News about the CD

[SymphonyXV]

Just PM me what it's about. I'll be your bestest friend...

My guess is Russ is quiting to become a NASCAR driver and Justin Bieber will replace him.

Anyway, I think you take your job way too seriously. You work for a prog band here, not the freaking mafia!

 

[WhoFooldU]

Just PM me what it's about. I'll be your bestest friend...

My guess is Russ is quiting to become a NASCAR driver and Justin Bieber will replace him.

No, Russ is going to take Bieber's place for a while and start singing all the Bieber hits. As for NASCAR, they are in dire need of help. Thankfully they got a kick in the ass with a great Daytona finish, but they need to let the whole Earnhardt thing just rest. The whole sport needs to take a collective left hand turn and move on.

 

[SymphonyXV]

Imagining Russ singing Bieber made me laugh so hard, I think I'm going to get arrested. My sympathies for the boys at NASCAR. Are you like a detective undercover spy gangster for SX? They must be in good hands.

 

[Marwen]

My guess is it's a double album.

 

[proulxski]

@Marwen: Obviously its an overstatement, I wasn't trying to fool anyone. But I mean the band has been around since 1994, and the the amount of talent they have. They deserve better, and whether its money issues, poor management, or them not wanting to leave this "the internet is evil" shell they live in. I'm a huge fan, and the saddest day for me is going to be when they stop written music. I think of the reality behind this, the band is not young anymore. And there are bands that have been around since 2008 and already have live dvds. (just for an example) The band is getting on in their years, and they have much to accomplish. Is it so wrong of me, to want to experience their classic catalogue live in all its glory? And I just feel that taken 4-5 year breaks between albums to tour is not helping their situation. Sure Id rather the wait if they are composed nicely. But I mean their best pieces to date took no longer than 3 years. Divine wings? V: The New Mythology Suite? The Odyssey? They are all superior to Paradise Lost and took half the time.

At this point in time, for me anyway. Its not even a time issue, its the pause between everything. Once you start a hype train you are supposed to keep it going, not derail it. I suppose that's what upsets fans, or me anyway.

I would like it to be a double album, but that's not something the band has done. And we also thought that for Paradise Lost after Romeo said they have 2 hours of left over music. (riffs, what ever it may be)

@ Glenn:

Nice post Glenn.

I can't speak for everyone, but I'm well aware of how the band has grown. And I already have my tickets bought for the Montreal show in April. I've also saw them in '06 for gigantour, in '08 for Paradise Lost, and in '08 againfor the very first Montreal Metal Fest! It's no secret that the band has changed/gained a larger fan base. The numbers that have grown at shows says it all!

But that's no excuse, if anything its more of a reason to be supporting your releases/fans. Is it possible they have surprises for us? Of course, in one of my earlier posts I even mentioned that.

Needless to say we understand what people in your line of work have to go through, and you can't share secrets. At least I understand that. But you must understand, how fans of the group who are expecting updates, and release dates and such (of any band) don't have it as easy as people like yourself who get inside information. I personally don't want you to ruin anything that should not be said, and I don't expect you to either. However, I do think its the band/management/label's responsibility to create some kind of buzz. Right now its just negative buzz

 

[WhoFooldU]

Anyway, I think you take your job way too seriously. You work for a prog band here, not the freaking mafia!

Only in my spare time do I work for prog band(s). I work a non music related desk job full time. Sad huh?

 

[_Gentleman of_the Snow_]

You've got it all mixed up.
Russ will be doing a duet with Bieber, NOT replacing him.
Portnoy joined NASCAR... but was kicked out 17.3 seconds later after suggsting that the cars drive the track in the opposite direction for 2 laps, every 3 laps.

 

[proulxski]

I see what you did there.... lol

 

[SymphonyXV]

Only in my spare time do I work for prog band(s). I work a non music related desk job full time. Sad huh?

So, you get a call in the middle of the night from a stranger saying "the chief" wants to have a word with you. A black limo pulls in front of your house and you are escorted to an empty factory. You are taken to a table where SX are smoking cigars and staring at you. You have body guards in black tuxedos holding machine guns surrounding you. Russ tells you the plan for the new album then walks up to you while the body guards hold you and pulls out a knife and puts it near your throat and threatens if you tell those chums at the good ol ultimatemetal forum, you're history. He burned you with his cigar so you wouldn't forget.

Another day working for the boss...

 

[Kenneth R.]

There is a level of tact and a level of dealing with secrets that some people fail to understand.

A fanbase that, whether you liked it or not, grew with the last release.

Symphony X is not the same band that they were 10 years ago.

A freight train that still left those people seeing them for the first time slackjawed.


Glenn

notes on these. by the way please don't think i'm directing this at you. It's the band, their promotion, and the label that's at fault here. I understand being in-the-know and unable to share. What I don't understand is why nothing is green-lighted.

So regarding first sentence quoted, I don't think it should be a secret at this point as far as the official website and forum mods are concerned. All that's been given to this point is second-hand. That just looks bad.

Second sentence - yeah, they gained fans with PL. But how many of those fans have lost interest when there was no news, no updates, no new media? You use the word consumption, and probably with good reason. If the oasis dries up the savvy go elsewhere.

Not the same band, definitely not. Agreed there. They've gotten musically more mature and more confident, but their promo has suffered.

And lastly, I hope that train doesn't get derailed by bad decisions like I've seen with so many bands. Symphony X don't deserve that.

If you remember, I was one of the most vocal bashers of whining fans looking for daily tweets and such. But this is just... well I've already said it too many times and I should just bow out.

Frankly SX isn't my favorite band or in my top 10 even, but I do appreciate them and spin the awesome albums. My argument was really more on the principle of the thing rather than as a fan.

