This is tough, but I'm gonna say it's:
And as if it needed a mention, the last 2 minutes are simply unparalleled. It ends in such an awe-inspiring way that it gets me smiling every time, like the triumphant finale to a great movie. Whenever they hit that final chord, I just feel like applauding.
Absolutely. Anyone would have to be silly to say that the end of Rediscovery isn't the pinnacle moment of Symphony X's entire catalogue.
I think it really boils down to the particularly shining moments in each song:
Through the Looking Glass has that extremely magical and intelligent chorus... one of their best and most thought provoking.
Divine Wings and Odyssey both are spectacular to keep us going for that length of time.
Odyssey is less coherent of a 'song' and is more of a suite. It has that
fantastic cinematic part that begins around 2:30... think of that as the background music to watching a sunrise from an island... truly majestic. And of course, it's got the triumphant Champion of Ithica. Its success is in its ability to take us on an adventure. How many times have I daydreamed while listening to this song? I can't remember, certainly a good number of times.
The Divine Wings of Tragedy is so
cold, but in the best possible way. The opening is definitely the best of any Symphony X song... maybe any progressive metal epic out there. The middle 'standing on the edge of paradise' part is also really chilling, and the dual-ending with the sweet guitar part and then the cool vocals is really fantastic.
However, in my opinion, none are quite as powerful as Rediscovery, which, in the context of the rest of the album, is unrivaled. It unites the most powerful motifs of the record and, in the final climactic moments, comes up with what must be the very anthem of heaven itself. Lol, it is just too good. No ending of ANY song is as powerful, not even Octavarium's ending is as powerful.
Plus, in the context of the rest of V, Rediscovery is not just finishing a story, but is in fact
challenging the listener. If you really pay attention to the lyrics all throughout the record, there is clearly something more at stake than telling a story of Atlantis. What that story is, and how you choose your path is for you to find! It challenges us to ask ourselves if we are capable of change, not just of our actions but of our fates. And it has a great impact on the way we listen to the rest of the songs as well, which keeps us coming back for more and more and more V. Quickly, it turns into some kind of religion!!
The only way I can see Rediscovery losing is if we are taking it completely out of the context of V. If it truly stands alone (which would be ridiculous to consider anyway), then it is incomplete, and of course it is not as strong as Divine Wings. Musically, it is still magical, but even the ending is not as special without coming after the rest of the album. For that matter, if you listen to it too often without the rest of the album coming before it, it loses its sheen.
Us V fans are probably all nuts anyway but that's my take on it.