Symphony X are a band that have been around now for quite some time and have managed to successfully combine the neoclassical elements with prevailing power metal influences and even lace their compositions with strong progressive undertones. “Underworld” is the band’s latest undertaking and once more it concerns itself with a conceptual story at large, that of “really” loving someone so much that one would travel to hell for them obviously drawing inspiration by both “Orpheus in the Underworld” and “Dante’s Inferno”. We sought out bassist Mike LePond to give us a few more details on the American’s latest and greatest...
Hi congrats on “Underworld”... Give us a bit of info on the album’s recording sessions and discuss if it was a conscious decision to cut back on the aggression a little?
M: When we write songs, we never think about what style to go with the music. Whatever comes out of our hearts and fingers will be the direction. So this was the natural outcome of all of us coming together and working on whatever music we had come up with. Sometimes it can be more melodic, other times more aggressive, it’s just the way it is.
The album, supposedly has this basic idea about a trip to hell and back a bit based on Dante’s Inferno and the story of Orpheus in the Underworld, so is the whole album concept based, or just a more loose affair.
M: The whole album is largely a concept. It is meant to take the listener on a journey with the hero through hell to find his lost love, so in that respect, yes it’s been inspired by the aforementioned works.
A lot of you guys have some extra-curricular activities. You got silent assassins and you guest/session a lot, Michael has done a solo album, Russel Allen, has done a solo, did Level 10 and had those Adrenaline Mob albums out, Michael Pinella as far as I remember has also done a solo... you all seem to keep busy, isn’t Symphony X covering your artistic visions or is it another aspect?
M: I can only speak for myself. I love Symphony X’s music but my first love was always classic heavy metal and I had always dreamed of releasing a record in that genre and so I did. It’s more of keeping busy than anything else. Keeping oneself interested and active when the band’s on relative downtime “creatively”. We still gig a lot.
Symphony X had already some success on an underground level back in the early days, but still your albums weren’t that easy to get everywhere. The band’s popularity did seem to be seriously on the up following the release of “Paradise Lost”, even in America to what do you attribute that sudden burst in popularity?
M: I think with “Paradise Lost”, we broke out of the traditional progressive mold and got a lot heavier. This opened us up to a wider audience and fan base. Touring as well pays its dividends.
With the exception of bands like Kamelot and a handful more and some older bands who have maintained their core audiences, what’s successful in the States in rock has a modern groovy edge. Is the sort of classic metal that has inspired a lot of bands including in part Symphony X, dead in the water, or could it at some point make a return?
M: The USA has been a terrible place for classic metal bands for the last 20 years. North Americans seem to just jump from trend to trend. Thank God for Europe and South America who remain loyal to what they like.
As a bassist, who were your “heroes” growing up and which would be some of your favorite albums on a personal level?
M: My heroes were Gene Simmons, Geezer Butler, Joey DeMaio, Steve Harris, and Geddy Lee. Favorite albums were “Kiss Alive”, “Killers”, “Screaming for Vengeance” and “Paranoid”. Pretty standard stuff...
Is there a band out there that has caught your ear and made you feel excited?
M: In general I really like the Viking and Folk metal bands coming out of Europe. Some really interesting bands and arrangements in some cases...
Where do you picture you and Symphony X – ten years down the line?
M: We will still be making records and touring. Hopefully on a larger scale.
How much of a “game changer” has the internet been? Promotion wise but also with regards to piracy... you were here before the “Napster Era” and you’re obviously still around...
M: The internet has effectively killed CD sales. Apparently many fans feel they are entitled to steal music these days so we are forced to tour much more. It’s far from ideal.
You got some dates coming up soon where you’re co headlining and once that is done is there a plan for Europe, Japan etc.? Any chance you might play again in Greece?
M: Next year we are planning to tour the whole world. We start a European tour in February. No Greek dates yet but I hope there will be soon. I love the passion of the Greek fans.
Weird Questions!!! If you were God for a week, what would you do?
M: I would make peace in the world…
Who deserves to be bitchslapped in the modern music scene?
M: Axl Rose…
Any famous last words?
M: Thank you everyone for all your love and support. We will see you next year on tour. We love you!
M: When we write songs, we never think about what style to go with the music. Whatever comes out of our hearts and fingers will be the direction. So this was the natural outcome of all of us coming together and working on whatever music we had come up with. Sometimes it can be more melodic, other times more aggressive, it’s just the way it is.
The album, supposedly has this basic idea about a trip to hell and back a bit based on Dante’s Inferno and the story of Orpheus in the Underworld, so is the whole album concept based, or just a more loose affair.
M: The whole album is largely a concept. It is meant to take the listener on a journey with the hero through hell to find his lost love, so in that respect, yes it’s been inspired by the aforementioned works.
A lot of you guys have some extra-curricular activities. You got silent assassins and you guest/session a lot, Michael has done a solo album, Russel Allen, has done a solo, did Level 10 and had those Adrenaline Mob albums out, Michael Pinella as far as I remember has also done a solo... you all seem to keep busy, isn’t Symphony X covering your artistic visions or is it another aspect?
M: I can only speak for myself. I love Symphony X’s music but my first love was always classic heavy metal and I had always dreamed of releasing a record in that genre and so I did. It’s more of keeping busy than anything else. Keeping oneself interested and active when the band’s on relative downtime “creatively”. We still gig a lot.
Symphony X had already some success on an underground level back in the early days, but still your albums weren’t that easy to get everywhere. The band’s popularity did seem to be seriously on the up following the release of “Paradise Lost”, even in America to what do you attribute that sudden burst in popularity?
M: I think with “Paradise Lost”, we broke out of the traditional progressive mold and got a lot heavier. This opened us up to a wider audience and fan base. Touring as well pays its dividends.
With the exception of bands like Kamelot and a handful more and some older bands who have maintained their core audiences, what’s successful in the States in rock has a modern groovy edge. Is the sort of classic metal that has inspired a lot of bands including in part Symphony X, dead in the water, or could it at some point make a return?
M: The USA has been a terrible place for classic metal bands for the last 20 years. North Americans seem to just jump from trend to trend. Thank God for Europe and South America who remain loyal to what they like.
As a bassist, who were your “heroes” growing up and which would be some of your favorite albums on a personal level?
M: My heroes were Gene Simmons, Geezer Butler, Joey DeMaio, Steve Harris, and Geddy Lee. Favorite albums were “Kiss Alive”, “Killers”, “Screaming for Vengeance” and “Paranoid”. Pretty standard stuff...
Is there a band out there that has caught your ear and made you feel excited?
M: In general I really like the Viking and Folk metal bands coming out of Europe. Some really interesting bands and arrangements in some cases...
Where do you picture you and Symphony X – ten years down the line?
M: We will still be making records and touring. Hopefully on a larger scale.
How much of a “game changer” has the internet been? Promotion wise but also with regards to piracy... you were here before the “Napster Era” and you’re obviously still around...
M: The internet has effectively killed CD sales. Apparently many fans feel they are entitled to steal music these days so we are forced to tour much more. It’s far from ideal.
You got some dates coming up soon where you’re co headlining and once that is done is there a plan for Europe, Japan etc.? Any chance you might play again in Greece?
M: Next year we are planning to tour the whole world. We start a European tour in February. No Greek dates yet but I hope there will be soon. I love the passion of the Greek fans.
Weird Questions!!! If you were God for a week, what would you do?
M: I would make peace in the world…
Who deserves to be bitchslapped in the modern music scene?
M: Axl Rose…
Any famous last words?
M: Thank you everyone for all your love and support. We will see you next year on tour. We love you!