MUSIC REVIEW: Symphony X - Iconoclast

"Infernal machines arise -- flesh and steel collide!"

Sometimes bands just seem to do everything right. Symphony X is basically a band like that. Iconoclast is a brilliant prog-metal album. First of all, the band sounds tighter than ever and the production is really heavy. Really METAL. It's sonically very similar to the previous release, Paradise Lost, which was so good it was hard to imagine Iconoclast equaling its quality, much less exceeding it. Yet that's what happened.

You know when bands suddenly gets 'heavier' on an album or two, and the heavier albums are the best albums? Yeah, this is like that. Iconoclast maintains the pumped-up heaviness of the previous release, which is good if you crave the true power of metal. I do not believe its coincidental that the last two albums have been crushingly heavy and at the upper level of Symphony X quality. However, the band retains its knack for amazing vocals, melodic hooks, and songwriting that closes on your skull like a bear trap snapping shut, so the heaviness does not suppress any other important features. Not to mention there are some downright rippin' prog-metal breakdowns, face-melting solos, and a big, epic, "Rise of the Machines" kind of theme. It's almost like "Church of the Machine" being extended to a full concept! There's an absolutely brilliant 'power ballad', "When All Is Lost", which is probably their best. And that's saying a lot when you think of crazy songs that might be in that category, such as "Candlelight Fantasia," "Lady of the Snow", "Awakenings", "Paradise Lost", even "Edge of Forever" maybe... anyway.

You know, a lot of the album sounds kinda 'the same' at first, and it's long which doesn't help that initial impression (two-disc version is mandatory, if you get the one-disc set you are stupid). But that is only at first, because give it some attention and the music reveals all the brilliant layers that make awesome prog-metal so tasty (especially with this emphasis on METAL and great hooks). I've listened to this to death since it was released and it fills me with joy. This is probably Symphony X's most perfect album so everything else they release after this is just gravy. Well maybe the last song could have been a wee bit more epic and huge but it's still excellent, so oh well. And one final comments, even after all these years there are still reviews that say Symphony X has "stupid" or "bad" lyrics, but come on, what do you expect, Edgar Allan Poe? It's a metal band, writing about (in this case) evil machine empires (or something). The lyrics are actually AWESOME for what they are meant to accomplish.

MUSIC REVIEW: Pain of Salvation - Road Salt One

Utter Garbage

Only the most diehard crazy Pain of Salvation fan can defend this album. It is terrible.

The problem with this album is not that it is "different", or that there is "no metal" in it, or anything like that. (In many ways, it's not really that different.) The problem is simply that it is unbelievably boring.

Some have said that many of the best PoS songs are simple, as if to vindicate the first Road Salt. That is a true statement, sure. But an important point is lost if one fails to realize that most simple PoS songs are actually good. They are not boring. Road Salt features songs that are simple and boring. Or complex and boring. They are all boring.

Others have said, "Well, people aren't giving it a fair chance because it's called Pain of Salvation. BUT, if it had a different name, people would judge it on its own merits and like it."

Um... No. If any band released this album it would be garbage.

A boring album is the last thing you'd expect from PoS, because they are genuinely NOT a boring band. They are usually exciting, full of surprises, and good, interesting writing.

"No Way" is the most dull Pain of Salvation opener in the universe. Why anyone thought it was appropriate to open an album with this tranquillizer song I will never understand. The middle section when Gildenlow is singing in a weird time signature sounds so bad. Really though you'll be lucky to fall asleep before this overlong, overwrought grandpa rock gets to the next song because it gets worse. "She Likes to Hide" is slow sleazy song of bluesy boredom, it would be "super boring" rather than "boring" but fortunately it is over in less than 3 minutes. "Sisters" is some kind of weird ballad and it's very long and boring. "Of Dust" will put you to sleep if you are still awake by this point, although you will experience a moment of uncomfortable laughter when the spoken word part kicks in, because you will think, "LOL this is so stupid, what was D/Gildenlow thinking???" "Tell Me You Don't Know" will be skipped every time because you are so embarrassed on Gildenlow's behalf. "Sleeping under the Stars" sounds a Tom Waits song with all the Awesome(TM) removed. "Darkness of Mine" is hilariously over-the-top and laughable. "Linoleum" sounds like extremely drunk Foo Fighters. I'm not even going to finish talking about these songs. This album sucks. The last four songs are all bad. Actually, I will mention "Innocence", the finale, because at times it ALMOST seems like it COULD HAVE BEEN good.

