Symphony X's success

[el mae de las teclas]

I was thinking the other day, I know Symphony X is a great band, actually is my favorite! But I feel it doesn`t has an overall success, at least to a level like DT, who have a great economic success.
Is it because they are much heavier (metal) that cant's sell as much as DT? Or maybe they are just not so good for merchandising?

Any thoughts?

Andrés

[King_Ellesar]

Any thoughts?

Yes.

http://upsidedownhippo.com/archives/cookie_narrowweb__200x277.jpg


:P

But seriously, I actually like a lot of their music too. I get turned off by them sometimes. I dunno, to me it just gets repetitive and predictable at times, as complex as they can get. I'm not a big fan of a lot of their transitions between themes in their songs, they aren't very smooth, but sometimes thats a good thing i guess. I think their solo sections are a bit too busy...one good listen to an album in one sitdown is usually all i can take. but that one sitdown after a while of not hearing them is a good one.

[el mae de las teclas]

I see what you are saying, but I'm not looking for comments if you like or not the band.
I believe they are really famous and very well known and respected on the metal / metal prog scene but still it seems that they don't have the same impact as DT, and I'll dare to say that a biiiig portion of DT fans might have a similar level of sympathy for their music. I mean they are heavy as hell, they can be very emotive, wonderful compositions, they are virtuosos....etc etc.

Specifically (spelling?), look at the Gigantour DVD. Symphony X's section could be considered modest, small stage, low/medium size production budget... compare that to DT's segment. In the past I've seen some clips and in general they show this tendency.

Clearly DT has more money to spent in production due to probably good finance-merchandise managment, but come on, SX is no bigginer.
I don't think they have a "low public problem", I would say there are two options left. They simply don't care about giving a "bigger" show, or there are problems on the merch area that don't allow to invest big on scenarios and show stuff... They don't even have an official live performance DVD for God's Sake!!

I hope you get what I'm saying here, is not comparing SX and DT on a music level.

Cheers, take care everyone!

Andrés

[cooltothez]

keep in mind DT has been around for longer than symphony x, as well as the label that DT was on was a large well known label (Atlantic) as opposed to Symph. x being on inside out. DT also has been in more mainstream (haha) circles than symph. x...i think they are probably one of the most underrated bands out there, simply b/c of timing and labels, but theyre getting there thanks to people like us who spread the gospel of prog that all may rock on a more intellectual level :tongue: .

[BlobVanDam]

I haven't heard much Symphony X, but I would say it's a combination of DT being around longer, and DT possibly having wider appeal in their music because their music is more varied in style. DT do some really soft songs, but also really heavy. I'm not sure if Symphony X does really soft songs (like Solitary Shell or Vacant). Plus even though they may be similar to DT, remember DT was around first, so Symphony X might be viewed as less original than DT because DT were playing that style first. But I haven't heard much Symphony X at all, so I really don't know what I'm talking about :P

[Mathieu Fiset]

Maybe it's only them that don't want or don't work really hard to make them reall big... Their music is amazing but if they don't really search for sucess...even the fans won't help them...I hope you get my point hehe

[BlobVanDam]

Maybe it's only them that don't want or don't work really hard to make them reall big... Their music is amazing but if they don't really search for sucess...even the fans won't help them...I hope you get my point hehe

That could be true. I don't think any other band does as much for their fans as DT. They are constantly doing everything they can to further their status, and they are doing really well at the moment

[Piranha]

SX always seem to have the same musical themes.

I love them, but they're definitely not as varied as DT are.

[el mae de las teclas]

Ok, Im glad you all got my point!

I don't know, I guess is just that I like them too much and it kind of bothers me that they aren't as productive as DT.

[Elderane]

Ok, Im glad you all got my point!

