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Symphony X:   Iconoclast

Anyone who knows me can tell you, I'm a big Symphony X fan. I discovered them a few years back, and they quickly propelled themselves into my top spot as my favorite musical group. While metal is definitely the category they belong in, they add so much more than your stereotypical head-bangers. 

Symphony X sets itself apart by its great melodies and the inclusion of orchestration and piano to give them a unique sound that is unmatched by any other group I've ever heard. So with my obvious affection for their music, I was really excited when their latest album, "Iconoclast", was announced, and I waited patiently for its release. 

The day finally came, and I ended up getting the downloaded version because for less than the cost of the physical form, I got the enhanced deluxe edition that included a few extra songs. So after it downloaded, I quickly played it waiting to be taken into the melodic metal bliss that their previous albums have taken me into. The first song started up and it was reminiscent of their last album in that it starts you with some keyboards, guitar, and some strange melodic chanting… not a bad start. From here, it's pretty much downhill as their songs forgo their diverse strengths that made them so strong in the past for a lot of near grunge riffs, uninspired lyrics, and the worst vocals I've heard Russell Allen ever pull off (Not saying it's all bad, but compared to any of their previous works, it is weak). 

I'm not sure if the group just got lazy, or simply ran out of ideas. The mastermind behind the group is Michael Romeo, and his abilities are obvious from the previous albums, and he shows he hasn't lost anything on the strings for this album, but it's every other aspect of the music that seems to have either been diminished or completely disappeared. The orchestration and piano are nearly non-existent, the lyrics are by far the least intriguing, and the vocal range and diversity of Russell Allen that gave every previous album such richness and diversity from song to song (and often times within the same song) are replaced with a repetitive near-grunge sound that makes you shake your head. 

Probably my biggest disappointment with this new album is the inclusion of some profanity. While a small complaint, as there wasn't any crude or vulgar profanity, it's the fact that they have never had to rely on it before. It's actually only two words, on two songs. But, they've never had to lower their music in any way before. This is why I'm wondering if they just simply ran out of ideas and got frustrated. 

With my initial thoughts, you might think I hate the album, but I don't. It's got some songs that are decent and one that I really like a lot. It's just that compared to their previous titles, this one just can't compare and sets itself in a spot with the rest of the metal pack, rather than dominating it.

Bottom Line: Iconoclast is easily the weakest of all the Symphony X albums. While not horrid, its weakness makes me hope that those interested in this group find "The Odyssey", or "V-The Mythology Suite" before they run into this one. Here's hoping their next output gets some inspiration (Maybe a rockin' retelling of Frankenstein or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde album? These stories just beg for the same treatment The Odyssey got from them!)

When All Is Lost  17MB