have kept myself from listening to at least a few so that there is at least a little surprise when I get it. I am sad that it leaked because I thought I would be able to have no other choice but to wait and hear the physical album (I give into temptation too easily). The only songs I have refrained from have been Bastards, Electric Messiah, Lords of Chaos, and Reign in Madness. The only track of those that I hear a good bit of compliments over is RiM, so I have already heard most of the best tracks, and by the time I get my copy on Tuesday I will probably have given in to the whole album. :p

I just want to say that this album is much better than PL and that I can't see why any SyX fan that was disappointed in PL wouldn't like it more.
 
Allow this to be a compliment for Bastards Of The Machine then - it's awesome. Maybe you won't like it but the verses are amazing, it has one of the best instrumental sections and really has the sound to fit the theme of the album.

And yeah the three that are only on the special edition aren't any weaker than the rest of the stuff - I'm not sure what's my least favourite since tracks like Prometheus I do like but just haven't gotten into yet since I've only listened to them a couple of times, but I definitely don't think the three special edition tracks are the three worst.
 
The people NOT buying the limited edition fucking miss stuff!!! Reign in Madness is IMO one of the best tracks of the whole album, if not one of their best tracks ever.

The whole album is fucking good, I only listened to it one time all through, though. AND the tracks I liked at the first listen a few times after that. I feel like this album will grow, even if it's fucking cool already. But sadly, the lyrics aren't really that good :/ .

So, you listened to it once, but you think it's awesome, and the lyrics suck.

I guess lyrics aren't important to you... they are to me :)
 
So, you listened to it once, but you think it's awesome, and the lyrics suck.

I guess lyrics aren't important to you... they are to me :)

Then go listen to one of the thousands of progressive and/or power metal bands with amazingly crafted lyrics. What's that? You can't find any? :p
 
I dunno This album starts out with such a bang as the first 2 tracks are as good as anything they have done. Could easily fit in V. After that it just devolves into cut and paste Riffs and the bag of Romeo Solo tricks. Lyrics don't bother me as being a metal fan you have to deal with that a lot. I dont mind the "less prog" as SyX has always been heavy (Divine Wings was heavy as fuck). Pinella seems to be reusing his Patches from PL and V and hasnt brought much to the table. There is Almost no standout Bass lines either like past albums. I can def see Romeo was listening to some Pantera while writing this as well. The biggest thing with this album is the lack of Dynamics. Its just one big riff fest for the most part Its not a bad album it just seems to lack character the other albums have had. Id give this a 6.5 out of ten because even with all the negatives, the playing is well done and Russ delivers as always.
 
So, you listened to it once, but you think it's awesome, and the lyrics suck.

I guess lyrics aren't important to you... they are to me :)
You keep saying that, but I keep kind of chuckling a bit because you have a Turisas tune in your signature area. I looked up that tune .. pretty far from elite lyrics. Here's some of of the weaker lyrical moments.

You see your blade cut off his head
Another father ends up dead
No time to think who will miss him at nights
Another slash and someone's husband dies

See the fear in their eyes
"Their lines are scattered, hunt them down!"
None were left alive to tell their wives

Just kidding you man .. just found it kind of ironic.


Britt
 
Ya as i said in my post If you are a metal fan you sort of have to take some bad lyrics for most bands. I like Rhapsody and King Diamond for that matter :)
 
Like good lyrics, but i bear the less-than-ideal. I would prefer to wade through the cheese of some metal bands lyrics than the stereotypical modern rock or pop groups, and don't get me started on some rap.....

I would give some examples but I'd hope they'd come easy from anything you've heard on the radio lately :D
 
Some people here state they don't pay heed to lyrics whereas others say lyrics have never been Symphony X's forte. Well, I have to disagree on both points. I DO care about lyrics and think they're an integral part of the work. They tell a story, describe a feeling, an event that, together with the music, help set the atmosphere of the song (a good example: in King of Terrors music and lyrics are intertwined to create a claustrophobic atmosphere ). Symphony X have already written wonderful lyrics. Just take the lyrics to The Odyssey for instance, they're EXCEPTIONAl, and summarize perfectly well the whole story in about 25 minutes! Similar to what Iron Maiden did to the poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Besides, the lyrics to Awakenings, Church of the Machine, the two Accolades, Wicked, Cadlelight Fantasia, Paradise Lost, and The Serpent's kiss are top notch too. So let's not dismiss what the band have already achieved lyrically just because some of the new stuff is not on par with what they did before.

PS I'll comment on Iconoclast soon.