Twilight in Olympus [Limited Edition, Original recording reissued]

Symphony X | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 13, 2004)
• Original Release Date: 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Limited Edition, Original recording reissued
• Label: Inside Out U.S.
• ASIN: B00012BD12
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,523 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Smoke And Mirrors

2. Church Of The Machine

3. Sonata

4. In The Dragon's Den

5. Through The Looking Glass - Part I, Ii & Iii

6. Relic

7. Orion - The Hunter

8. Lady Of The Snow

9. Enhanced Element

Editorial Reviews

Debut release on SPV from this five piece speed/ prog/ metaloutfit from New Jersey. Features a moving rendition of Beethoven's Sonata #8 in C minor utilized here as a clever lead-in to their monstrous hit 'In The Dragon's Den'. Eight tracks total. 1998 release. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Continued brilliance in power progressive metal, November 1, 2005

By 

R. Gorham "RCG2" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Twilight in Olympus (Audio CD)

THE BAND: Michael Romeo (guitars), Russell Allen (vocals), Thomas Miller (bass), Jason Rullo (drums & Percussion), Mike Pinnella (keyboards).

THE DISC: Released orginally in 1998. 8 tracks clocking in at approximately 53 minutes. Recorded at Trax East Studios in South River, NJ. The new digipak contains digitally mastered sound as well as a screen saver and band interview (from a 2003 session - most of the time spent reflecting on first concerts, touring in Japan and pressure to release albums; says Allen, "We can't pump out 3 chord rock records as quickly as AC/DC." There is an 18-page booklet containing band pictures, lyrics, song credits and thank you's. This is the band's 4th major release. Label - Inside Out Music.

COMMENTS: This was the 2nd disc in my collection from this progressive/power/metal New Jersey band. In my collection, I rank "Olympus" 3rd behind "V-The New Mythology Suite" and "The Divine Wings Of Tragedy". Since their self-titled release and their sophmore effort ("The Damnation Game"), I feel Symphony X has come a long way. Their first two albums were average at best (average song writing and below average production). Something happened when lead singer Russell Allen came on board. The band really showed their chops with their 3rd release (1997) "Divine Wings Of Tragedy"... and they continued with "Olympus". Songs thrust you into a perilous new world of rock music filled with magic, power, the Gods, dreams and destiny. In my opinion, Symphony X ranks as one of the top heavy progressive rock music acts out there. It truly escapes me why Symphony X receives little or no air play, little or no promotion, and limited touring (at least in the southwest). The band has a huge following in Europe and Japan. Romeo's blistering work on the guitar is high quality stuff (Yngwie Malmsteen would be proud) and he has very few equals. Russell Allen's voice is beautiful - and he's a singer, not a screamer or growler. Miller, Rullo and Pinnella are all equally talented on their instruments. Some great songs in the 9 minute "Church Of The Machine", my favorite up and down 13 minute "Through The Looking Glass (Parts I-III), and the wonderful power ballad to close the disc "Lady Of The Snow". Check out their website at www.symphonyx.com ... Great disc.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Five stars...what else would you expect from Symphony X?, June 14, 2000

By 

Lord Chimp (Monkey World) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Twilight in Olympus (Audio CD)

Symphony X's third album, The Divine Wings of Tragedy, was a carnivorous progressive metal masterpiece with classical influences abound (the title track was based on Holst's composition "Mars - The Bringer of War"), although the neoclassical influences which dominated their first two releases were trimmed. For the band's fourth album, Twilight In Olympus, the neoclassical trademark makes a grand return, this time _without_ the horrible studio production on the first two albums. As such, it does what the first two releases tried to do, but it does it better. Is it better than Divine Wings? On the whole, no... DWOT's high points are some of the greatest of all progressive metal songs. One place Twilight In Olympus does beat its awesome predecessor, however, is song diversity. This album serves up a tasty dish of heavy speed metal, neoclassical metal, symphonic interludes, power ballads, and majestic epics.

What's good about Twilight In Olympus is that every song is a standout, a highlight. Again, I attribute this to the range of styles found on the disc... all of which are siphoned through the band's crushing metal approach, of course. "The Church of the Machine" is one of their best songs, with its ominous synth work, soaring chorus, and epic structure. "In the Dragon's Den" has one of the most meticulous and fastest riffs I've ever heard, and the incredible solos are all that's required to affirm that Michael Romeo is one of the best metal guitarists alive... or dead, I guess. "Through the Looking Glass," based on the story "Alice Through the Looking Glass," gives the tame, magical story an powerful metal reiteration, with one of the band's most majestic choruses in part 3.

The speedy neoclassical songs, "Smokes and Mirrors" and "The Relic," are most similar to the band's work on their self-titled debut and The Damnation Game, although the songwriting is incredibly more intense and the production is about a hundred times better. "The Relic" especially is one of their most exciting songs, with Romeo's unique riffing hammering out smoking rhythms over which keyboardist Pinnella dances with traditional neoclassical speed metal synths. What's amazing here is the heroic chorus, with the awesome lines, "Carry on into the horizon | Wielding courage, staff in hand." Even though the lyrics are just fantasy/mythology-type things, Symphony X does it in a way that isn't corny. Also, the mechanics of their lyrics are pretty clever, with intelligent rhythms, powerful imagery, and internal rhyming. "Radiant lady in white." Think about it.

That brings us to "Lady of the Snow," the haunting power ballad based on a spooky Japanese legend. Allen and Miller paint vivid images with their words, and the composition is so strong, chilly, and evocative you can truly imagine the "garden of ice." Vocalist Russell Allen's ghostly delivery of the first verse is bloodcurdling in its dark beauty. There is also "Orion the Hunter," a mid-tempo metal cut anchored to a corrosive, steady guitar riff and a truly sinister chorus ("Oh, the hunter looks at you with eyes to kill.")

The only way to fault Twilight In Olympus is to address its ineffable feeling of incompleteness. I didn't quite understand it at first, but I later discovered that the band had been forced to drop the album's title track because they were unable to finish it in time. It's not a total loss, however... "Twilight In Olympus" was dissected and many of its ideas were used for the band's latest -- and I'd say best -- release, V.

If you're one of the unlucky or hesitant or foolish progressive metal fans who've yet to take the dive into Symphony X's world, I suggest you do it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beauty in Metal, May 7, 2000

By 

Christopher B., Vogler "fangkuifu" (Omaha, NE USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Twilight in Olympus (Audio CD)

Like most fans of Symphony X, I was a bit worried that this album could not compare to Divine Wings. However, after a careful listen to this album I can say that those fears were unfounded. The focus of this album is on beauty. With the piano really shining among the ever-excellent guitars, the music takes on a different tone (sometimes Kansas-like). The best tracks on this album are Through the Looking Glass, Orion the Hunter, Lady of the Snow, and In the Dragon's Den--respectively. I cannot say enough about this band. They fulfill all of my hopes for the future of music. I shall always look forward for their next release.