American progressive metal veterans SYMPHONY X will enter the studio this week to begin recording the follow-up to 2011's "Iconoclast" for an early 2015 release. "We're gonna start the drums on Tuesday [September 9], and with all the recording and then the promotion, we hope to have a new album out for the spring," SYMPHONY X bassist Michael LePond told United Rock Nations last week (hear audio below). He continued: "The songs are ready to go. We have ten songs. We may record nine or ten; we'll see how it goes."

Regarding the musical direction of the new SYMPHONY X material, LePond said: "Stylistically, it's not as heavy as 'Iconoclast' was. If I had to compare, I would say that it's a combination of [2002's] 'The Odyssey' and [2007's] 'Paradise Lost' — something in there. It has a lot of classic SYMPHONY X elements in it, which I think a lot of our fans were missing for a few years. So I think our fans will really like this one. It really just focuses on solid songwriting."

Asked if SYMPHONY X has come up with a title for the new album yet, LePond said: "We don't have the name of the album yet. Right now we have all the music and we have all the lyrics written down, but we still need to put the lyrics to the songs."

On the topic of the time table for the completion of the new SYMPHONY X album, LePond said: "I think we would like to have the album recorded by the end of the year, finished. And then we give it to the record company and then they need three months to promote [it]. So that's the plan right now."

New Jersey's progressive metal masters SYMPHONY X have finished mixing and mastering their new album with Swedish producer Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with KREATOR, PARADISE LOST, OPETH and AMON AMARTH, among others. SYMPHONY X states: "[Jens also] did our last two CDs, and did an amazing job as always."

The cover artwork for SYMPHONY X's new album was created once again by Warren Flanagan. The band says: "Warren has worked on our last two cds as well, and can also be relied upon for amazing work."

Perso, j'ai bien aimé le dernier. C'est pas parce que j'aime un "Divine Wings Of Tragedy" que je peux pas apprécier un disque plus rentre dedans. Certes il verse un peu dans la facilité parfois...
Mais on a des tas de choses très mémorables et un Russel Allen impérial.

Faut dire que les trucs ultra prog' me font un peu plus chier aujourd'hui... qu'il soit hybride m'arrange.

J'ai hâte que le nouveau sorte.