If you were Symphony X's advisor...

[LavagesOfTime]

What I would really appreciate is a message from the band that shows they know they are not interacting much with the fans and they are sorry for that but [insert a good reason for doing that].

If the reason is good enough, I'm fine with it

 

[intergalactic]

Stay as you are ,I can wait 10 years for your new record ,you will always be one of my favourite band

 

[javie]

If we're giving unsolicited advice to the band, here would be my three cents.

1) Listen to Haken's new album. It's in a very different style from Symphony X, but it's refreshing to hear music that's so intelligent and made with minimal processing. Back to roots, if you like. It's highly complex, supremely intelligent, well played, and musically inventive, but the songs are still sweet, catchy and just plain great-sounding. (Far better than the release from that band with Drummer Troubles, for sure).

2) Mix every song on Iconoclast's second disc into a single 20-minute epic. There is a lot of great playing on that half of the album, and a lot of inventive musical ideas, but every idea doesn't warrant a full song. For example Reign in Madness has some of the best work I've heard from Symphony X, but half the song is not up to their usual standard and can be safely cut. (For example I'd toss the first 3-1/2 minutes entirely. It was over a year before I actually listened to that song, because I routinely shut it off before the 3:30 mark ever arrived). So take some ideas from that song, and from some of the others on the album, and rework them into the service of a single unified storyline.

3) Make a mini-movie, or at least write the score for one. Michael Romeo is an aspiring film composer. The Odyssey owes as much to John Williams as to heavy metal or the Baroque. So either hook up with a video game company to score the action, or find a graduate student in a film-making program, and write the score for their project. That might not be a Symphony X project as such -- or it might be, depending on the type of game/film -- but it would be a great addition for us fans either way.

Michael Romeo and Symphony X are a unique musical treasure, and Russell Allen is one of the best hard-rock vocalists in practice today, so anything that returns them to their craft is more than welcome.

 

[ABQShredHead]

You guys are the musicians, do what you want to do.

 

[rpgmusiccomposer]

I agree that he should do some work for a video game company.

Major bucks to make there. I could give him some contacts for that matter
Oh but wait, he doesn't show up in the forums ;(

it'd be my dream to compose for a video game company. one of my favorite composers and inspirations is nobuo uematsu who composed the music for the final fantasy series. i wish i could work as a video game music composer. it definitely would be cool for romeo to compose music for a game. BUT it better be an epic game. like what if he did the music for a puzzle game, like tetris for example. i would still play it, but i don't think it'd be as cool as him writing the music for a game like final fantasy or something.

in response to the OP, i would say, as others have stated, that they need to be more of a presence in the fan base. Maybe more concerts, if plausible, and definitely a new album lol. Of course i would like it if that album was more in the vein of odyssey or V, or DWOT. I think they need to do another concept album based off a cool story bro. i hope they don't go farther in the direction that they are going, not hating on their newer stuff but i personally don't enjoy it. I miss the epic sound whereas now i would say they have a more heavy sound.

 

[uhhhhmmmm4]

They should rehire Miller as a songwriter. He doesn't need to play or tour, just write for them.

 

[javie]

it'd be my dream to compose for a video game company. one of my favorite composers and inspirations is nobuo uematsu who composed the music for the final fantasy series.

I looked up some of Uematsu's music online. I think Michael Romeo can do it. A huge movie or game score is a lot more effort than an album -- and a whole lot more music to compose, arrange, perform and mix -- but who knows?

I also agree that I miss the epics. I find myself tuning into The Odyssey (song) more and more often lately. (Especially on those 20-minute drives to pick up my daughters from school...).

And I take back what I said about the Iconoclast disc 2. I've been listening to it since posting my initial comment above, and I found it grew on me more than I realized. I still don't love the first 3-1/2 minutes of Reign in Madness (I just can't love that big pop chorus), but the remainder of the song is really good. It's almost a mini-epic by itself.

But I still wouldn't mind an epic based on the themes and riffs of Iconoclast, disc 2 or otherwise; or an epic-length expansion of Reign in Madness by itself. The whole album is a deep encyclopedia of amazing riffs and tight playing by all members, including excellent singing. Putting it into a programmatic piece might be a really cool bonus for the base.

 

[Kenneth R.]

with respect, Michael Romeo has nothing on the untouchable prowess of Nobuo Uematsu or Yuki Kajiura. It's not an insult to Romeo, it's just like saying "that guy is a great F1 driver, but you can't compare him to this awesome chef."

