Some help/opinions on buying some new CD's!

R

Redragon

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Jan 2, 2008
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Lately i have been yearning for some new CD's. although these CD's are not Symphony X cds, i am sure you guys know most of them to give me some help.

What are your guys thoughts on Atomic Soul, Enter by the Twelfth Gate, and The Dark Chapter???

I am almost for sure going to get Atomic soul and The dark chapter, but i want your thoughts on them anyways. Also, is Enter by the Twelfth Gate worth buying???
I want a complete Symphony x collection, so i should probably get it...

Also, the CD The Revenge features Russell Allen as the singer. Is this CD worth buying???
I will get it eventually, because, like i said, i want all SX CD's, but is it worht it to order it now?

And last, are there any other CD's that feature any of the other band members that i missed???

Thanks!

Redragon
 
I haven't heard much from the other CD's, but I do own Russel Allen's Atomic Sould.

It's very different from actual Symphony X music, more similiar to 70s hard rock style. If that sounds interesting to you, you will surely like it. If you hate 70s hard rock, it could be that won't like this CD either.
 
Both Allen/Lande albums "The Battle" and "The Revenge" are pleasant listens, nothing remarkably great, new, or unique about them except two very awesome high calibur vocalists. Other than the vocalists the music is pretty much some decent sounding stereotypical melodic metal.

As for "Atomic Soul", the songs are more in the vein of blues/southern rock music. It really shows the range in Russell's voice and that he can sing well in general by singing in other styles of music. It may not be worth a purchase if you are expecting it to sound anything like Symphony X. There are a couple notable tracks in which Romeo lended a hand with some guitar work. Both also deter a little from the blues/southern rock sound the rest of the album has. Also, there is another track near the end in which I believe Pinella lended a bit of help to as well. I have always thought of Russell on this album as his "American Idol" album. It is the kind of music and voicework that all the "rocker" American Idol contestants always use; therefore, I imagine this stuff as sounding like Russell would if he were a contestant on American Idol. Don't laugh at me....

"Enter by the Twelfth Gate" may be the one you want the least. It really depends on how much you appreciate keyboard work in music, as well as how much you appreciate Pinella himself. Except for when I bought it when it first came out, I never go out of my way to listen to it. Sometimes a track from it will come up on my mp3 player and I will listen to it. It is full of ambience and atmospheric sounds, and it really lets you hear Pinella's play style in much more detail than you get to hear on a SyX album; however, there is not too much "peronalization" in it as a lot of the material is inspired by other well known classical tunes.
 
It may very well end up depending on how much you care to have a "complete" collection of SyX related material.
 
I LOVE Twelfth Gate, actually. It does depend on how much you like keyboards and piano... I love that stuff, and this album is a really great listen, IMO. Very lush, great melodies and solos, and just overall beautiful sounding. If you just like to listen to things that are heavy and ass kicking, then you probably won't like this album. This is for the people who like to listen to music with their eyes closed and be taken away by the beautiful melodies. (There is some grooving in there too, and programmed drum tracks, just so you're aware)
I haven't heard any of the other albums, but that's because I don't like power metal (Battle) or hard rock (Atomic Soul). Romeo's album, I'm sure I'd like, but I just haven't gotten around to purchasing it.

Other albums/discs done by SX members include:

-Redemption's first album - Jason Rullo did the drum tracks
-Kotipelto has an album with Romeo on a few tracks
-Ayreon's Universal Migrator (Dawn of a Million Souls) has a solo by Romeo and Allen on vox, and the newest album 10011010101101010010101100 (E=MC2) has Romeo playing a solo
-Star One's first album has Allen on vocals, and Allen is also on the live recording they have.
-Gigantour 2005 DVD has SX playing 2 songs live and Allen singing the Cemetary Gates tribute
-Romeo's Guitar Chapter DVD
-Rarities Fan Club CD

I would also recommend staying away from as many Maiden and Priest albums as possible, lol.
 
symphonyXjapan said:
As for "Atomic Soul", the songs are more in the vein of blues/southern rock music. It really shows the range in Russell's voice and that he can sing well in general by singing in other styles of music. It may not be worth a purchase if you are expecting it to sound anything like Symphony X. There are a couple notable tracks in which Romeo lended a hand with some guitar work. Both also deter a little from the blues/southern rock sound the rest of the album has. Also, there is another track near the end in which I believe Pinella lended a bit of help to as well. I have always thought of Russell on this album as his "American Idol" album. It is the kind of music and voicework that all the "rocker" American Idol contestants always use; therefore, I imagine this stuff as sounding like Russell would if he were a contestant on American Idol. Don't laugh at me....
Click to expand...

Seriously, that's just what it reminded me of too! One day I was listening to the CD and thought: What would those American Idol judges think about Russel if they heard this CD?
 
Wander said:
Seriously, that's just what it reminded me of too! One day I was listening to the CD and thought: What would those American Idol judges think about Russel if they heard this CD?
Click to expand...

Well Im sure that one idjut would have all kinds of stupid shit to remark about... then Russel could laugh at him. that would be a great gag, get Russell Allen in disguise to enter American Idol....... :headbang:

Stupidest freakin show I have ever watched and am ashamed for the few times I did.
 
I try to avoid American Idol even though my girlfriend used to watch it quite a bit. She always liked the "rocker" style singers and I remember thinking that if she thought they were good singers that she would be blown away by Russ's singing in Atomic Soul, as he sings in the same style on it as the guys on the show did only waaay better. I think she was in my car with me one day and a song from Atomic Soul came on my mp3 player. I remember she didn't really have a reaction to it and I could only think that she was paying absolutely no attention to it for her to not take notice. This is the same person I tried years ago to make listen to Mabool by Orphaned Land, she said she only listened to the first few minutes of it because it sounded like weird "African" music. Yes, she said African, and yes I still somehow love her. :p

Anyway, back on topic. I have never gotten to hear Redemption and remember when the first album came out solely because Rullo did the drum work for it. They played ProgPower USA that year but for some reason I don't think Rullo played the drums for the show. I really do need to listen to their first album as I have been meaning to and have also heard great things about it.
 
in my opinion, Atomic Soul has some of Russ' best vocals he's ever recorded. Enter by the 12th gate was ok for a brief listen, never bothered to listen to a single full track from it. The Guitar chapter is good for an instrumental neoclassical shred cd and shows of some pretty intense chops.....but at the end of the day it's just another neoclassical shred cd.
 
If any one needs some of the album listed below, please shoot me a PM or an e-mail. I have some available :)

Russell Allen's Atomic Soul
Michael Pinnella's Enter by the Twelfth Gate
Micahel Romeo's Dark Chapter
SymX - all 4 digipak Special Editions reissues (SX, TDG, TDWOT and TiO)
SymX - V
SymX - Odyssey - Standard and Limited Editions available
Redemption - S/T, The Fullness of Time, and Origins of The Ruin
DC Cooper - S/T
Jelly Jam - S/T

And if you haven't heard of Dark Empire, preorder their new cd at the same time. :)
 
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