Disclosure: Entropia is my favorite. The first four PoS albums are brilliant. BE was mostly great with some terrible moments. I loved Scarsick, and completely fail to understand why it is so disliked.

SWANS - The Seer

SWANS - The Seer
This has to be one of the greatest things ever.

Accept and Striborg

Okay I listened to Striborg and Accept today.

HOLY FUCK did you say you have never listened to Striborg? That album sounds like ASS. In a good way, because it is necro as hell. Pretty awesome overall, actually. Uses the shitty sound as an important quality rather than a gimmick. Or maybe it is a gimmick and I just can't tell. Anyway. this is dirty shit that crawls around in the mud and is not epic at all.

Also listened to the Accept album, forget the name. It was great. I don't have much to say, just pretty standard thrash sound but done very well with some awesome guitars and very above-adequate thrash vocals.

MUSIC REVIEW: Yes - Yessongs

"Live majesty."

I didn't think that Yes' supra-complex, textured studio recordings preceding this live set would be translated effectively to the live setting. It's not perfect, but the inadequacies created by the limitations of playing live are part of Yessongs' charm. And while the songs are occasionally missing small ingredients that flesh them out so well on the studio versions, the band's heaving energy more than makes up for it. You can especially hear it in Jon Anderson's singing. His voice is often delicate on studio albums, but here he's surprisingly powerful, singing full-force over his equally lively buddies, who jam with fervor exploding from their instruments. And man, there are lots of jams! Songs are often extended by five minutes or so for soloing, and although many would find it tiring, I think the intensity makes it totally exciting.

The songs cover three of the band's best albums: The Yes Album, Fragile, and the progressive monster Close to the Edge. This is the best lineup the band had (Anderson, Howe, Wakeman, Squire, Bruford/White), all of whom clearly feel the deeply spiritual, stirring nature of their music. Their most recent studio album, Close to the Edge, is especially well-represented, which is a marvel given the complexity of the music. The 19-minute title track is as beautiful and moving as the studio rendition. "Siberian Khatru" has tenfold the zeal. Disappointingly, "And You and I" is notably weaker than the studio version because Howe uses an electric guitar throughout, not the acoustic, which sucks away some of the original's subtle textures and simple charm.

Perhaps the most exciting songs come from The Yes Album. "Perpetual Change" blasts off after a lengthy jam interlude in the middle, returning to the exciting verses and impelling on Squire's rumbling bass lines. Wakeman's solo on "Starship Trooper" is killer, and when Howe came in with his lead, the crowd must have been slain. Fragile too gets covered well. After a stunning excerpt from Wakeman's "The Wives of Henry VIII," the band moves into a high-energy version of their biggest hit to that point, "Roundabout." "Heart of the Sunrise," with exciting drum & bass interplay and emotional vocals, makes for one of the best moments on the album.

Certainly the best live album from this era of progressive rock.

MUSIC REVIEW: Rush - Roll the Bones

"Get busy with the facts."

Although the overall quality of songcraft is a notch or two below Presto, Roll the Bones is similar in style -- very melodic rock, although this one has a tendency to rock a little harder. I suppose this might be attributable to producer Rupert Hine's influence (he worked on Presto, too). If you liked Presto, you should like Roll the Bones, although if Presto wasn't your cup of tea Roll the Bones may still be likable given the harder edge.

