#symphony-x — Public Fediverse posts

For @DXMacGuffin's #ProgTuesday: when you throw #DevinTownsend, #DreamTheater, #GreenCarnation #Haken, #Katatonia, #Opeth, #ShadowGallery, and #SymphonyX into a blender, you get

#Terravia: A New World

https://album.link/k0sghmtnqx9mr

Something familiar, but something different and balanced.
Quite an intro.

Returning with their over-the-top, moar is moar philosophy of fun and shred, on Outstanding Power Lovebites cooks up a sugarbomb so explosive it’ll blow your teeth out your earholes. Minted in 2016, Lovebites has been slinging their brand of power metal for a decade, dropping five full-lengths over that time.1 Outstanding Power marks the band’s fifth full-length release and the first since 2023’s Judgement Day, and these women from Tokyo used the intervening three years to cast a platter that shatters any illusion of restraint. With kicks and licks galore, does Lovebites cram in too much of a good thing, or can their latest LP stand the power?

Anyone unfamiliar with Lovebites can approximate their sound as an all-female version of Galneryus,2 although Lovebites is much more than a clone of a great band. Their full-length debut Awakening from Abyss dropped in 2017, with subsequent albums Clockwork Immortality and Electric Pentagram released in 2018 and 2020, respectively. Both follow-ups impressed, but nothing quite reached the heights of their debut until fourth album Judgement Day hit shelves in 2023. Introducing new bassist Fami,3 Judgement Day honed Lovebites’ attack to a lethal edge, and with even more time spent sharpening their craft, Outstanding Power cuts deeper than ever.

Outstanding Power by Lovebites

Lovebites’ stable lineup exudes an electrifying chemistry throughout Outstanding Power. Each component of the band’s auditory milieu complements the others, whether it’s the blazing guitar tandem of Midori and Miyako, Haruna’s meticulously mechanical drumming, or Fami’s low-end purr and incredibly hooky countermelodies. Musically, Lovebites has never been this exacting. From the calculated rhythms in “Silence the Void” to the galloping rolls in “Blazing Halo,” Haruna’s drumming goads songs with an unflappable urgency that’s simultaneously composed and tempestuous. Meanwhile, Fami’s bass flexes mondo swagger that recalls Geddy Lee’s aggressive plucks and twangs (“The Castaway”) as well as Flea-bitten flourishes (the intro to “Blazing Halo”). In fact, the bass’s expanded role on Outstanding Power defines what elevates the album above the rest of Lovebites’ already first-rate output. Besides trading vicious solos and captivating riffs with fellow axe-bearer Midori, Miyako supplies the keys, channeling duel-lead, arpeggiated runs à la Children of Bodom (“The Castaway”) as nimbly as she blankets moods with Sonata Arctica-informed synth and piano (“Eternally,” “One Will Remain”). Atop it all, singer Asami coos, belts, and wails with a voice that some may find an acquired taste with her heavy use of vibrato, but is powerful and unique. Overall, the songwriting on Outstanding Power synchronizes into lock-step bombast, where each track dazzles with its own fully-fleshed identity and laser-honed melodies.

Though not without fault, Outstanding Power unequivocally claims the top spot in Lovebites’ catalog (so far). No small part of this is thanks to Fami and Haruna, who bring the rhythm section to the fore with undeniable performances that match the high-flying axe-work besieging previous releases. The biggest strike against Outstanding Power is the album’s sixty-four-minute runtime, which the sharp songwriting mitigates with infectious melodies and perfectly executed instrumentation. Even Outstanding Power’s weakest cut, seven-minute ballad “Eternally,” contains good moments despite fumbling Lovebites’ momentum down the home stretch. Add in the surprisingly spacious mix4 that gives the band ample space to pop and you’ve got yourself a bona fide power metal classic on your hands.

Power metal presents a challenge to rate, as its natural optimism and oft-cheesy tropes can be at odds with what typically engenders high scores and opinions, and makes Outstanding Power the most difficult score I’ve assessed up to this point. Throughout, Lovebites exemplifies power metal ethos, unleashing high-octane shredded cheese with a flagrant nonchalance that is shamelessly irresistible. With Outstanding Power, Lovebites not only delivers their greatest achievement so far, but the best power metal release I’ve heard in over a year. Relentless riffs, grooves, and fills assail listeners with flamboyant moxie and technical ecstasy, defining an album I haven’t been able to put down since I got my grubby mitts on the damned thing. If fun won’t kill you, give Lovebites’ opus a spin. Or maybe give it a listen anyway, because what’s life without a little Love?

