Band: Symphony X
Album Title: Iconoclast
Genre: Prog Metal
Overall, I give it an B+
It will more than please fans and follows closely to their last attempt, Paradise Lost. In comparison, this one is much heavier, more intricate, and also slightly less emotional. The standouts of the album are the title track and when all is lost, which both will, without a doubt, absolutely slay live. The bands musicianship is definitely above par. Only the drums get stale in some places. The album follows a loose theme of losing our beliefs in a mechanized future. One thought I definitely had while listening was that it could use more choral interludes, which had great effect in the title track, adding to the mood and taking a break from the technical madness.
Band: Boris with Ian Astbury of The Cult as guest singer
Album Title: BXI
Genre: Metal
I give this album a B for a few reasons.
It was not what I was expecting at all when I first saw it. Boris is a Japanese metal band that plays similarly to the band they get their name from, Boris. Ian Astbury is from a rock band that speaks english. Apparently, Boris wrote the songs without lyrics and trusted Ian to make lyrics appropriate to the mood. Some of the lyrics were a little sour in my opinion, but the last two tracks made up for the first two (though there are only 4 tracks in total). Rain has a repetitive and heavy riff that repeats over and over, as the song progresses into a heavier riff that plays over delicate female vocals to an odd effect. The last track, Magickal Child is pure elation and feeling, and was worth buying the record for. Wouldn't buy if I wasn't a fan of Boris.