New Symphony X is badass!

[Cleveland Metal]

Yeah, I saw that tour too. Walked around and socialized after SX went off and pretty much ignored Stratovarious. They are great musicians, but they don't do much for me.

Got to hang out with Romeo a few minutes and the bassist and singer for a while. Both really sociable dudes, but Romeo was sorta in and out. Nuce enough guy tho.

[horns666]

Man , That is the best SX I ever heard so far..and I got 'em all..much more "aggressive" in writing style..I like that!!!

I can understand the NM refrences, and I agree...cool!

[Rhoadsfan67]

The new album kicks ass!!! I have seen them 4 times and Romeo and crew never disappoints!! Cool that you took lessons, Joe. He is a badass shredder for sure... and louder than all of fuck in the live setting.

[toejam]

Cool that you took lessons, Joe.

Yeah, he was very cool. He used to teach at a local music store about two blocks away from my house, but the chick who owned it was a real bitch, so he used to teach me either out of his house or come to my house. He told me I was a very good picker. Too bad I'm still not 1/4 as good as he is. :ROTF: I probably should have buckled down and practiced much more, I guess.

[Rhoadsfan67]

Damn, that is wild. So was he as good then as he is now, or has he progressed alot, in your estimation?

[toejam]

He was very good back then. Of course, I was like 14 or 15 at the time. I used to have an Yngwie poster on my wall, and my mom used to say he looked like him a little. He could pull off Yngwie stuff no problem, just amazing. He was probably almost up to where he is today, just got more into classical music and more creative writing his own stuff.

[horns666]

I got his solo cd, "The Dark Chapter"..it came out around '94, and I have his work with Phatoms Opera...he always kicked ass.

[Spivonious]

Can't wait for the album and the tour. I've seen them 6 times now (once opening for Blind Guardian and once on Gigantour) and they are always tons of fun.

As far as which album to check out first...if you like the samples posted in this thread, then you will like the band. Check out V; it's their best all-around album IMO. Then move backwards if you like the more neo-classical stuff or forwards if you like the more aggressive stuff.

AFAIK Romeo still uses the Vetta, at least he does live. All albums prior to the Odyssey were using Dual Recs.

[Sergio]

I have listened to it a couple of times, and I must admit it's a good album but not as good as I hoped to. Solos are great, but I think it lacks something in songwriting, 'cause songs are really complicated but not so catchy as before. I still think that Damnation and Tragedy are the best album they've ever done.