Rating: Great
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Napalm Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: February 18th, 2026

Maddog

Much to her chagrin, Thus Spoke and I share many things in common. Chief among them is our anaphylactic allergy to major scales; being the two resident vegans, we struggle with cheesy music.5 While this has made power metal a difficult subgenre, Lovebites is an exception. Our coverage of this Japanese juggernaut has been scarce, but I gave 2023’s Judgement Day a tempered positive filter review. Outstanding Power has the same foundation as Lovebites’ prior work, but with a beefier rhythm section, more variety, better riffs, hookier hooks, and more cohesive songwriting. It’s a fantastic record.

Outstanding Power is textbook power metal, in the same sense that Rust in Peace is textbook thrash. The centerpiece is Asami’s vocal performance, which is appropriately over-the-top but steps back to let the instruments shine. Lovebites’ most visible weapon is their dual-guitar assault. Across theatrical leads, deathy riffs, and unrestrained solos, guitarists Midori and Miyako display a mastery of melody. Even with such stiff competition, Lovebites’ rhythm section stands out. Fami’s bass plays every part it can, with blistering riffs, playful lines that recall a young Steve Harris, and explosive additions to choruses. Haruna’s drumming is a gem, especially when her lavish fills and opening salvos help stitch the album together. Both the bass and the drums peak when their respective musicians take the songwriting reins; Fami’s collaborative composition “Blazing Halo” features irresistible dueling bass and guitar solos, while Haruna’s “Forbidden Thirst” highlights her grooviest drum work. No member of Lovebites ever fades into obscurity.

Outstanding Power holds me rapt throughout. Across their hyperactive leads, 1980s virtuoso shredfests (“One Will Remain”), and fanciful Mark Knopfler-style (Dire Straits) joyrides (“Wheels on Fire”), guitarists Midori and Miyako don’t miss a beat. Their dominance becomes clearest when they join forces. Lovebites’ harmonies recall Iron Maiden, and the guitarists’ knack for separating and rejoining makes “The Castaway” an early contender for Song o’ the Year. Asami’s vocals aren’t bulletproof, particularly in her higher register. Still, the vocals and the guitars forge an ironclad alliance that raises Outstanding Power to new heights. The guitars’ imitation of the vocal shouts on “[Grin] Reaper’s Lullaby” makes me grin every time, while the orgiastic leads that accompany the final chorus of “Out of Control” remind me of Madonna’s classic “Burning Up.” Even the ballad “Eternally” is a triumph. While its vocal melodies are memorable, “Eternally” takes a cue from Gamma Ray’s “Lake of Tears” in delegating much of the heavy lifting to the weepy guitars. These ingredients make Outstanding Power a wellspring of enormous climaxes. The guitar solos are at once emotive and explosive (“The Eve of Change”), and each song ends with pizzazz (“Silence the Void”). In short, Outstanding Power is a goddamn pleasure.

Outstanding Power is such a spectacle that I can’t even begrudge its excess. I hear Sunburst in the chugging riffs of “Blazing Halo.” I hear Riot in the downright rowdy “Silence the Void.” I hear 1980s electronica interspersed with chest-thumping power metal in “The Eve of Change.” I hear Symphony X in the vocal melodies and the atmosphere of “Forbidden Thirst.” I hear Kryptos’ heavy metal revival in the rockin’ ruffian riffs of “Out of Control.” I hear blackened melodeath in the vicious “Reaper’s Lullaby,” contrasting with the heart-rending ballad “Eternally.” Most importantly, I hear Lovebites in every moment. All five band members sustain the album’s shifts while sticking to their signature styles. With its balance of variety and continuity, Outstanding Power feels half as long as its 64-minute runtime. Due to the album’s wide emotional range, I even grew to love its more upbeat tracks. Criticizing Lovebites for sounding cheerful seems akin to criticizing Monet because you don’t like yellow water lilies; sometimes flowers are yellow, you twit! Outstanding Power tries to do a lot, and it nails every piece.

