Symbyosis - On the Wings of Phoenix

[Death Aflame]

2005 Hidden Association

Disc 1
1. The arrival 04:57
2. Truth 04:51
3. The venom 04:26
4. Dilemma 03:02
5. Seizure of power 03:39
6. War phenomenon 04:18
7. Cupidity 02:38
8. Famine 05:29
9. Disease 03:12
10. Death apogee 06:05
11. Peace 07:48
Disc 2
1. Crusades part IV 05:14
2. Crusades part V 04:25
3. Crusades part VI 04:03
4. Life 06:24
5. Dreamchild 05:12
6. The loneliness of the long distance runner (Iron Maiden cover) 05:53
7. Read between the lies (Slayer cover) 03:29
8. Trail of tears 04:31
9. Twisted truth 04:34
10. When napalm fits to skin 02:22
11. Quest of the dolphin 06:17
12. Little princess 04:21
13. Princess ending 02:31

Unique, to say the least

Finally Symbyosis releases the follow-up to their mighty debut Crisis. After an excruciatingly long wait due to Listenable refusing to renew their contract, "On the Wings of Phoenix" finally gets pushed out the door. The eclectic mix of progressive metal, death metal, pop, and atmospheric keys that was so refreshing on Crisis is back in full-force on Phoenix picking up precisely where the aforementioned left off.

One of the main complaints about "Crisis" was the use of programmed drums, this has been completely remedied on Phoenix as Symbyosis was able to record with a full line-up including a real drummer to fill in the cracks. His skills are quite apparent immediately as he fiddles with odd rhythmic beats to help solidify the foundation of the Symbyosis sound.

Corrosive Bob returns with his pseudo-raspy, slightly hardcore sounding and occasionally guttural vox that juxtaposes rather aptly with the beautiful music that Kobolt and co. are able to conjure. However, if a complaint can be made about the album it is that its a shame that Bob cannot seem to do much beyond this limited range as it actually adds unneeded monotony to otherwise incredibly dynamic music. This problem is slightly counter-acted by clean vocals from Frank Kobolt and a female counterpart and thus adding much needed vocal range appropriate for this sort of diverse music.

If anything can be said about Symbyosis it is that the riffs are very inventive; they are both technically proficient as well as intricately woven into the whole with just the right amount of emotive and atmospherical flare to create accessable and deep soundscapes. Coupled with the strong rhythm section are the absolutely fantastic leads, solos and twin guitar harmonies. Depending on the song these melodies or solos can take over in a burst of excellence and near perfect note selection. Combining with the guitar precision is the occasional, subtle use of keyboards to bring the songs to that higher melodic level without being saturated in over-the-top nintendo game solos(the guitar solos work just fine).

Finally the bass, while subtlely implemented shows its importance in key parts of songs and brings the welcomed layered effect to the music providing many hidden treasures for fans upon further listens.

All of the fantastic quality continues onto the second disc, with some covers, a conclusion of the "Crusades" pieces and re-recorded songs from Crisis. Overall this is one incredibly dense package and a Symbyosis' fan wet dream.

What is it that exactly makes Symbyosis so special, you ask? Though the answer appears quite elusive I would say it comes down to their impeccable taste. In particular, while they clearly have the chops to show up most of today's prog bands in sheer technical prowess, it is their ability to write intensely interesting songs that sets them apart. For instance "Life" starts off with the typical bombasitc death/prog attack Symbyosis is known for but halfway through the song a boy-band esque layered vocal melody mixes in with adept metal playing surprisingly well. Symbyosis' willingness to break the boundaries is what makes them so incredible and a gem in the current samey prog arena.

Hear this album and it may change your perception about the lack of originality in the genre, because one thing is for sure, these guys are ahead of their time.