is a tour de force of melodic, technical heavy metal. The album deftly mixes Romeo’s technical prowess as a guitar player with interesting, complex compositions and expands on his previous work with Symphony X by weaving film score-like orchestral work through the album as the connective tissue that holds it all together. The album is a loose concept which, rather than tell the story of an alien invasion or a war with killer robots, uses that sort of imagery to talk about our own wars and conflicts, including the little wars that happen between individuals every day.
Michael Romeo, for the uninitiated, is the guitarist and founder for the highly influential progressive metal band Symphony X. Romeo’s playing and composition is an evolution of the neoclassical styles of guitarists like Ritchie Blackmore and Yngwie Malmsteen which bends aspects of classical composition into a more modern progressive style. Symphony X itself was formed out of the recording of Romeo’s first solo album, The Dark Chapter, in 1994.
The album opener – “Introduction” – establishes some of the orchestral themes of the album, and trained ears will also start to pick up on the bits of homage scattered throughout the orchestral work. Throughout the album, careful listening will uncover echoes of John Williams, James Horner, and Hans Zimmer, among others.
“Fear of the Unknown” and “Black” get the album moving with the heavy melodic style that you would expect from Romeo, but Black turns back to the orchestra towards its end which leads us into the sheer madness of “F****** Robots” – a track which blends, metal, dubstep, and film score elements to great effect.
“Djinn” and “Believe” follow with some of the more progressive songwriting on the album. The two longest tracks on the albums, both songs ebb and flow with some surprises in the composition and instrumentation [well, given the name “Djinn,” the more eastern inspired orchestration that takes over the second half of the song isn’t THAT much of a surprise].
“Differences” and “Oblivion” bring us back to the more straightforward metal from the start of the album, but sandwiched between them is “War Machine,” a symphonic, progressive metal instrumental track, which calls back more of the themes from throughout the album.
“Constellations”, the closing track, begins with the promise of a ballad, but did you really think this album was going to end with a ballad? After kicking up the volume, the song revisits melodies and themes from throughout the album before finishing strong with one last chorus.
War of the Worlds Pt. 1 is a surprising album. It’s surprising how close it is stylistically to Symphony X without sounding like Symphony X. It’s also surprising how cohesive the album is despite have so many elements which seem disparate on the surface. Also of note is how great the whole band is. You’re not going to find drum or bass solos anywhere on the album, but the playing is tight and technical throughout.
With War of the Worlds Pt. 1, Michael Romeo has created an album filled with incredible instrumental performances that has depth, variety, and nuance, and is just a ton of fun.
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If you haven’t heard of MICHAEL ROMEO by now you must have been living under a pretty big rock. The master of the guitar has been blazing his own trail for decades as an invaluable component of SYMPHONY X. He has also not been afraid to venture into solo territory. The first instalment of his H.G. Wells inspired series was very well received back in 2018 and it’s now time for him to unveil War Of The Worlds, Pt. 2 which is due for release on March 11th via InsideOut Music. This is a release you won’t want to overlook!
Introduction Part II is pretty much as you’d expect. Dramatic, theatrical and a platform for the surging riffs of Divide & Conquer to springboard from. In true fashion Romeo launches face first into a pile of superb guitar wizardry bolstered by the powerful vocal prowess of Dino Jelusick who takes to this project like a duck to water. Vibrant, euphoric melodies and exhilarating shredding are reeled off in impeccable fashion. Destroyer takes a darker, heavier approach which possesses a formidable bite drenched in groove ridden hooks. The wealth of instrumentation on show is also a joy to behold. Metamorphosis keeps the pendulum in full swing as its addictive energy shines brightly. Punchy drum sections and uplifting vocal lines assist in elevating this piece and the chopping and changing pace grips your gaze tightly.
Mothership builds up the suspense with intense orchestration, leaving you poised with anticipation. Just Before The Dawn commences with soothing piano elements that perfectly compliment the emotive, ballad-like vocal work. The falsetto bursts are spine tingling. Hybrids charges onwards with a confident stride and impactful riffing. The sinister undertones really add an extra dynamic to the track and the phenomenal lead work continues to leave you struck with awe. Hunted keeps you on the edge of your seat, with a whole host of varied instrumentation slickly combining to provide a track loaded with cinematic excitement.
Maschinenmensch kicks it up a gear with swift galloping riffs and a menacing demeanour. Jelusick continues to put an emphatic stamp on anything his vocals touch. The extensive runtime of this track disappears rapidly as you are so enveloped in the sheer level of quality and skill exhibited. Parasite revisits the darker side of the spectrum with crunchy guitar work and pulsing drum beats. Whilst considerably heavier it is still packed to the brim with intoxicating melodies. Brave New World allows this release to come full circle and reprise the theatrical tones instilled in the first instance.
It wouldn’t be a MICHAEL ROMEO release if it didn’t have one final solo flourish now would it? Just as an additional treat there are two bonus tracks. Firstly, The Perfect Weapon offers up an additional basket of goodies to sink your teeth into in the form of mouth-watering guitar work, soaring vocals and potent drumming. The hooks introduced around the midway point are undeniably catchy and absolutely headbang-inducing. Last but certainly not least, Alien DeathRay contains sweeps aplenty, nimble piano segments and flamboyant drum runs to leave a pretty hefty exclamation point.
If you’re a fan of Romeo‘s work with SYMPHONY X you should have a good idea of what you’re getting into with this effort. That doesn’t make it any less impressive. The instrumentation and musicianship is of the highest order. The production feels polished and sounds razor sharp. You don’t even need to have heard the first instalment or even have an interest in the subject matter which inspired it, there is an abundance of stunning flair which any fan of guitar-driven music can thoroughly appreciate and continue to return to.
Does Michael Romeo have a 'war of the Worlds' album?
As a whole, Romeo and company have not only delivered a product equal to the first “War of the Worlds” album; they have surpassed it. Michael Romeo remains an Olympic gold medalist in lead guitar, but more importantly, he continues to fine-tune and push his skills as a composer.
Will Michael Romeo have a solo album?
“It might take a few people by surprise". Michael Romeo and his second solo album War Of The Worlds Pt. 1 There’s a certain irony that even those who claim to be progressive-minded and musically prejudice-free will no doubt have preconceptions about a solo album from Symphony X guitarist Michael Romeo.
Is Michael Romeo a good singer?
From start to finish, War of the Worlds demonstrates Michael Romeo ’s best qualities: smart, techy riffing; catchy, anthemic choruses, 1 and subtle, tasteful—but fucking ridiculous—guitarwork. Romeo is both ‘tech’ and ‘prog,’ but unlike Obscura, who make the simple seem complex, Romeo has a way of making the complex seem simple.
Is Michael Romeo a double threat?
The Dark Chapter and War of the Worlds may not share much, but even separated by nearly 25 years, they demonstrate that Michael Romeo is a double threat—a virtuoso guitarist and metal’s finest symphonic composer. War of the Worlds nails the sweet spot between memorable songs and techy and proggy goodness.