Not the best?? Did it really have to be the best?? PL is brilliant metal album...PERIOD. The orchestral parts are fuller and richer than ever before. The choirs parts are that much more powerful. Russ belted some songs right out of the stratosphere and then helped bring it all back in check with the fewer (2) more subtle numbers. Romeo devastated with the attitude factor cranked on full. The band delivered in full and it's a really solid record in Symphony X's already healthy repertoire.
I'm thankful there wasn't a long song pushing over 15 minutes. On Paradise Lost it would have just seemed superfluous and out of place. The length of the songs with the more riff oriented approach was just what was needed. This album, yeah I say album I'm old so sue me, is more focused on knocking you on your ass. It's loaded with power. Balls and Chunk...Paradise Lost has it by the truckload. Oh and it sounds that much more badass live. The band just steamrolled through their live sets. It was fast and furious but it's what was needed with Paradise Lost being what it was.
Like it or not, Paradise Lost has taken the band to a higher level and expanded their fanbase. And that, my friends, is a good thing for the band's future.