As I struggle to process this album, I’m reminded of Eldritch Elitist’s review of Imperial Circus Dead Decadence. Yes, Outstanding Power is self-indulgent; what’s your point? Lovebites paints their variegated image of power metal with five brushes and five million colors, and the result is astounding. It isn’t perfect, and the crushed master makes it harder to appreciate the album’s finer features. But Outstanding Power easily won over my shriveled heart. While major scales make me gag, these ones just feel like the crest of a wave. While I tend to balk at hour-long albums, this one goes by in a heartbeat. Power metal isn’t my usual fare, but Lovebites has created a masterwork.



Rating: 4.5/5.0

My hope for the next #DreamTheater album is something related to technology.

Much like #SymphonyX did with Iconoclast, released WAAAY ahead of its time.

I mean, #ProgressiveMetal with technology and Jordan Rudess (68 old OMFG)? Sign me up.

#Music #Progressive #Prog #ProgMetal #Metal

Ho scoperto solo recentemente #MichaelRomeo un chitarrista semplicemente #SPAZIALE 🎸

Sì, avevo sentito qualcosa dei #SymphonyX ma paradossalmente i suoi 3 album da solista sono un pozzo infinito di virtuosismi e invenzioni tecniche di genere, devo dire gradevolissimo da ascoltare

(in particolare l'ultimo da cui è tratto questo brano)

Bella scoperta! 😉 😎

#progmetal #metal #neoprogmetal #hardrock #neoclassicalmetal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBYM6Z9NMMg

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Empyrean Sanctum – Detachment from Reality

By Dolphin Whisperer

“AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.”

More so than any other one thing, passion drives the underground. And within this world of passion, like-minded individuals find their partners in expression—or at least helping hands. Often, this can lead to us as hungry consumers to find out new acts via association. In fact, I stumbled upon the Chicago-helmed Empyrean Sanctum via research into associated acts of Katagory V vocalist Albert Rybka. And my intrigue grew further in reading that captain of the riffs Justin Kellerman had contracted the extraordinary rhythm duo of Hannes Grossman (just read his credits) and Alex Weber (Exist, WAIT, and more) for this sophomore Detachment from Reality. With a keen sense for guitar crunch, and a strong individual spirit as a guide, could Empyrean Sanctum’s progressive power charms win over our staunchy Rodeö crew? Follow passion down the sci-fi dystopia rabbit hole… – Dolphin Whisperer

Empyrean Sanctum // Detachment from Reality [April 18th, 2025]

El Cuervo: It may not be my first pick — as it might have been 15 years ago — but I always have time for progressive power metal. It’s a sub-genre that oozes immediacy, from crunchy guitars to energetic singers to vibrant synths. Empyrean Sanctum tick these boxes and further dare to border real brutality to gild their heaviest moments across Detachment from Reality. “Lifeless Death” is the easy highlight, boasting uplifting synths and the heroic guitar solos that these guys evidently enjoy playing. However, I find the songs — and as a consequence the album overall — to be interminable. It’s the type of release where I check how many tracks have passed, but it’s only been four minutes and I’m still on the same one. The bookends (“Heart of Gold” and “Elation”) are the longest, which makes starting and restarting the album more arduous than it should be. And the production is also a thick shield to my listening pleasure. The master is obnoxiously loud, and the instrumental tones have a ‘clacky’, inorganic sound that’s anathema to my ears. There’s solid music buried here, but it’s just too difficult to access. 2.0/5.0

Dolphin Whisperer: In a genre so overtaken by re-amped chug-a-lug polyrhythms, it’s refreshing to hear Empyrean Sanctum’s adherence to the melodic backbone of ’00s progressive power metal.1 You know the kind—wailing, synth-backed, bright riffage championed by titans like Threshold or Anubis Gate and glued together with knotty Petrucci (Dream Theater) energy. At least that’s where I feel main mind, Justin Kellerman lives in composition. And in this lane, Detachment from Reality swaggers through riff after riff in an elegant manner, both wearing its length on tracks that ring slower to bubble and burst (“Transparency,” “Lifeless Death”) and sauntering through groovy growth and reprisal with ease (“Heart of Gold,” “Age of Innocence,” “Refinement”). But even when its over-chorused character—Albert Rybka (Katagory V) often finding a classic nasal croon and tasteful falsetto crescendo—hits a touch long in the tooth, Kellerman’s ear for a fitting riff transition alongside Hannes Grossman’s urge to progress and explode his thundering skins keeps the lull at bay. Many of these touches are subtle though, as Kellerman does not guide Empyrean Sanctum via guitar flamboyance and solo trade-offs—guest soloist Per Nilsson (Scar Symmetry, Kaipa) provides just about the only mark in that lane throughout (“Age of Innocence”). This straightforward and tuneful nature, however, plays enough as a successful choice rather than an unintentional miss on the noodle front. And if Kellerman and Empyrean Sanctum ever look to swing for the fences again with a heavier hand in wanksville, his slick compositions may land with an extra imprint and oomph. 3.0/5.0

