Throughout this 12 months’s 70000 Tons Of Steel cruise, Symphony X bassist Mike LePond spoke to Steel Anthology concerning the band’s long-awaited follow-up to 2015’s Underworld. He shared that the band has been engaged on new materials for “a few years. A bunch of years.”
“We’re engaged on a brand new album, and it is gonna have all of the cool stuff you guys like,” LePond stated (by way of Blabbermouth). “It is gonna have the massive symphonic stuff, it is gonna have the heavy riffs, it is gonna have the classical parts as properly. It is gonna have all that stuff in there.”
The songwriting course of for Symphony X is meticulous, largely as a result of excessive requirements set by guitarist and essential songwriter Michael Romeo, LePond defined.
“Once we write, it simply takes time, as a result of Michael Romeo, his rule is there are not any filler songs, no songs which might be, like, ‘Ah, it is not dangerous.’ And it goes within the rubbish. They’ve all gotta be the place at the very least we predict they’re all nice. All of them must be that.”
Followers have been eagerly awaiting new music, and LePond acknowledged the lengthy hole since their final launch. “The followers are, like, ‘Hey, it has been so lengthy.’ However we promise you it is coming,” he assured. “It is gonna be good.”
As for the album’s path, LePond famous that the band remains to be deciding on the construction of the songs. On condition that Underworld featured principally shorter, extra simple tracks, followers have questioned if the brand new file will embrace an extended, extra epic piece.
“We’re nonetheless considering the place we wanna go together with that,” he stated. “There’s gonna be one thing loopy epic on it. We simply do not know the way we’re gonna current it but. However with all of the newer expertise for the symphonic stuff, it is gonna be monstrous.”
Recording an album is an intense course of, and LePond has developed a private custom to mark the completion of his bass tracks. “So, yeah, we’re excited to lastly do it once more,” he stated. “When it is time to file the bass, I would be sweating for days, however as soon as it is accomplished… 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. That is the one time I’m going, and it is, like, ‘Ah. My consolation.'”
On a doable launch date, LePond provided an estimate: “I am gonna take a guess. I am gonna suppose that by the tip of the 12 months, we’ll be completed writing it. It is only a guess. After which in 2026, in all probability get it recorded and out.”
As soon as the album is launched, Symphony X is raring to hit the highway. “We’re gonna tour in every single place we are able to and simply get again on the market and actually attempt to say, ‘Hey, Symphony X is again.'”
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