Symphony X Song Tournament: Vote for the Best

[UnholyCrusada]

1. The Accolade (Seriously, no contest.)

2. Domination (As much as I love Rediscovery as a whole (it is my favorite SX song), and pt. 1 truly is beautiful, I think it's about time we get rid of all the intros/segues and whatnot. Not to mention, I do like Domination quite a bit.)

3. Of Sins and Shadows (It may be overplayed, but it's a SX classic going up against another intro.)

4. Egypt (If you haven't been reading the last two choices, then I'm not going to repeat myself.)

 

[EyeballKid]

The Accolade
Rediscovery, pt. 1 - Which I actually find to be more memorable than pt. 2, even in it's infinite shortness. I share your disdain for Domination, Halberd.
Of Sins and Shadows
Egypt

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

The Accolade
Domination
Of Sins and Shadows
Egypt

1. I think Prometheus is one of Iconoclast's finer offerings, but it stands no chance against such a classic.

2. Rediscovery pt. 1 is a beautiful piece of music, and I love it. However, it isn't a full song -- I think it should have been combined with pt. 2 for this poll. So my vote goes to Domination, which I love in another way. One of the best "heavy" tracks the band has done.

3. Once again, my vote goes to the full song, even if it is the most overplayed track in the band's history.

4. Egypt clearly wins here. I love that Rullo gets to take center stage in Death of Balance, though; he rarely does this.

 

[Marwen]

The Accolade - Duh!

Domination - As great as it is, Rediscovery pt. 1 is too much of a non-song to compete with a good full song such as Domination. I especially like the stuff going on in the middle of this song.

Of Sins and Shadows - Same as the above, except Into the Dementia is not that good. Sins is a respectable song that (unlike Sea of Lies) doesn't lose my respect despite being overplayed.

Egypt - I'm pretty comfortable picking Egypt over most SX songs. Very masterful song on all levels (yes, including the production).

 

[Marwen]

PL production sucks because of the thud.

PL production is too good to let something like that slip. I think it's a subliminal message. Haven't we already established that in the thud thread?

(boy was the wait for IC long...)

 

[Prismatic Sphere]

PL production is too good

 

[Phanto]

The accolade. Great song. Used to listen to this a lot. One of the most lyrically interesting songs of Symphony X.

Rediscovery pt 1. Yes perhaps it's ridiculous that I first pick Prelude and now another short instrumental from V, but that fact is they're musically a lot more interesting to me than the more aggressive verse-chorus-repeat songs of PL.

Of Sins of Shadow. One of the popular SX songs that I don't really like, but it's still better than the short intro thingy from the s/t.

Egypt. This is my winner of the entire contest. Yes, it even beats The Odyssey if it comes to that. Egypt is a highlight through-and-through. The Odyssey relies too much on the climax in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I think The Odyssey is brilliant -- but Egypt is a perfect song from start to finish, while still clocking at 7 mins. The Odyssey is 24 minutes long, of which in my opinion only 4-5 minutes are fully on par with Egypt.

Egypt is too short be regarded as a semi-epic in my book. Regardless, of the top of my head, these are the songs I think of that compare to Egypt in pure quality relative song length (while still maintaining an above-average song-length, in a similar vein of metal, from bands often compared to Symphony X for one reason or another): Mechanical Poet - Natural Quaternion, Therion - Adulruna Rediviva, Dream Theater - Home. Short list, but that's how good I think Egypt is.

 

[Marwen]

Nice selection there Phanto. I agree completely about Egypt. Perfect song. I wouldn't change a thing about it (yes not even the production).

As for The Odyssey, it's one of their absolute best songs an all but I personally don't consider the best. Not even the second best. I actually prefer DWOT to The Odyssey. Both have their own magic, but DWOT's kind of magic has a higher value to me, if that makes any sense.

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

I actually prefer DWOT to The Odyssey. Both have their own magic, but DWOT's kind of magic has a higher value to me, if that makes any sense.

Agreed.

 

[Isaac_de_Moorea]

The Accolade
Rediscovery part 1
Of Sins and Shadows
Death of Balance

I´ve nothing to add. Egypt is one of the most awesome songs SX´s has pulled off, I definitely agree. But "Death of Balance" is awesome as well, and I would feel terribly bad if it would had zero votes in favor at the end, against any song.

 

[Baroque]

The Accolade
Domination
Of Sins and Shadows
The Death of Balance/Lacrymosa - It's the Lacrymosa bit that moves me every time, whether it's mozart's original, SX's version or even evanescence's version, something about it is so haunting, reserved but powerful drama. One of my favorite SX tracks just because of that.

 

[LavagesOfTime]

The Accolade - it's basically a fantastic song against an average song
Domination - I love the bass intro, and despite it's not one of the stand-out songs it beats a short segue.
Of Sins and Shadows - the first SX song I heard and got me hooked has to be good!
Egypt - I love lacrimosa but I'm not fond of death of balance -> Egypt wins

 

[Sauna]

The Accolade - One of the very best SX tracks.
Domination - I can't believe I'm voting for this on the second round, I don't even like it that much. Still beats an intro.
Of Sins and Shadows - Doesn't matter if it's overplayed or not, it's a fantastic song.
Egypt - A top 10 song no doubt.

 

[Liampie]

The Accolade
Rediscovery part 1
Of Sins and Shadows
Egypt

 

[Krondor]

The Accolade
Rediscovery part 1
Of Sins and Shadows
Egypt

 

[Islandstone]

1. The Accolade. No contest!

2. Redicovery pt.I. Never been the biggest fan of Domination, and pt. I of Redicovery is an incredible beautiful tune. THAT note in the beginning...

3. Sins. Easily beats an opener from one of their weakest albums. Good,solid song.

4. Egypt. Death of Balance/Lacrymosa is quite decent, but Egypt is better. If I one day travel to the pyramide land I will for sure listen to this great song (maybe while riding a camel..).

 

[Baroque]

Ya'll are crazy. Listen to Lacrymosa from 2:20 till the end. That alone beats all of Egypt which is run of the mill stuff for SX, and cheesy at times.. You're kinda saying an average prog metal tune is better than perhaps Mozart's greatest masterpiece

 

[Phanto]

In a song vs song contest, I value an original composition a lot higher than a rehash.
But that doesn't matter in this case, since I don't think Egypt is an average tune. I think it's their best.

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

and cheesy at times

Apparently you don't listen to too much Symphony X...

 

[Marwen]

The Death of Balance/Lacrymosa - It's the Lacrymosa bit that moves me every time, whether it's mozart's original, SX's version or even evanescence's version, something about it is so haunting, reserved but powerful drama. One of my favorite SX tracks just because of that.

He was actually dying when he wrote that masterpiece. Not much drama there.

You're kinda saying an average prog metal tune is better than perhaps Mozart's greatest masterpiece

Well exactly. It's Mozart's, not Symphony X's. Symphony X's rendition of (part of) the piece is great but they shouldn't take credit for the composition itself.

And I agree with Phanto, Egypt is probably their best (non-epic) track. Just excellent on all levels, music, performance, lyrics, originality, etc. No average tune here.

Cheesy? Do not be fooled my child. If you get the story and true feel of the music (especially as the song draws to an end) you'll find that it's hauntingly dark and anything but cheesy.