Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Symphony X - The Odyssey (2002)
In all honesty, I'm glad we have star ratings in this site instead of percentage ratings. I wouldn't have to decide whether a 5-star album deserves a perfect 100% or not. The two other Symphony X albums I've given 5-star ratings to have one slight problem that would knock each one down to say 97% or 98%. But this album, The Odyssey is absolutely perfect, 100%! And although it's not a concept album like their 5th album V was, it captures different themes in each song to get you hooked.
Symphony X is known as a progressive metal band, though not in the same way as a band like Dream Theater. There's more technicality and orchestra, and the band can sound extreme while staying melodic. All this makes a perfect mix that I regret taking a long-a** break from.
We already get a full-on standout in "Inferno (Unleash the Fire)". Both the music and vocals sound so aggressive, heavier than their previous albums and hinting at their later ones. The riffing in the intro and verses really attack and mark the start of a more kick-A path for the band. "Wicked" loses some aggression but it's still quite wicked, with great soloing from both the guitar and keys. "Incantations of the Apprentice" is more eerie, containing some Lovecraft-infused lyrics. The vocals by Russell Allen can remind some of 70s Rainbow, particularly in the verses. Michael Romeo's guitarwork continues to shine, but Michael Pinnella's keys, not so much. But that's OK, because the guitars really help give the track some meat to beat.
Bringing back the keys right away after that previous track is "Accolade II", a soft while still heavy sequel to a track from The Divine Wings of Tragedy. Lots of piano beauty and audible bass in this one! My favorite part is a brief piano section with Allen's singing midway through the song, before the bridge. A couple minutes later, there's excellent soloing by Romeo. Absolutely breathtaking! Up next, "King of Terrors" flips the stylistic palate as the heaviest song by the band at that time. The riffing is simple yet heavier than most of the more melodic metal bands. While the vocals including the verses stay heavy, the piano lets out a slight calm moment then levels up the bass, drums, and vocals in the chorus. The song is based on Edgar Allan Poe's works, and it includes a spoken section from one of his poems. Add some keyboard/guitar complexity and you have what's basically early Queensryche gone Nightwish! "The Turning" is a short fast heavy track, and the riffs and leads throw back to their earlier neoclassical style.
"Awakenings" stands out with its synths and piano that sounds practically like a video game OST, plus beautiful singing by Allen. There's still some speed that DragonForce would later have. It's both the second-longest track of the album and my second favorite here. And only one track would surpass that one on both accounts... The title epic is the longest track the band has ever done, at over 24 minutes. You know how much I love long epics, especially when there's lots of fresh variation. I love those kinds of tracks as much as the less progressive listeners love tracks that are up to 6 minutes long. A true epic should never be so draggy throughout its length (looking at you, funeral doom "epics"!). In these 7 parts of this epic, things can switch from orchestral to acoustic to metal, often going from slow to fast back and forth. And the lyrics do the journey of Odysseus justice! All I have more to say is, it's one of the greatest epics in the metal part of my existence! The limited edition has two bonus tracks, starting with a 1998 re-recording of "Masquerade" from their 1998 debut. As great as the original! The other bonus track "Frontiers" is a standout with intricate soloing from the guitars and bass.
OK, let's look back at my earlier situation. I've considered The Odyssey one of the best albums both now and over a decade ago. If I focused on only this band and album and others in power/progressive metal, I probably would never have switched to modern heavy genres like metalcore/industrial metal. But if I stayed in those latter two genres today without looking back, I would've completely forgotten about masterpieces like this. With that said, I'm grateful for how everything turned out, and I'm grateful to still remember the perfection of this offering. Fans of metal and all music should give it a go. It's an odyssey that shall be remembered for eternity!
Favorites: "Inferno (Unleash the Fire)", "Accolade II", "Awakenings", "The Odyssey", "Frontiers" (bonus track)