Mystikus Hugebeard: As it stands, Detachment from Reality is a cool album. The problem is that it’s on the cusp of being an absolutely fuckin’ radical album, and falls just short. To their credit, Empyrean Sanctum nails the rhythm section. Dynamic bass-playing and inventive drum lines augment the guitars, which strike and strike in a percussive heartbeat. “Descent” is a particularly gripping track, a straightforward melody and powerful chorus over a ceaseless chug and strum. The production also lends a beefy heft to the guitars, empowering the riffs in a way that reminds me of the best parts of Hemina without the debilitating stench of cheese. The sticking point is how Detachment from Reality always teeters on the edge of inventive, daring song-craft, but never seems to commit. Apart from some slick guitar work in “Heart of Gold” and the delicious Per Nilsson guest solo in the title track, the lead guitars are rarely allowed the space to do anything befitting the virtuosity of the rest of the music. The songwriting feels more satisfied to shuffle from one riff to the next without erupting into something truly dynamic and challenging, resulting in a dearth of moments that stand out in my memory. It’s like the soundfont of a progressive song structure applied to something less audacious, which really drags the repetition of “Lifeless Death” and “Elation” into an unflattering light. Ultimately, it’s less a fundamental flaw as much as it is untapped potential. Complain though I might, Detachment from Reality deserves your listen. 3.0/5.0

Clark Kent: Empyrean Sanctum’s Detachment from Reality is everything that I love about metal. The album has meticulously crafted long-form songs that seamlessly weave from movement to movement so they never overstay their welcome. Empyrean Sanctum borrows their sound from latter-day Blind Guardian and Symphony X, but without the bombast. There’s a restraint and maturity to the songwriting that makes it feel comforting. In fact, even Mrs. Kent, who usually despises my music, gives her stamp of approval. Detachment from Reality features symphonic progressive metal with orchestration and synths used as an accent rather than the main feature. You get the feeling of joy and composure from all the players: when Albert Rybka’s gruff cleans belt out the chorus of “Age of Innocence,” or Justin Kellerman moves from rhythm to fancy fretwork, or Hannes Grossman provides mid-tempo drumming that serves as a steady beacon throughout the album. I found plenty to enjoy on each song: excellent solos, moody synths, emotive singing, and surprises like the piano on “Lifeless Death” and the heart-pumping riffs on “Refinement.” One might scoff at the length, but it’s so easy to get lost in the mesmerizing melodies that the hour just flies by. With the album’s spacey synths, intergalactic riffs, and out-of-this-world vocals, this makes me feel right at home. 4.0/5.0

#AmericanMetal #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo2025 #AnubisGate #BlindGuardian #DreamTheater #EmpyreanSanctum #Hemina #IndependentRelease #KatagoryV #May25 #PowerMetal #ProgPower #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease #SymphonyX #Threshold

#BirdsOnTheWing for today's #ThursdayFiveList

Korpiklaani - Crows Bring the Spring
https://song.link/i/1184711504

Symphony X - The Divine Wings of Tragedy
https://song.link/i/1197816595

Bathory - The Ravens
https://song.link/i/292516851

Ray Wylie Hubbard - Crows
https://song.link/i/1468205431

Nightwish - Know Why the Nightingale Sings
https://song.link/i/1669902972

#Korpiklaani #SymphonyX #Bathory #RayWylieHubbard #Nightwish

Symphony X, Yeni Albümünü 2026'da Çıkarmayı Planlıyor

#SymphonyX #prog #progmetal

https://los-endos.com/symphony-x-yeni-albumunu-2026da-cikarmayi-planliyor/

Excuse me but I fully expect #SymphonyX album to be an absolute banger. If they take 10 years, no problem, we can wait.

