Symphony X - Paradise Lost

Such a killer album! I'm not even that much of a SmX fan, but this one is awesome. The artwork is also very well done, the front cover is the worst of it all. Parts of it looks a wee bit computer generated (example: the angel lady on the cover), but overall its got a great look to it. And the music shreds.

Oh yeah, the digipak format sucks. Get the jewel case version if you can find it. I didn't see one though.

what's wrong with the digi format?

I like digi's but the Symphony X one is a little to fragile you have to open it in up in 4 pieces!

Wargod48

On the wantlist!

Yeah, some of the digi-packs that I've got have looked worn out after two days. They accumulate every fingerprint, and like to rip and fray at the slightest provocation. Worse yet, my rabbit has a taste for them (she loves cardboard).

Quote :

Get the jewel case version if you can find it. I didn't see one though.

The Lasers Edge has a jewel case version!

Wargod48

Worst of all, when its closed, it doesn't lay flat. The cover wants to pop up.

i would like to get it but i have not been anywhere and seen it. i have bought too many cds recentyl and now i dont want to listen to any of them

What is everyone's thoughts on this CD? Seems somewhat mixed over at the CMR. Some saying it's the best metal album ever recorded, others saying it's ok, but doesn't do much for them. I still haven't heard it yet.

I think its a great album, but there are a lot more I'd put ahead of this one.

Album of the year for me so far.  Allen and Romeo are better than ever.  

And I love the digipack.  I'd say releases like this will prevent piracy.  

Great cd!!-TJ

Picked up the CD at the show, gave it to my son though, what I heard at the show and on the way home was great!

OK, I picked up the CD over the weekend. My wife's van broke down this weekend. A water hose burst. Fortunately it broke in the parking lot of a Best Buy, so while we waited for the engine to cool, we walked through Best Buy and I picked up the new Symphony X.

Sitting here listening to it now. It does sound good, but as I suspected, comparing it to the thrashy power metal of Brainstorm is like comparing apples and oranges. "Paradise Lost" is prog-metal through and through. It reminds me A LOT of Dream Theater, although it seems a bit heavier than DT. I'm gonna have to give this one more playtime. It's good and will probably make my Top 20 of the year, as long as I don't get bored with it easily, as I tend to do with a lot of prog-metal.

The packaging is cool and sucks all at the same time. I would rather have had a jewel case version frankly, although the packaging is sort of cool how it opens up almost like a cross. I'm gonna have to put this one on my iPod so that the packaging doesn't get destroyed carrying it around. It also bugs me that this CD has no spine, so when I store it on my CD shelves, it's gonna be hard to find.

Good band and very good record, but the epic/symphonic stuff loses me...

Excellent album!! Definitely their heaviest effort yet. They actually remind me a little of Iced Earth here and there (listening to Framing Armageddon these days too, hehe). I'm not sure it is their best yet, but it's still a darn fine album!

Oh, the digipack sucks! Even the bonus CD packaging sucks. It's is a separate cardboard sleeve, glues to the back of the CD package! RETARDED!

Great album and sports some of Sir Russel Allen's most evil sounding vocals to date. Not as good as The Odyssey (my favorite) but I would say better than the older albums, although I haven't heard anything from them that I don't like (I'm missing the first 2 albums). As for the packaging, I think it looks cool but I will probably put the disc in a hard case when I ever set up my CDs (I don't have my own place yet and I won't for at least another year).

It is on ok cd. I probably havent spent as much time with it as i should but for my money the prog metal cd of the year is Circus Maximus - Isolate followed by Winds - Prominence and Demise....

Alex

A solid album for me. A bit too groovy and modern in spots to my personal liking. My favourite is still Twilight in Olympus by far.

stormspell wrote:

My favourite is still Twilight in Olympus by far.

Great album, my favorite song from that is Through the Looking Glass, I put it on par with the Odyssey (as far as epic songs go).

Wargod48 wrote:

Quote :

Get the jewel case version if you can find it. I didn't see one though.

The Lasers Edge has a jewel case version!

Wargod48

Is that a record label or distro? I want to get the jewel case. I hate digipaks.

Never mind Wargod48. I found the website. Thanks for the tip. I also scored my self a copy of the long out-of-print doom classic Last Chapter - Paths to Always for $7. Sweet!

I think this is quite a good disc. I'm not a big fan of this band but this cd really impressed me.

They just released a new video for the song Set the World on Fire

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=88254