I don't know, I guess is just that I like them too much and it kind of bothers me that they aren't as productive as DT.

i know what u mean!! and as Pirahna said, they're not as varied as DT, maybe that's the reason... the last 5 cds of DT have something different between them, i guess they get more fans with every new album, far more than they lose.. comparing with SX they stay in their style, which is great (for me) too, but their product is focused on the same fans!! i dunno.. i feel it that way...

and good BlobVanDam, you've been missing a great band here bro! they dont have these kind of 'soft songs' as Solitary Shell or Through Her Eyes... they have 'less-heavier' songs, but i'm sure u will like them, just listen to Communion and the Oracle or The Accolade... and if u plan to get a SX album, I recommend 'V'!

btw, for those who doesn't know yet, Symphony X's new album is on the way, they're touring world wide.. so check their dates! go see 'em live :)

[Breakaway]

For those of you in Europe, they're touring with Dream Theater after the June/July tour dates in America, so 2 for the price of 1 :smile:

[Bastardo Demono]

I think symphony x are actually quite successful for the style of music. Hell, they just sold out BBKings in new york, which is amazing for a prog/power metal band. In comparison to dream theater, I tend to think of dream theater as an industry enigma, as DT being the except, not the rule, of success for this type of music. I do think DT have more widespread appeal, but they also have worked insanely hard to carve a huge place for themselves to have abnormal success. Symphony X just haven't put in the time touring and consistantly putting out albums (5 years between the odyssey and paradise lost?) that dt have to get to where they are.

[el mae de las teclas]

You are right, I guess it was my fault on first instance to compare with DT, who indeed are abnormal as you said.

[moonchild]

Well, I think there's some truth in every statement here. But I wouldn't compare DT and SX as if they were objectively comparable! Okay, they're both doing progressive stuff, but "progressive" isn't the same as "progressive" ;)
Whereas Symphony X is mainly focused on merging (power-)metal with classical music, DT does this with Jazz and is open for influences from classical music, neo-prog, "classical" prog etc. - yeah, regarding that, DT is more varied in style.

I don't believe that the difference in their success has something to do with their different styles - because then DT should have less success: DT's music is highly sophisticated (which doesn't mean that SX's isn't) and sometimes even hard to really take in (which is especially interesting to me). What I mean is, that most people seem to like music that can be consumed easily and directly, which makes it difficult for progressive music in general.
Also I see no reason to say that SX isn't working as hard as DT. Okay, it was a long time between V and Paradise Lost, but they had their reasons.
InsideOut is a small label, indeed, and probably not as present as Atlantic or Roadrunner. But everybody, who knows InsideOut a little, knows that they have a bunch of high-quality musicians signed. When I see a record labelled InsideOut, I know that it most likely is a very good one.

My opinion: SX isn't around long enough and probably hasn't made itself heard enough. But as said above, they're doing a lot of gigs at the moment and ,folks, I tell you: I got Paradise Lost (as a promo) the other day. That stuff rocks! Yes, it is typically SX, and I love it. I think, PL is the best album they have released yet.

Let's see, by the end of this year SX will have a considerable number of fans, I bet!
Russell is as special as James is; Romeo is as good as Petrucci is; Pinella is awesome; Lepond is great; well, and Rullo is better than most other drummers. SX's success is only a matter of time, I guess.

[Adilinar]

Dream Theater seems to interact more with audience than Symphony X, lyric wise, Dream Theater can have fantasy songs (Systematic Chaos), very heavy songs like Honor Thy Father, Panic Attack and very emotional songs like Wait for Sleep wich is my fav DT btw :D

While on the other hand, I really cant recall of the top of my head a change in Symphony X lyrics, 90% if not more of their lyrics are epic based lyrics, people cant really relate to those lyrics, I think thats one of the reasons DT has succeded more than SX, kinda like Nightwish and Epica or Sonata Arctica, Nightwish lyrics are way to emotive but theyre also heavy some of them so they attract a bigger group of fans.

Also, the style of music, Symphony X is very heavy, but all of their songs, DT has heavy songs but they vary, like they wont release an album with all songs being "heavy" they'll include "heavy" songs and "light" songs.

My opinion is like DT attracts a bigger number of people because theyre not focused on one style, on one type of lyrics.... That, and the fact that every single one in the band is a god at what they do. Like Jordan said on Riding the Train of Thought, that the fans also go to see the players.

[el mae de las teclas]

I`m not sure of what you mean with "the fans also go to see the players" . I might need to disagree to a certain extent with that last statement, because SX members have nothing to envy to DT's memeners (iif this is what you were saying). Now if you are willing to compare them one on one.... there are differences, and some guys will be better on one band compared to the other, but in general, all of them are waaay above average.

If I misunderstood, please excuse!
Andrés