 

[WhoFooldU]

@Glenn:

Nice post Glenn.

I can't speak for everyone, but I'm well aware of how the band has grown. And I already have my tickets bought for the Montreal show in April. I've also saw them in '06 for gigantour, in '08 for Paradise Lost, and in '08 againfor the very first Montreal Metal Fest! It's no secret that the band has changed/gained a larger fan base. The numbers that have grown at shows says it all!

But that's no excuse, if anything its more of a reason to be supporting your releases/fans. Is it possible they have surprises for us? Of course, in one of my earlier posts I even mentioned that.

Needless to say we understand what people in your line of work have to go through, and you can't share secrets. At least I understand that. But you must understand, how fans of the group who are expecting updates, and release dates and such (of any band) don't have it as easy as people like yourself who get inside information. I personally don't want you to ruin anything that should not be said, and I don't expect you to either. However, I do think its the band/management/label's responsibility to create some kind of buzz. Right now its just negative buzz

Thanks.

I do recall a previous post mentioning something about the hope for surprises. Hopefully there will be a sense of surprise once it's in your hands.

I will agree with you that the lack of updates are frustrating to put it mildly. However with the band and several others that I have seen, you sort of get numb to it after a fashion. This will be the 3rd complete cycle for SymX for me. V was a partial rollercoaster but served as a taste of what was to come.

SymX has some unique and special fans. It's this commonality that keeps me coming back here. I really look forward to the forthcoming discussions, dissections and dissertations about the music. I have do doubt that Iconoclast will enable this sort of conversation. Who knows maybe we'll all get to raise a glass to the band and perhaps even the fans old and new. I'll keep a glass, or mug, handy for such the occasion.

I just cant wait to get to the point where the album is out and available.

Glenn

 

[proulxski]

Well I'm only on my second full release, perhaps by the time the third one comes along I will have been numbed too.

I'll keep that mug/glass ready as well.

 

[WhoFooldU]

Frankly SX isn't my favorite band or in my top 10 even, but I do appreciate them and spin the awesome albums. My argument was really more on the principle of the thing rather than as a fan.

And in principle I do agree even if they aren't a Top 10 band for you. Giving their music a fair chance is all anoyone can ask and I can read in you posts that you do value their musical output.

We're all good. No hurt feelings here. I'm just venting a bit myself. Hopefully you can sense that with my posts.

Glenn

 

[Marwen]

V was a partial rollercoaster but served as a taste of what was to come.

holy fucking shit.

I hope that's true.

 

[Prismatic Sphere]

yeah, they gained fans with PL. But how many of those fans have lost interest when there was no news, no updates, no new media?

This is really the crux of the matter right here gentlemen. Kudos man. You really knocked it out of the park on this point.

 

[keeperxiii]

I know I'm just repeating other people but...

you don't think this sort of thing would be finalized with a month left?

Considering the lack of updates, yes.

It's not so much the lack of updates that bothers me but it's the simple fact that nobody cared enough to apologize for that...

If Jax or WhoFooldU made a news post in the sticky saying that the band/label is sorry that the promised news never came then I'm wrong, otherwise, I'll keep my statement. They ignored people.

And there's really no excuse for important info about a NB band being released first on the page of another label.

and SymX has it's own built in fanbase. A fanbase that, whether you liked it or not, grew with the last release.

Then, with a new label and all that... why ignore the new fan base? The new fan base uses the Internet, you know...

They aren't following a trend

Really? At the times of PL's release they grabbed a lot of opportunities. Which in turn gave them the opportunity to work on a bigger label and now they... don't care about all that anymore?

So regarding first sentence quoted, I don't think it should be a secret at this point as far as the official website and forum mods are concerned. All that's been given to this point is second-hand. That just looks bad.

Couldn't have said it better.

V was a partial rollercoaster but served as a taste of what was to come.

I thought that the new one was going to be heavier? Good news then, I guess. I just hope it isn't as soulless as V (yeah, I said it, deal with it )

 

[Prog is King]

yeah, they gained fans with PL. But how many of those fans have lost interest when there was no news, no updates, no new media?

This is really the crux of the matter right here gentlemen. Kudos man. You really knocked it out of the park on this point.

Are you kidding? If anyone loses interest because there is no news or updates or whatever isn't
really a fan. It's the instant gratification bullshit that's so evident in society today. Good things are worth waiting for. In Symphony X's case, great things! Isn't it about the music? I know it is for me. I'll wait however long it takes for a new CD whether I like it or not. Because I know I will not be disappointed.

 

[Prismatic Sphere]

Are you kidding? If anyone loses interest because there is no news or updates or whatever isn't
really a fan. It's the instant gratification bullshit that's so evident in society today. Good things are worth waiting for. In Symphony X's case, great things! Isn't it about the music? I know it is for me. I'll wait however long it takes for a new CD whether I like it or not. Because I know I will not be disappointed.

I was referring to the people who had just discovered them after PL. They're not used to the elephant-having-a-baby album producing speed that we, older fans, are. Of course it is about the music and Symphony always will be my favorite band; unless they take the bad aspects of PL to the nth degree and/or drop prog altogether. But that would be extremely absurd.

 

[WhoFooldU]

holy fucking shit.

I hope that's true.

It's true in the context of the original discussion regarding the experience of dealing with releases from the band. It was not a hint about the direction of this coming album or a future release.


As for keeperxiii's post, I will address this one later this evening because I do not have the time right now.

 

[Marwen]

It's true in the context of the original discussion regarding the experience of dealing with releases from the band. It was not a hint about the direction of this coming album or a future release.

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