Symphony X - Underworld (2015)

I’ll start off this blog entry by mentioning two things:

1) I usually don’t review albums immediately after they come out, as I feel like I need to listen to them multiple times over a certain period of time. Today I’m making an exception.

2) I got this album the Wednesday before release date because my local CD shop had it in stock at the time.

Now to the entry itself. I have been a fan of Symphony X for many years. I’ve seen them in concert and enjoy many of their releases. However, I thought their last release, 2011’s “Iconoclast”, while not a bad album, was one of their weaker efforts, and it caused me to lose some faith in the band. This release, however, is a massive improvement, and after listening to it, I’m happy to say my faith in the band has returned, and I’m back on board.

I read that the band wanted to simply focus on songwriting for this album, and I feel they succeeded, as there are many great songs on here. The musicianship is as good as ever, and thank goodness Russell Allen doesn’t curse on here!

TRACK LISTING

1) Overture (2:13) – This is pretty much your typical Symphony X orchestral opener, with fierce drums, atmospheric keyboards, and a great deal of energy. It leads right into the first single…

2) Nevermore (5:30) – When I first heard this song, I thought it was merely good, but after a while, it started to grow on me, and now I like it a lot. It’s a pretty standard, high-energy, speedy song, one that Symphony X like doing on pretty much all of their albums. After listening to this song more carefully, I have to wonder if Michael Romeo set his fretboard on fire playing this song, as the man literally never stops shredding.

3) Underworld (5:48) – This song reminds me of “Set the World on Fire” from “Paradise Lost” at times. Russell Allen’s voice really gets a workout on here, going from vicious growls to hitting high notes in the melodic chorus. I’m glad to see that Michael Pinnella gets more keyboard solos and is generally more prevalent; he interchanges solos with Romeo in many songs, and this is the first hint of that.

4) Without You (5:51) – The other single, and the first of two ballads on here. It’s a primarily guitar-driven song, but after Romeo’s solo, there is a part where the guitars and keyboards intertwine – this part in particular reminds me of “The Accolade” from “The Divine Wings of Tragedy”. This one was another grower, but grow on me it did. I do, however, think it’s one of the weaker tracks on the album, but it’s not bad.

5) Kiss of Fire (5:10) – Now we’re talking! This song is very epic and intense, with the orchestration and choral effects playing a key role in the overall atmosphere. Jason Rullo also does blast beats for the first time! Don’t miss this one.

6) Charon (6:07) – Another fantastic song, where Pinnella’s keyboards invoke a mystical atmosphere. When I first heard this song, I thought it wouldn’t sound out of place on “The Divine Wings of Tragedy”, but I hear a bit of “Wicked” from “The Odyssey”. Again, this is another song you don’t want to miss.

7) To Hell and Back (9:23) – No 20+ minute epic on this album, but this is the longest song on here. It’s a fairly mid-paced song with atmospheric keyboards, and an admittedly pop-ish chorus, but nothing cringe-worthy. The riff starting at 4:24 is one of my favorites. The solos from Romeo and Pinnella are some of the best on here.

8) In My Darkest Hour (4:22) – Now we come to the album’s worst track. It’s fairly uninteresting, with nothing that truly stands out. Okay, Romeo’s solo is cool, and the basslines are nice, but honestly, I think this track should be left off the album. You may like it though.

9) Run With the Devil (5:38) – Here Symphony X’s progressive influences come out. This song is fairly fast with some great riffing from…well, everyone, really. Great solos from Romeo and Pinnella too. I personally didn’t like this song at first, but now I can’t get enough of it.

10) Swan Song (7:29) – The other ballad, and the better of the two. Pinnella’s piano guides the song throughout its running time, and Allen’s crooning is great (as always). Romeo’s solo on here is very emotional.

11) Legend (6:29) – The final song, and in my opinion, the best song on here. Plenty of energy and a great performance by everyone. There are also many guitar/keyboard solos on this song – I didn’t think the band was still doing that. This may sound cheesy, but whenever I listen to this song, I feel like I’m running a marathon and just crossed the finish line. Once again, don’t miss this one.

So in conclusion, “Underworld” is a great album from Symphony X. If your faith was slightly dissuaded after “Iconoclast”, this one will restore it. I have no qualms calling it one of the best albums of 2015. I highly recommend picking this album up.

HIGHLIGHTS: Overture, Nevermore, Underworld, Kiss of Fire, Charon, Run with the Devil, Swan Song, and Legend.