The Divine Wings of Tragedy

Template:Use mdy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: Template:Start date | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=The Damnation Game1995Twilight in Olympus1998studioThe Divine Wings of TragedySymphonyXTheDivineWingsOfTragedy.jpgSymphony XTemplate:Start dateTrax East, South River, New Jersey; The DungeonTemplate:Hlist65:23Zero CorporationSteve Evetts, Eric Rachelx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}}

The Divine Wings of Tragedy is the third studio album by progressive metal band Symphony X, released in November 1996 through Zero Corporation (Japan)<ref>https://img.discogs.com/F6CujS2sUmRbSqKdAZAcOc8n6Mk=/fit-in/600x469/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-7140918-1485563383-1496.jpeg.jpg Template:Bare URL image</ref> and March 1997 through Inside Out Music (Europe).<ref name=allmusic>Taylor, Robert. "The Divine Wings of Tragedy – Symphony X". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved February 4, 2015.</ref> A remastered edition was reissued on September 13, 2004, through Inside Out, and again in September 17, 2012, as part of a double-LP vinyl release.

Musical and lyrical references

The album's title track contains excerpts from Johann Sebastian Bach's Mass in B Minor (1749) and Gustav Holst's The Planets (1914–16).<ref name=allmusic /> Its lyrical theme was inspired by John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667) and Paradise Regained (1671), and also includes a reference to Dante Alighieri's 14th-century epic poem Inferno.

The intro of "The Witching Hour" cites Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 1 in C Major, K 279 (1774).

Reception

Robert Taylor at AllMusic gave The Divine Wings of Tragedy four stars out of five, saying that "it was this release that propelled [Symphony X] to the forefront of progressive metal bands." He went on to say "While this recording may not be quite the classic that it is often heralded to be, it is a noteworthy addition to the annals of progressive metal." Praise was given to each musician for their technical craft, but Russell Allen's vocals were criticized as "a bit grating, often sounding too much like Ronnie James Dio."

In 2005, The Divine Wings of Tragedy was ranked No. 433 in Rock Hard magazine's book of The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The album ranked number 17 in the list "Top 25 Progressive Metal Albums of All Time" by Loudwire.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The same magazine named it in number 8 on "Top 25 Power Metal Albums of All Time".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> ThoughtCo also named it on its list "Essential Progressive Metal Albums".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2020, Metal Hammer included it in their list of top 10 1997 albums.<ref name="mhtop1097">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2021, they ranked it as the 15th best symphonic metal album of all time.<ref name="MHbestsymph">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personnel

• Russell Allen – vocals
• Michael Romeo – guitar
• Michael Pinnella – keyboard
• Jason Rullo – drums
• Thomas Miller – bass

Technical personnel

• Michael Romeo – choir arrangement (track 8)
• Michael Pinnella – choir arrangement (track 8)
• Steve Evetts – engineering, mixing, mastering, production
• Eric Rachel – engineering, mastering, production
• Stephen Rajkumar – engineering assistance
• John Abbott – engineering assistance
• Donna Rachel – artwork

External links

• The Divine Wings of Tragedy at symphonyx.com
• In Review: Symphony X "The Divine Wings Of Tragedy" at Guitar Nine Records