It had been a while since drummer Mike Portnoy had started a brand new band that would satisfy the thirst of his prog loving fan base. And I know that I was personally waiting for a new prog-metal project from one of the fore-fathers of progressive metal. Enter "Sons of Apollo. And most surprisingly, enter ex-Dream Theater keysman, Derek Sherinian. Mike and Derek had done an instrumental project a few years previously, but I was excited to hear that they pulled Billy Sheehan back in, and recruited Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, and Jeff Scott Soto to round out the line-up, for one of the most anticipated super groups in recent memory. And their debut album is a melodic, progressive rock masterpiece, that is sure to be a favorite of mine for years to come.
"God of the Sun" is a true prog rocker. With instrumental insanity, and keyboard lines that only Derek Sherinian could write, this is one hell of a way to start a prog-metal album. The vocals (courtesy of Mr. Jeff Scott Soto) are phenomenal, the guitars are just killer (thanks to the axe-legend, Bumblefoot, and bass player extrodinaire, Billy Sheehan), and Portnoy further reasserts himself as one of the greatest drummers to ever sit behind the kit. This tune is very Dream Theater like, but heavier, and a very different bass feel. Weirdly enough, it's more "Train of Thought" era DT, and less "Falling Into Infinity" era. At just over eleven minutes, this is definitely a great way to start the album.
"Coming Home" was my first taste of the album, and I loved it from the first notes. Opening with a killer keyboard run from Sherinian, before the full band jumps in, and delivers a much more concise prog tune. I also really enjoy MP's vocal contributions to this track. He is sounding better and better with each vocal he does. This was a great choice for fans to get an early taste of this amazing album.
"Signs of the Time" was another early taste from the album. This is a really cool tune, with my favorite vocal melodies from the album. The music is a bit more melodic at times, and pretty blistering at other times. It's not as over the top prog as "God of the Sun", but is very good at showing what type of band Sons of Apollo are. And the keyboard solo from Sherinian is a definite highlight from this already amazing album. And we're only on track three!
"Labyrinth" starts out as a very cool sort of symphonic metal tune, with some beautiful vocals from Soto, with guitars entering very tastefully as the intro progresses. Once again, in my opinion, Sherinian steals the show. His parts on this tune are so mastefully inserted, and are 100% Derek. This song is such a prog-rock masterpiece: multiple time changes, instrumental sections, beautifully delivered orchestration, phenomenal vocals, and more tasty guitar/keyboard licks than you can shake a stick at. This 9+ minute song is another highlight for me.
"Alive" is quite a beautiful breather, after the bombast prog-shredding of "Labyrinth". This song is a a very nicely written power ballad, with some of the best vocals delivered on the album. As expected, it is definitely a prog song, as Derek has his stamp all over this one, but it doesn't overpower the beauty in the ballad. The music, and the vocals work together quite beautifully to make this melodic masterpiece a radio hit... if this were a perfect world. Sadly, it is not a perfect world, so I'm happy to know that we prog-metal fans have a nice kept secret here.
"Lost In Oblivion" goes for the jugular, right from the start. With the slower intro of the previous couple of tunes, I think that it was about time that we were treated with some shredding to get a track started. There is some really cool interplay between the instruments here, with a bass line that only Billy Sheehan could write. The vocals meld perfectly with the music, as we are treated to a prog-metal song that is sure to please even the snobbiest of prog-metal fans. Once again, the vocal melodies on the chorus, and the keyboard shredding are highlights for me.
"Figaro's Whore" is the first insrumental track on the album, and though it is technically just a brief intro to the following track, "Divine Addiction", it's still a great addition to the album. "Figaro's Whore" is more or less a shred piece that showcases Derek Sherinian's phenomenal playing, before launching into a song about about sex addiction. "Divine Addiction" has a very Deep Purple vibe, with the organ kicking the track off, and being the centerpiece instrument of this song. Though there is an amazing guitar solo here, the organ is just a powerhouse on this one. It's a heavish tune, with strings playing tastefully along with the other instruments.
The final track of the album, "Opus Maximus" is a ten and a half minute instrumental piece. This is a song that Dream Theater may have written, if they had Sherinian in the band during their "Train of Thought" era. Though I guess bass wise, Sheehan and Myung could not be more different, not that that could ever be a bad thing. This song has crunch at times, melodic beauty at others, and is just the perfect progressive-metal instrumental, and a fantastic way to close the album, with all musicians getting their time to shine.
With such amazing musicianship in this band, I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite track from this fantastic album. It has everything that I want in a good prog-metal album: diversity, musicianship, great songs, and a high re-listen rate. If I had to pick a favorite album for 2017, it would without a doubt by "Psychotic Symphony". From what I've heard, this is only the beginning for this band. And I hope that is the case, because Portnoy and Sherinian are definitely kindred musical spirits, as it's clear that they, along with Sheehan, Bumblefoot, and Soto work very well together.
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