SYMPHONY X — Iconoclast (review)

SYMPHONY X — Iconoclast album cover Album · 2011 · Progressive Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
dtguitarfan
While this may not be my favorite Symphony X album, I think it might be the first I'd recommend to Metal fans of other sub-genre's, though the jury is still out between Iconoclast and Paradise Lost. As a fan of all things Progressive, my favorite tracks on the album are the title track, and When All Is Lost. While Symphony X does still show off their Progressive creds in those two tracks, the album as a whole is possibly their darkest to date, and has more Power Metal elements, with an often mechanical feel (to go along with the subject matter of the lyrics). As such, this may be their most widely appealing album, and would be one I'd be proud to recommend to a fan of other Metal sub-genres. The opening track, Iconoclast, is a great introduction to the band for anyone who hasn't heard them - kind of summing up everything they're about. It opens with a bang, with some very heavy, speedy, dark, complicated riffs. This complex/heavy feel dominates the 11 minute epic, and is sure to appeal to both fans of their dark side and fans of their complex, progressive side. And the album (or the first CD, if you bought the 2 disc version) finishes with another epic - When All Is Lost. This one has a much lighter feel to start out, but builds to a fantastic crescendo, and contains some impressive instrumental sections where SX shows off their technique of layering instruments with different rhythm patters on top of each other. Throughout the disc, Russel Allen's vocals shine - his vocals are always pure man, and I've always considered him to be one of the top Metal vocalists.
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UMUR wrote:
more than 2 years ago
I´m really impressed by "Iconoclast" too. Such a great album.
The Angry Scotsman wrote:
more than 2 years ago
4.5 was my rating as well, brilliant album!

I'm a little confused about the power metal elements part, I though "Iconoclast" had far less...with only "Light up the Night" really being in their power metal type style.
Maybe it's confusion of semantics though lol

Anywho, love this album!


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