Sons of ApolloPsychotic Symphony

I know Mike Portnoy was born in America, but like his contemporaries Russell Allen (Symphony X) and the entirety of Kamelot (barring Tommy Karevik), he wishes he was born on the cheese-rolling hills of Europe.

Assembling some of the most European sounding musicians ever, including the Euro-by-association Jeff Scott Soto (Therion, Journey, Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force) their admission into the European Union is all but a formality on debut Psychotic Symphony. Opener and overture God of the Sun runs all over frets, booming with nutcrunch-upon-high. It segues into total Andrew Lloyd Webber style drama accompanied by twinkle-fingers (Derek Sherinian) on synth. If you’re a die-hard Euro prog or power metal fan, please – wipe the drool away from your mouth. Everyone else, just bear with me.

If you’re a die-hard Euro prog or power metal fan, please – wipe the drool away from your mouth.

Coming Home, Lost in Oblivion and Signs of the Time churn out low-end, all polished up for active rock radio play. It’s old man metal, sure. Labyrinth doesn’t even try to hide the fact this band is two-fifths Dream Theater, guitars reverbed up like a lost cut on the Awake album. Then you hear space rock jams like Divine Addiction, big fat Hammond coursing through it as if Ken Hensley (Uriah Heep) or Don Airey (Deep Purple) was manning the ebony and ivory. Opus Maximus is a total guitar/bass/drum/synth wankfest, plastering their walls of sound with self-satisfied muso jizz.

I know, it sounds like I’m talking a lot of shit about this album. In the late 90s-early 2000s glut of Euro prog-power metal, almost every band of note tried emulating Dream Theater. That is, no one had the talent or ambition to ever come close. Now we have a band that’s almost Dream Theater barring a few tweaks and ballsier production; I’d say they’ve finally nailed it.

STANDOUT TRACKS: God of the Sun, Lost in Oblivion, Divine Addiction
STICK THIS NEXT TO: Symphony X, Allen-Lande, Dream Theater (duh)