New Paragon Music Magazine Interview with Russell Allen of Symphony X

The Paragon Music Magazine staff sat down with Russell Allen, singer of Symphony X, for a bit before his show at Starland Ballroom in NJ in February 2011. Russell discussed everything from the theme behind Iconoclast to his present views of the world, social media, NJ-based reality TV, and other fun topics. 

Always a great guy to interview, we have had the pleasure of talking with Russell in the past, so longtime fans of the magazine will remember previous interviews we have done with him. 

Check out the interview here, and feel free to share it with your friends. And for more on the band, visit http://www.symphonyx.com/

SYMPHONY X's RUSSELL ALLEN: "SOCIAL MEDIA IS ENSLAVING THE POPULATION"

Besides revealing his favorite Van Halen album, the link between Homer’s Odysseus and George Lucas’ Luke Skywalker, and how a metal band can be a family member’s inheritance, lead vocalist Russell Allen of New Jersey’s progressive metal juggernauts SYMPHONY X discusses how modern technology has gone beyond machines in a recent interview with the Dallas Observer.

“[Iconoclast] is about the uncertainty of our future and whether or not technology will be our savior or our demise,” states Allen. “We've let the genie out of the bottle. Everyone is on Facebook and everyone is on Twitter. The social media component is enslaving the population. It's already happening. That's a real thing that can cause a huge pitfall in someone's life.”

Read the entire interview here.

Enter to win an autographed copy of the 2-disc, Special Edition version of Iconoclast; giveaway details are on ThrashMag.com!

SYMPHONY X have five remaining shows on their co-headlining tour with ICED EARTH and openers Warbringer. Dates are:

03/06/12 The Fillmore Charlotte – Charlotte, NC

03/07/12 Newport Music Hall – Columbus, OH

03/09/12 The Palladium – Worcester, MA

03/10/12 Best Buy Theater – New York, NY

03/11/12 Northern Lights – Clifton Park, NY

Tickets are available online at EnterTheVault.com and ArtistArena.com.

SYMPHONY X’s innovative mixture of heavy metal and progressive rock have made them a favored staple among prog metal fans for almost 20 years. Iconoclast, the band’s eighth studio album, debuted at #76 on the Billboard Top 200 chart in the U.S. and at #105 on the Canadian Soundscan Top 200 chart last June.

DRUMMER JASON RULLO OF SYMPHONY X: VIDEO PLAY-THROUGH NOW AVAILABLE

A drum play-through video of SYMPHONY X drummer Jason Rullo playing "Iconoclast" – the title track off their latest studio album of the same name - is available for viewing on YouTube (click on the cog icon to select HD quality). Live footage was shot on February 26^th at the Midland Theater in Kansas City and is courtesy of Sick Drummer Magazine.

Jason Rullo reminisces about how he joined SYMPHONY X in his recent video interview with MetalTitans.com.

Enter to win an autographed copy of the 2-disc, Special Edition version of Iconoclast; giveaway details are on ThrashMag.com!

SYMPHONY X have six remaining shows on their co-headlining tour with ICED EARTH and openers Warbringer. Dates are:

03/05/12 Lincoln Theater – Raleigh, NC

03/06/12 The Fillmore Charlotte – Charlotte, NC

03/07/12 Newport Music Hall – Columbus, OH

03/09/12 The Palladium – Worcester, MA

03/10/12 Best Buy Theater – New York, NY

03/11/12 Northern Lights – Clifton Park, NY

Tickets are available online at EnterTheVault.com and ArtistArena.com.

SYMPHONY X’s innovative mixture of heavy metal and progressive rock have made them a favored staple among prog metal fans for almost 20 years. Iconoclast, the band’s eighth studio album, debuted at #76 on the Billboard Top 200 chart in the U.S. and at #105 on the Canadian Soundscan Top 200 chart last June.

View the official fan-created video for the SYMPHONY X track “Electric Messiah” – off the band’s latest album Iconoclast - on YouTube.

