Symphony X - The Divine Wings of Tragedy (1997)^{Release ID: 2566}

People say this album is where Symphony X really found their sound. And what a shame that is! Where the riffs were wild and melodic on the debut, by this album they’ve settled for incredibly boring, rhythmic chugging. Baffles me how everyone hates the debut and prefers this sound.

That aside though, I do like this album quite a bit. The keys/synths ad a great layer of atmosphere and melody here, and the drumming is quite great. The more energetic, Power Metal material and the softer, synth-focused Prog Rock sections are really nice, it’s just the midtempo chuggy sections that don’t sit well with me. The guitar solos are all quite great, regardless.

The songs are all nicely composed, lengthy epics with many different changes in tempo, structure, and heaviness. The vocals are talented, but I will say, none of the verses or choruses really stick with me – I do feel a lack of passion, with the voice being used more as another instrument for hitting notes than for expression or emotion.

Aside from the solo careers of Vinnie Moor and Yngwie Malmsteen, there weren't many people taking part in the more neoclassical side of metal.  Two bands can be thanked for bringing classical to metal: Blind Guardian and Symphony X.  Blind Guardian started as a thrash band and eventually evolved into a more classical one over the course of six albums.  Symphony X, however, started immediately.  But they needed practice in making it sound good.  By their third album, The Divine Wings of Tragedy, they had done it.

Divine Wings of Tragedy is a 65 minute blast of symphonies and and technical riffage that never once lets up.  The first and foremost aspect of the album is the art of the tune.  Yes, there are plenty of moments where the band goes off on hyper-technical construction where some might call it pretentiousness, but the truth of the matter as that every note, every progression and every effort to capture the essence of the Western Classical era is lived up to.  SOme of the most incredible guitars solos I've ever heard are on this album, and practically the whole album is incredible.  And their singer, Russell Allen, gives it his all.  His range is at full display as he knows when to sing like a rough and nasty metal artist, when to be more soft-spoken and to reach soaring heights.

There is one faint problem with the album.  The entire album takes right after the opener, "Of Sin and Shadows," which means despite being incredible, it's essentially predictable by the end because the pace itself isn't really changes and these songs don't really have their own identity.  But for some, that may not matter, because as a metal album, it's practically a perfect example of how to balance riffs, melodies, aethetic and meaning.  This is a very complex album in terms of structuring.  And it serves as a great entryway into the neoclassical genre that Symphony X redefined.

Symphony X's upward spiral continues as their third album, 'The Divine Wings of Tragedy', builds upon every improvement made over their previous two albums, to make this one of their finest and most ambitious releases to date.

The music and sound is pretty much similar to its predecessor, yet, everything just seems more accomplished. The band have really hit their stride in regards to songwriting, especially guitarist Michael Romeo and keyboardist Michael Pinnella, who's neoclassical dueling perfectly encapsulates the essence of the band. And vocalist Russell Allen's incredible voice fits the music perfectly, able to shift from melodic to aggressive singing with ease.

After 'The Damnation Game' set the blueprint for a Symphony X album, this is where the New Jersey quintet really started to refine their sound and become the band we all know and love. And with some of their strongest material in songs such as 'Of Sins and Shadows', 'Out of the Ashes', 'The Accolade', 'The Eyes of Medusa' and the 21-minute title track, it's easy to see why this album is held in such high regard by fans.