https://www.sonicperspectives.com/news/mike-lepond-says-upcoming-symphony-x-album-will-be-monstrous-with-something-crazy-epic-on-it-and-should-arrive-in-2026/

#Music #ProgMetal #Prog #ProgressiveMetal #Progressive #ProgRock #MikeLePond #Bass #Bassist

(I am going to take some liberties with the articulation though, I can’t alternate pick like Romeo) #SymphonyX #guitar

So I think I’m gonna be able to (just about) do all the parts for this #SymphonyX Without You solo, though I’m not a great sweeper. But joining them all fluidly together… phew. Definitely feels like the limit isn’t my fingers, it’s my brain 🧠.

#guitar

Starting to learn the guitar solo from Without You by #SymphonyX. It is… challenging.

What a great song though, can’t believe I’ve not listened to this band before.

#progressive #metal

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalInjection
BELTFED WEAPON Streams New Single "Tortured Within" Feat. INTO ETERNITY & SYMPHONY X Members

https://metalinjection.net/new-music/beltfed-weapon-streams-new-single-tortured-within-feat-into-eternity-symphony-x-members

#BeltfedWeapon #FrankHetzel #StuBlock #MikeLepond #KragenLum #BryanNewbury #JuanUrtega #SymphonyX #IntoEternity #Heathen #IcedEarth

#symphonyx #colossaal #progressivemetal

Damn. It's wednesday. Have to work tomorrow. Great music. No more beers. 🤷‍♂️

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#BraveWords
Today In Metal History 🤘 August 23rd, 2024🤘
TESLA, THE WHO, TYGERS OF PAN TANG, RATT, BAD COMPANY

https://bravewords.com/news/today-in-metal-history-august-23rd-2024tesla-the-who-tygers-of-pan-tang-ratt-bad-company

#TheWho #Tesla #TygersOfPanTang #Ratt #BadCompany #KeithMoon #JimmyJamison #DeanDeLeo #GaryHoey #TonyMacAlpine #SymphonyX #Gardenian #ArchEnemy #Annihilator #Apocalyptica #IonDissonance #BlackTide #JornLande #Revamp #TarjaTurunen #Unshine #FreedomCall #SacredReich #Equilibrium #Illdisposed #Isole #ItPrevails #KnockedLoose #Nemesaa

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#BraveWords
Today In Metal History 🤘 July 19th, 2024🤘 CELTIC FROST, QUEEN, MACHINE HEAD, SYMPHONY X, QUIET RIOT, SABATON

https://bravewords.com/news/today-in-metal-history-july-19th-2024-celtic-frost-queen-machine-head-symphony-x-quiet-riot-sabaton

#CelticFrost #Queen #MachineHead #SymphonyX #QuietRiot #Sabaton #BrianMay #AllenCollins #TomGWarrior #RobertFlynn #RussellAllen #MartinPowell #MotherLoveBone #PowerWolf #SABATON

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#BraveWords
Today In Metal History 🤘 June 26th, 2024🤘 KREATOR, FREE, BAD ENGLISH, DANZIG, KING DIAMOND, SYMPHONY X
Heavy Birthdays 58th Jürgen "Ventor" Reil (KREATOR) - 1966 Heavy Releases 54th FREE’s Fire And Water - 1970 FREE’s third album, Fire And Water, spawned the massive hit “All Right Now”. 48th TROOPER’s Two For The Show - 1976 35th BAD ENGLISH's Bad...

https://bravewords.com/news/today-in-metal-history-june-26th-2024-kreator-free-bad-english-danzig-king-diamond-symphony-x

#Kreator #Free #BadEnglish #Danzig #KingDiamond #SymphonyX

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#ePinGieGi
Of Bird and Cage
Metal Inspired Game

https://www.epingi.com/of-bird-and-cage-iphone-mobile-ios-version-full-game-setup.html

#OfBirdAndCage #StoryDrivenMusicGame #MetalMusic #Epica #WithinTemptation #GunsNRoses #KobraAndTheLotus #GunnedDownHorses #SymphonyX #KingDiamond #Therion