Symphony X - Twilight In Olympus (1998)

Symphony X's fourth album is another good one, but not quite up to the standard of THE DIVINE WINGS OF TRAGEDY. The three-part "Through The Looking Glass" (about Alice, of course) and the concluding "Lady Of The Snow" don't do a lot for me, while the little Beethoven interlude is nice (I always appreciate classical moments like that), but seems out of place, as if it was dropped there by mistake.  However, "Church Of The Machine" and "The Relic" are excellent, and Russel Allen's Dio-like vocals are oustanding. And the band plays wonderfully well, even if, way too often, guitar solos just don't do a lot for me.
This is, of course, more progressive metal than power, but I find Symphony X easier to get into than Dream Theater (who I've put aside for now) and Fates Warning (who I put aside even earlier), although they can't touch the best progressive metal band in my view, Savatage.
This was the last Symphony X album to feature bassist Thomas Miller.

***1/2