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Underworld

      
         
         
         
     
             
Symphony X are a progressive metal band from the USA formed in 1994, releasing their self titled debut album in the same year. Surviving a twenty year career with line-up changes in the early years, the band have released a further seven studio albums and one live album. Now in their twenty first year, Symphony X have just released their ninth studio album, 'Underworld'.    
             
Imagine a group of monks walking through an Abbey, lighted torches held aloft, chanting in unison and that is the feeling you get as 'Overture' opens the album. Halfway through and the tempo changes, building into a crescendo until boom! 'Nevermore' storms in, all guitars blazing and a pulsating rhythm. Heads will bang, feet will stomp and delight will appear across your face as 'Nevermore' rattles along at speed with plenty of catchy and infectious grooves. The title song 'Underworld' bludgeons the listener with razor sharp guitars, an awesome thundering backline and a cracking vocal performance. With a change of tempo and feel, 'Without You' comes to life as a ballad and then moves majestically into a power ballad, making you nod your head, involuntarily.    
             
'Kiss Of Fire' is up tempo and bombastic as it chugs relentlessly, pounding and pounding at your senses. Head banging and foot stomping are definitely the order of the day here. So far, the album has had a heavy metal, hard rock and power metal feel to it, however, 'Charon' harks back to the bands' progressive metal roots. At over nine minutes in length 'To Hell And Back' is the longest song on the album and is a superb mix of metal and rock. Sounding like a storyteller on a beach at the dead of night with a group of friends sat in a circle, 'To Hell And Back' stomps along at mid tempo with a touch of menace in the vocals. The chorus is lighter, catchy and anthemic with clear guitar solos. This is an epic song, swinging from hard rock to heavy metal with hints of everything in-between and is a definite highlight that will please the listener.    
             
Sorry to disappoint all the Megadeth fans that are listening to this album because 'In My Darkest Hour' is not a cover song. It is a Symphony X creation, mid tempo with blazing guitar riffs, melodic rock at times, all the while retaining that infectious, bludgeoning sound that the band have made their own. 'Run With The Devil' stabs at you with some savage guitar work and mildly aggressive vocals, yet has a very catchy bridge leading to an even catchier chorus. 'Swan Song' brings to mind a song that would bring an end to something: something like a job, a career, a concert and so on...'Swan Song' does have that feel as it fuses rock, metal and power ballad tendencies, but believe me when i say, this is not the end of the bands' career. There is much more to come from Symphony X. But for now, the band leave us with the superb 'Legend', typical of the Symphony X sound, rampant guitars, a pulsating rhythm, clean and clear vocals and an infectious vibe that makes you want to head bang and foot stomp like crazy.    
             
Overall, Symphony X are an accomplished band with a proven record for producing heavy and melodic metal/rock, which this album has plenty of.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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