X Marks the Spot!

It's ben a little while since I've seen some proper metal being played so I had been looking forward to seeing both Symphony X and supporting band Myrath for some time now. Having had to do a mad dash to pick Saul up from Uni in Cheltenham before the gig started, we missed most of the opening act, Melted Space, do to the slowness in the Bierkeller staff getting people through the doors. What we heard was a bit bizarre with one song sung by two female vocalists and the last by one clean male and one death metal. Still from the bit I heard it might be worth checking them out.

Symphony X at The Bierkeller (photo copyright Bristol 24/7)

I've been a fan of Myrath for a few years now, my love of Oriental Progressive Metal having moved beyond just Orphaned Land to a few other bands now.  Unfortunately their new album Legacy hadn't been released in the UK yet so I was unfamiliar with the songs off their fourth album and the sound sucked badly, so much the keyboard (which adds so much of the oriental sounds of the band) was largely inaudible. A real shame as they are a good band and I got the impression Symphony X fans unfamiliar with them were not impressed.

I guess Symphony X had their own guy on the mixing desk as the sound soon improved by factor of about 1000 during their first couple of numbers. I was surprised, but not unhappy, they played all of their latest album Underworld, but it is a great album so no worries there. This was the first time I have seen the band and must say that lead singer Russell Allen is a metal god! Aside from his superb singing, his ability to work an audience was fantastic. You have to wonder why Dream Theater didn't poach him years ago!

Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me so I borrowed the above picture from Bristol 24/7 and recommend  you read their much better review of the night here!