 

[uhhhhmmmm4]

Don't really know about Nubou Uematsu, so I don't really have anything to add there. However, they need to write as a group again. The last thing I want to see on their next record is "All songs written by Michael Romeo, except were noted" or whatever, like in IC. I have given that album so many chances, but I just don't like it. All the songs seem to run together, and they aren't that good to begin with, as opposed to when they all had a say in.the music.

 

[iceandfire84]

Uematsu is the simply the man. Been writing great music for nearly 30 years now. Definitely check out all the black mages albums if you are interested in hearing some awesome instrumental video game tunes in prog metal form by three Square master composers.

 

[Yain]

If I was Symphony X's advisor....Wow, good thread & question

I'd tell them to focus on making more music and tour much less. Its the music that increase the popularity of the band much more than the gigs, in my opinion. I'd also tell them to be more open and connected with their fans and keep them up to date with whatever they're doing. Finally I'd also tell them to go back to the musical direction they've had on the first albums, since as we are all probably aware, Paradise Lost and Iconoclast have a very different sound in their musical direction compared to, for example, TDWOT so yeah I'd tell them to go back to the sound of that album because its really great. I mean I love all of the albums, but the first albums had that special classical influenced direction you cant really find in the last 2 albums.sometimes its better to take a step back in order to move forward

 

[uhhhhmmmm4]

Uematsu is the simply the man. Been writing great music for nearly 30 years now. Definitely check out all the black mages albums if you are interested in hearing some awesome instrumental video game tunes in prog metal form by three Square master composers.

That's pretty awesome; and I HAD heard him without knowing. I've played FF III, IV, and VII- I just never knew that was him.

 

[uhhhhmmmm4]

If I was Symphony X's advisor....

I'd also tell them to be more open and connected with their fans and keep them up to date with whatever they're doing.

Haha, You really want to know what's going on with them.

Naw, but I agree with the entire post, and I think most of this forum would too.

 

[Yain]

Haha, You really want to know what's going on with them.

Naw, but I agree with the entire post, and I think most of this forum would too.

Im actually wondering how many of the lurkers have read my post and thought to themselves, "Wow, that Natan dude is so right. I truly agree with him"

I want what all of the fans want, an update. Ive got yet to meet a music fan that doesnt want to be updated about his or her favorite band

 

[uhhhhmmmm4]

I agree, its been a pretty long time since the last update. I'd think SOMETHING noteworthy should be happening.

 

[rpgmusiccomposer]

Uematsu is the simply the man. Been writing great music for nearly 30 years now. Definitely check out all the black mages albums if you are interested in hearing some awesome instrumental video game tunes in prog metal form by three Square master composers.

the black mages are awesome. i especially like the song "the skies above" featuring some crazy looking japanese opera singer. here is a live version of them where you can see the opera dude. MISTAH GOOOOOO!!

 

[javie]

with respect, Michael Romeo has nothing on the untouchable prowess of Nobuo Uematsu or Yuki Kajiura. It's not an insult to Romeo, it's just like saying "that guy is a great F1 driver, but you can't compare him to this awesome chef."

I don't get it. Uematsu and Romeo are composers. Romeo's music is quite filmic. The Odyssey is very much like a miniature score. I think Romeo could play in that ballpark if he wanted to try. Maybe the comparison is F1 versus NASCAR, but both seem to me very much like high-end drivers, at the least. (Or Cordon Bleu versus CIA if you want to stick with chefs).

As to style, technique or quality, what makes you say Uematsu is untouchable? There's a whole lot of Uematsu's music online. Too much for me to know what's what. If you could orient me with a number of specific Uematsu (or Kajirua) videos, then I might make a better decision.

 

[Kenneth R.]

ah, I've always been an F1 guy. Both of those two are Japanese game music composers. Uematsu is famed for Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, Lost Odyssey; Kajiura for Xenosaga, .hack, SAO, and others.

Michael Romeo is just not a good fit for game music in my opinion. Again, I need to stress that I'm not insulting him. It's just apples and oranges, or racers and chefs. Both talented, but not the same thing. You call him a composer. He's not the right kind of composer for that kind of application. He is (was) quite good at prog metal and that is that.

 

[Progbass]

I'd tell them to focus on making more music and tour much less. Its the music that increase the popularity of the band much more than the gigs, in my opinion.

But in their case, touring makes more money than making music. And more money also means more opportunities for the next album etc.

 

[uhhhhmmmm4]

I'm glad they're getting the popularity they deserve, but the problem is just that.

With their new popularity, they are doing other things, and cannot focus as much on SX.