Symphony X Song Tournament: Vote for the Best

[Phanto]

Accolade II - I wanted to vote Orion but the chorus of that song is just too fucking repetitive. "oooh the hunter looks at me wrhedufhdguh". Orion has better verses than the Accolade II though.
Revelation - Evolution is my favorite SX opener, but going by my standard test of "which would I rather have on repeat for a couple of hours?", I'd have to go with Revelation. A close one.
Through the Looking Glass - Super easy pick.

 

[EyeballKid]

ACCOLADE II!
Evolution
Through the Looking Glass

 

[Marwen]

Accolade II - Excellent song. I don't like Orion that much.
Evolution - I don't have a problem with "power metal" like tracks when they're this good. Revelation is great but I've never really considered it one of my favorites for some reason.
Church of the Machine - Kind of a tough choice. I like both of these great songs about the same but Church is slightly more fun to me for some reason.

 

[Sauna]

Accolade II
Revelation
Church of the Machine

Church of the Machine needs to advance.

 

[Wander]

Accolade II
Revelation
CHURCH OF THE MACHINE

 

[Krondor]

Accolade II - almost a coinflip since I love Orion....

Evolution - Easy pick for me

Through the Looking Glass - this is also almost 50/50 but Looking Glass is imo a bit better song overall...

 

[iceandfire84]

Accolade II
Evolution
Through the Looking Glass

 

[Liampie]

Accolade II - honourary mention for Orion though. Love that song.
Evolution
Through the Looking Glass

 

[Prismatic Sphere]

I wonder how many of those who picked "Evolution" picked it because it was the first SX song they ever heard or because they thought it the better song.

 

[UnholyCrusada]

I wonder how many of those who picked "Evolution" picked it because it was the first SX song they ever heard or because they thought it the better song.

It was in fact my first, and I still think it's a fucking fantastic song to this date. That said, I voted for Revelation purely because it's more elaborate and epic-sounding. They're two songs I would listen to in two different scenarios, the former if I want crazy-fast guitar work and an upbeat pace, and the latter if I want to hear more of an emphasis on keys and prog stuff.

 

[iceandfire84]

I wonder how many people picked Revelation because of the Divine Wings melody at the end.

I kid, I kid. I do really love both songs pretty equally for basically the same reasons as Unholy mentioned.

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

Accolade II
Revelation
Looking Glass

1. I love Orion, but the band emotes in Accolade II in ways that they rarely do. This is a no-brainer for me.

2. Once again, I'm going with the song that (to me) contains far more feeling. That Divine Wings reference at the end is so nice. I've also always thought that Evolution is overrated, and the overly power metal sound is generally not to my liking.

3. I love both of these songs. Church has a fantastic concept with some great, crunchy riffs in there. But Looking Glass is a masterpiece, and in the same tier as the band's other big epics (Odyssey, Divine Wings, Rediscovery).

Orion has better verses than the Accolade II though.

The verses of Accolade II are some of the catchiest Symphony X I've ever heard.

 

[ElvenShadow]

Accolade II
Revelation
Looking Glass

 

[Phanto]

The verses of Accolade II are some of the catchiest Symphony X I've ever heard.

Meh, it's basically Champion of Ithica without the arpaggios...

Orion's verses are a lot more interesting to me. And also a much superior song, lyrically. But like I wrote, it falls (hard) on the chorus.

Accolade II basically has this verse, then just tiny bits in-between the repeating chorus:

On a cold and misty night,
a ring of torches light the hallowed ground
where his father's laid to rest

In the reflection of a sword
he sees his destiny and he swears up to the sky:
"You will not have died in vain!"

~meeeeeeh

This is the second verse of Orion, and one of my favorites:

For whom the God's destroy, they first make mad
Receiving the sun, and falling like hourglass sand
Child of the sea I am, in starlight I reside
Glow silver and white, eternal and bright in the sky

(and then the bridge:

On a quest for light, and braving the seas
Chasing the morning star, wait for me...
Now I'm blinded, this vision I cannot see
I cannot see my future destiny)

 

[Prismatic Sphere]

I will say that the verses of Orion are among SX's very very best. Wasn't an easy choice either. But Accolade II wins for me for being one of the only very few worthy music sequels alone.

 

[Wander]

Too bad the best song of Twilight In Olympus is dropping out against the second best song of that album, but that happens.

 

[Prismatic Sphere]

Too bad the best song of Twilight In Olympus is dropping out against the second best song of that album, but that happens.

You know it really is a toss-up as Glass is more of a complete song studio-wise. The live version of Church would easily beat it. But even if I could change my vote, it wouldn't matter.

As for live Looking Glass Vs. live Church...? Fuck. another toss-up, but I think Glass would just barely edge it out.

 

[Islandstone]

1. Accolade II. Orion is great, but Accolade II is slightly better.


2. Revelation. One of the best songs post-Odyssey, and probably in my top 15 overall. I wish they would make more songs like this...it has one of the best choruses in the histoy of SX, and the interlude is so intense; I always feel like I'm listening to the soundtrack of the end of the world or something, like a fiercy battle between good and evil...before it goes over in that awesome clean guitar arpeggio part, with the other instruments joining in. And of course, the Divine Wings reference at the end is a nice remembrance to the classic album which was released 10 years before.

Sorry Evolution, but you stand little chance against this one.


3. Through the Looking Glass. Definitely the toughest one this round, as both are in my top 10. But Looking Glass is simply a masterpiece, so what can you do?

 

[Isaac_de_Moorea]

Orion The Hunter
Evolution
Through the Looking Glass

 

[Marwen]

Orion's verses are a lot more interesting to me. And also a much superior song, lyrically. But like I wrote, it falls (hard) on the chorus.

Nice verses indeed, but yeah I can't stand its chorus. That and the "Ohh the hunter... Ohh the hunter..." ending.

Lyrics aside, Accolade II's music is much better than Orion's. Glorious sequel to a magical (and better) original.