In terms of melody, the band still shines. The title track is a positively groovy number with a killer vocal hook in the chorus. There's also...ready for this?...a rap section in this song! It's weird, but it's pretty funny and has its own element of charm, and heck, it fits perfectly. While that melodic sensibility is still here, the more hard-hitting production charges inspiring songs like "Dreamline" and "Face Up" with an absolutely infectious quality. One also has to appreciate the band's first instrumental in 10 years with "Where's My Thing?" It's not the same virtuoso material as "La Villa Strangiato" or "YYZ," but the arrangements are stellar and the solid melodies are present. "Bravado" is one of the few Rush songs with vocal melodies I'd call beautiful, and "The Big Wheel" has an ultra-catchy chorus and fun verses. And, it's been awhile, but Lifeson's guitar solos are suddenly energized like they haven't been in a long time. There's a lot of power in the solos here, especially on the first two songs.

I don't think there's any filler here...the songs are either great or good. No, it's not Hemispheres or Moving Pictures...it's Roll the Bones, and it's different...but still awesome.

MUSIC REVIEW: Rush - A Show of Hands

"Slick songs with an edge."

It bewilders me that people say the songs here sound identical to their studio versions. I couldn't disagree more. In most cases, I think the performances on A Show of Hands catch fire, injecting considerably more energy than was present on the studio renditions. Though not quite the unadulterated intensity of All the World's a Stage, due to some glossing with overdubs and some added maturity, A Show of Hands is still exciting and emotionally charged. Take, for instance, "Subdivisions," a song whose energy breaches the ceiling with a crunchier presence of Lifeson's guitars, fiery drumming, and Geddy's passionate delivery. Actually, on each song here Lifeson's guitars have a bigger presence than the studio versions. That alone boosts the intensity level. Yes, the incidence of overdubs detracts strongly from the imperative, genuine live feel, but I'd still say there's more than enough energy to compensate. "Marathon," one of my favorite Rush songs, never gave me more goose bumps (that final chorus just soars!). "Closer to the Heart," a requisite concert staple, gets a new jam tagged onto the end, and it's a strong conclusion to a strong live album. Sprinkled throughout are songs that showcase the lighter, melodic side of the band. "Time Stands Still" and "Mystic Rhythms" sound infinitely better here than on the studio versions, thanks to a powerful, emotional performance. Peart's drum solo "The Rhythm Method" is sure to have a few jaws hitting the floor. The man is the master! If you didn't like Rush's "synthesizer era," don't buy this unless you're a completist. But if you do like those albums, definitely get this one.

MUSIC REVIEW: Symphony X - The Damnation Game

"Wimpy production blights intense, powerful music."

With a more powerful production, you know, a bit more "OOMPH", The Damnation Game could have been so much better than it is. It's sad that guitars buzz instead of crunch, drums click instead of slam, and the overall power just isn't there.

The Damnation Game, SyX's second album, brings god-like metal vocalist Russell Allen into the ranks. Although his ability never really shines through in this production, one can immediately see the promise in this man's pipes. Sounding like a younger, more vicious Ronnie James Dio, Allen fits SyX's aggressive music direction much better than the hopelessly bad Rod Tyler (from the debut).

In the song department, the band has their frantic songwriting more under control, with tighter arrangements and more intensity. The neoclassical element is still strongly evident, although the band is now exploring more interesting avenues. "The Edge of Forever" is a beautiful song with fast and slow passages, lamenting poetry, and inventive melodic progressions. It really sets the tone for the band's later brand of progressive/neoclassical metal found on Twilight In Olympus and V. Michael Romeo, one of the reigning champs of metal soloing, has his neoclassical leads coming fast and furious, with technique that might cause our good friend Yngwie to take notice. Romeo's partner in devastating soloing is the lightning-fast Michael Pinnella, whose blistering keyboard leads smoke through the song and arrest one's attention as much as any guitar solo. Songs feature trademark SyX features... majestic harmonies, symphonic textures, and killer leads, but the band has yet to explode. On the next several albums, they certainly erupt with all the ambition and quality hinted at here.

