Progressive metallic veterans SYMPHONY X kicked off their summer season/fall 2025 North American tour final night time (Thursday, September 4) at Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Fan-filmed video of the live performance may be seen under.
In keeping with Setlist.fm, the setlist for the present was as follows:
01. Nevermore
02. Underworld (carried out for the primary time since 2016)
03. Dehumanized
04. Evolution (The Grand Design)
05. Communion And The Oracle (first since 2007)
06. Inferno (Unleash The Hearth)
07. Domination (first since 2019)
08. Eve Of Seduction (first since 2015)
09. Set The World On Hearth (The Lie Of Lies)
Encore:
10. With out You
11. To Hell And Again
12. Sea Of Lies
In a current interview with Rev. Tom Brice of Sportzwire Radio, SYMPHONY X bassist Mike LePond spoke concerning the progress of the songwriting periods for the band’s long-awaited follow-up to 2015’s “Underworld” album. He mentioned: “We are getting nearer. And, yeah, the followers, they’re clamoring for a brand new album. I am unable to blame ’em. It has been 10 years. If JUDAS PRIEST did not come out with an album for 10 years, I would be fairly mad too. We’ve been writing it. We’ve many of the elements form of collectively. Now it is only a matter of recording it, actually. So, it is positively coming. And if issues keep on monitor the best way they’re, we’re pondering subsequent 12 months [it will be out], so we’re excited. I imply, the stuff sounds actually, actually cool. And consider me, I need you guys to listen to it as quickly as attainable.”
Concerning the musical course of the brand new SYMPHONY X materials, Mike mentioned: “Effectively, the ‘Underworld’ file, I felt, encompassed a bunch of SYMPHONY X types. I believe the brand new file, judging from what I have been listening to, it is gonna much more form of be like a abstract of SYMPHONY X‘s profession, so far as our musical instructions. ‘Trigger we went on just a few instructions. There was a degree in our profession the place we bought noticeably heavier and slightly extra straighter.”
LePond went on to elaborate on the explanations for the delay in placing out new SYMPHONY X music, explaining: “With SYMPHONY X, there’s great strain on us to constantly do nice information. Our followers, they’re actually diehard followers they usually’re so supportive they usually anticipate solely excellence from us. In order that’s all the time behind our thoughts. So, if we’re engaged on one thing and perhaps it is good, however we’re undecided, we cannot use it. We’re solely gonna put songs on the file that we really feel are wonderful and worthy of the followers. So completely that performs a task. However the different issues too — you had COVID, and out and in of touring. When you begin touring, then you definately neglect concerning the writing and then you definately come again to it and then you definately neglect the place you left off and also you begin once more.”
Throughout this 12 months’s 70000 Tons Of Metallic cruise, LePond informed Metallic Anthology concerning the band’s follow-up to “Underworld”: “[We’ve been working on new material for] a few years. A bunch of years. We are engaged on a brand new album, and it is gonna have all of the cool stuff you guys like. It is gonna have the large symphonic stuff, it is gonna have the heavy riffs, it is gonna have the classical [elements as well]. It is gonna have all that stuff in there.”
He continued: “Once we write, it simply takes time, as a result of [SYMPHONY X guitarist and main songwriter] Michael Romeo, his rule [is] there is not any filler songs, no songs which are, like, ‘Ah, it is not dangerous.’ And it goes within the rubbish. They’ve all gotta be the place no less than we expect they’re all nice. All of them must be that.
“The followers are, like, ‘Hey, it has been so lengthy.’ However we promise you it is coming,” Mike added. “It is gonna be good.”
Requested if there shall be an extended music on the upcoming SYMPHONY X album, contemplating “Underworld” contained largely “shorter, extra easy” tracks, Mike mentioned: “We’re nonetheless pondering the place we wanna go along with that. There’s gonna be one thing loopy epic on it. We simply do not understand how we’re gonna current it but. However with all of the newer know-how for the symphonic stuff, it is gonna be monstrous.”
LePond added: “So, yeah, we’re excited to lastly do it once more. When it is time to file the bass, I will been sweating for days, however as soon as it is carried out… I’ve this routine. As soon as I end all my bass tracks and I am simply so drained and worn out, I’m going to McDonald’s [fast food restaurant chain]. That is the one time I’m going, and it is, like, ‘Ah.’ My consolation.”
Final October, Romeo informed the “Espresso With Ola” podcast concerning the upcoming SYMPHONY X LP: “With us, it is not like, ‘Oh, yeah, we’re simply gonna write one — how do you say? — single, after which simply have a bunch of filler. It is, like, every thing’s gotta be pretty much as good as it may be. So, yeah, it will get tougher and it takes longer. Then you definately throw in COVID and a bunch of different issues, after which it is simply, like, ‘Oh, shit.’ Now it is, like, I do not know — eight years or one thing. I misplaced monitor.
“What’s totally different now than prior to now is that we may take a bunch of break day. There could be some royalties from CDs again within the day coming in and form of float on the downtime and actually get the file carried out after which come again out [with a] new file, tour. So now it is, like, properly, that cash’s gone. So we have now to tour slightly bit, preserve issues going, work on the file, return out. So it has been like that for some time. And for me — I do many of the writing, so for me it is arduous since you’re sitting within the studio for no matter month, ‘I bought this concept,’ and also you’re making an attempt to place this stuff collectively, and it is, like, ‘Oh, we have gotta go on tour now.’ All proper, cool. We do our factor. And then you definately come again, and it is, like, ‘What the fuck was I engaged on once more? Was this riff right here?’ And so that you’re making an attempt to rearrange all these things. And then you definately’re, like, ‘Oh, I’ve bought all these new concepts.’ So then you definately preserve including. After which after an extended time period, it is, like, ‘Oh my god, there’s a lot stuff I am unable to even handle it now.’ Loads of materials — like three hours of stuff — however now it is really making sense.”
Elaborating on when SYMPHONY X could be carried out composing the fabric for the following album, Michael mentioned: “It is gonna take a while to arrange every thing. It is not like there’s nothing there. It is [not], like, ‘Oh, man, we have now to begin from scratch.’ There’s fairly a bit. It is really overwhelming. I by no means bear in mind being this overwhelmed by the quantity of stuff, ‘trigger during the last 12 months and a half or no matter, each time there was a break, it is, like, ‘Okay, I will write one thing.’ I did not cease and [go], like, ‘Effectively, let me end this.’ It was, like, growth, ‘I bought all these concepts,’ and I simply stored going. So now it is, like, all proper, no extra writing. Now extra arranging.”
SYMPHONY X accomplished an in depth tour behind “Underworld” in 2016, together with a U.S. run of reveals with OVERKILL and a pair of headlining performances in Australia.
In July 2017, SYMPHONY X singer Russell Allen and his ADRENALINE MOB bandmates had been concerned in a crash that killed the latter group’s bassist, David Zablidowsky.
In 2019, Allen — who has toured with TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA since 2013 — was injured in the course of the rehearsals for TSO‘s annual winter trek and was unable to make the tour.
Romeo launched his newest solo album, “Conflict Of The Worlds Pt. 2”, in March 2022 through InsideOut Music. The file featured visitor vocals by Dino Jelusick (WHITESNAKE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA).
