Every time SYMPHONY X releases a new album, we're never a 100 % sure what they'll have for us and generally, we need a few listening before completely appreciating its content. It's also the case with the new album « The Odyssey » but from the first riffs of « Inferno (Unleash the Fire) » carrying Michael Romeo's unique signature sound and chorus à la « Of Sins and Shadows » that has marked the first minutes of « The Divine Wings of Tragedy », it's with enthusiasm that I await for the rest of their sixth album.

For those who wish to size up this album with the rest of their discography, I would say that it gathers the melodic and powerful elements of « The Divine Wings of Tragedy » with the symphonic side of « V – The New Mythology Suite ». This opus, in spite of its title and its cover art/jav, is not completely a concept album. There's the seven part title track doing more than 24 minutes at the end and which runs a lot on the tones from « V – The New Mythology Suite » for its symphonic mark. This long epic title relates Ulysses' odyssey, king of Ithaca, who distinguished himself during the seat of Troy.

Other titles including prog symphonic elements like « Incantations of the Apprentice » are serving us SYMPHONY X's very personal style and of a non-disconcerting complexity. Many have heard and were waiting for it firmly, « The Accolade II » is indeed part of the track listing of this album and continues where « The Accolade » left us. Musically, there's a subtle resemblance whereas lyrically, we find the force of vengeance of our hero... a must read.

The band plays a lot on the classic subjects of horror like the track « King of Terrors » which is inspired by a short story from Edgar Allan Poe or still with « The Turning » picking up on the Dr Jeckyl and _selr Hyde theme. These two songs are pretty much straight forward and fast exploiting the more metal side of their style. The other subjects are skilfully and splendidly composed feeding our imagination of dark scenarios.

« The Odyssey » is a brilliant album composed by a band really apart that pushes away the conformist standards and raises the quality criterions. Another 'must' for the metalheads!!!