You've probably discovered SyX with either The Divine Wings of Tragedy or V. [Ed.: Or maybe one of their newest albums. This review was originally published a long time ago.] If that's the case, be sure to add The Damnation Game to your collection. It is flawed, but it's great moments give it the "must-have" status. And if you're new to Symphony X, start with one of the aforementioned albums.

MUSIC REVIEW: Rush - Exit...Stage Left

"Killer songs and performances."

Suitably enough, Rush recorded a live album to top off the most successful period in their careers. Permanent Waves and especially Moving Pictures had secured reams of popularity for the power-prog trio, so a high-energy live compilation was the perfect coda to this hallowed chapter in the band's history.

The tracks here cover a fairly broad range of Rush's catalogue up to this point, but skip over the debut and Caress of Steel. Although this collection largely covers the band's shorter, more commercial songs, they never forget the progressive rock wings on which they once soared. I'd say the song selection is perfect. Alongside hits like "Freewill," "Tom Sawyer," and "The Spirit of Radio" are progressive epics like "Xanadu" and "Jacob's Ladder." One of my favorite moments on the album comes with "La Villa Strangiato," an astounding instrumental tour-de-force that concretizes the band's standing as musicians' musicians. Live, this song SMOKES. Lifeson's first solo in this song is infused with tenfold the passion of the original, and I can't help but get chills up and down my spine listening to it. Still, while the energy is there and the songs are great, there is major overdubbing that renders the album a wee bit too polished, and the band's blazing live ebullience is diluted somewhat.

Still, this album many wonderful moments. The precise, stunning drum solo during "YYZ," "Closer to the Heart" with the entire crowd joining in with Geddy on vocals, the ultra-high energy performance of "Red Barchetta," the serene melodies of "Broon's Bane" as a seque into the hard-rocking "The Trees"...the list is endless.

I was kind of disappointed by the album's dubious representation of the concert experience. At the end of most tracks, the sound fades out and then comes back in for the next song. It's like it's taking snippets from several concerts instead of capturing the seamless performance. Most live albums cut superfluous crowd noise and chitchat, but blend crowd noise together so that it flows smoothly from song to song anyway. This works better in preserving the feel of the actual show. Annoyingly, here you'll often hear silence between the tracks and it creates a frustrating disjointed "concert" experience.

But it's not so bad. As a high-energy live "greatest hits" type package, Exit Stage Left can't be beat. Rush rules the world, and this captures them at their best.

(Oh, and make sure you get the Remastered edition, which has "A Passage to Bangkok," a rockin' song that was not included on some of the earlier pressings.)

MUSIC REVIEW: Ozric Tentacles - Jurassic Shift

"Space rock... and DINOSAURS!"

Ah, yet another trippy excursion into the Ozrics' twisted world of swirling synthesizers, quirky guitar intonations, ethnic influences, and one of the tightest rhythm sections around. This album captures all of the best Ozric qualities, making it one of their best. The title track totally rules, being an imaginative piece that sets a busy climb of slow, ambient soundscapes sprinkles with jagged guitar quotes, giant bass lines, and strokes of wacky synths that culminates in an explosive climax. "Feng Shui" is much the same, but concurrently very different. It spends a good eight minutes building to its exhilarating finale, which is perhaps the closest this band gets to a heavy metal riff. "Vita Voom's" middle section is one of the band's most beautiful moments, despite the heavy, thumping bass and drums at the beginning. Colorful washes of synthesizers and acoustic guitar create a sublime musical canvas. What more can be said? Ozrics rock, and this is one of their best. Apparently this music is wild on acid or whatever, though I've never tried that. I can say it's pretty killer with your senses intact, though.