WARBRINGER ready to kick off North American tour with ICED EARTH, SYMPHONY X

After recently touring Europe with ARCH ENEMY and successfully completing their first-ever headlining US run in the fall of 2011, the thrash road-warriors WARBRINGER are ready for yet another North American tour--this time, with co-headliners ICED EARTH and SYMPHONY X! In regards to this upcoming trek, the band comments: "It's a new year and we're looking forward to getting back out there and touring the US and Canada, especially getting back to some of the markets we didn't hit on the headline tour. These will be big shows and a long tour and we're excited to share the stage with ICED EARTH and SYMPHONY X, and performing for some of their fans who may have not seen WARBRINGER yet."

Tour dates for the trek are below, so check to see when this epic bill will be coming to a city near you!

WARBRINGER tour dates feat. ICED EARTH, SYMPHONY X
1/20 - Orangevale, CA - The Boardwalk **off-date with DEATH ANGEL, BLESSED CURSE**
1/21 - Fresno, CA - Starline **off-date with DEATH ANGEL**
1/28 - Portage, IN - Camelot Hall **headlining off-date**
1/30 - Richmond, VA - Kingdom **headlining off-date**
1/31 - Hartford, CT - Webster Theater
2/1 - Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero
2/2 - Baltimore, MD - Sonar **headlining off-date**
2/3 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
2/4 - Quebec City, QC - Albert Rousseau
2/5 - Montreal, QC - Metropolis
2/6 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix
2/9 - Winnipeg, MB - Garrick Centre
2/10 - Saskatoon, SK - Louis Pub
2/11 - Edmonton, AB - Starlite Room
2/12 - Calgary, AB - Flames Central
2/14 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
2/15 - Seattle, WA - Showbox Market
2/16 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theater
2/17 - San Francisco, CA - Regency Theater
2/18 - Los Angeles, CA - Club Nokia
2/20 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
2/21 - Anaheim, CA - Grove
2/22 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
2/24 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
2/25 - Denver, CO - Summit
2/26 - Kansas City, MO - Midland Theater
2/27 - Dallas, TX - Trees
2/28 - Austin, TX - Emos East
2/29 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
3/2 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Revolution
3/3 - Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues
3/4 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
3/5 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theater
3/6 - Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore Charlotte
3/7 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
3/8 - Frederick, MD - Café 611
3/9 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium
3/10 - New York, NY - Best Buy Theater
3/11 - Clifton Park, NY - Northern Lights
3/12 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Loft **headlining off-date**
3/13 - Washington DC - 9:30 Club
3/14 - Buffalo, NY - The Town Ballroom
3/15 - Pittsburgh, PA - Altar Bar
3/16 - Pontiac, MI - The Crofoot
3/17 - Joliet, IL - Mojoes

WARBRINGER released their latest effort, Worlds Torn Asunder, in September of last year to rave reviews, peaking at #3 on the Metal charts and debuting at #11 on Billboard's Heatseekers. To watch the music video for the album's hit thrash attack, "Shattered Like Glass", click here. Worlds Torn Asunder can also be purchased here for $7.99 on iTunes.

SYMPHONY X TO CO-HEADLINE 2012 TOUR WITH ICED EARTH

What better way to start the new year than with a double-dose of quality U.S. metal?

New Jersey’s progressive metal juggernauts SYMPHONY X will be returning to North America for a co-headlining tour with heavy metal stalwarts Iced Earth. Opening each night will be L.A. thrashers Warbringer. The 32-show trek will launch in Hartford, Connecticut on January 31^st, weave through the Great White North, then blow out the lights in Clifton Park, New York on March 11^th.

SYMPHONY X guitarist Michael Romeo checks in from the band’s current European tour: “We are very excited about the upcoming North American Tour with Iced Earth. We first met Jon & the guys a few years back and they were really cool. When the idea of a Co-Headline tour surfaced, we thought it would be awesome. The fans can expect a night of great music from both bands. We look forward to seeing you all real soon!”

SYMPHONY X’s innovative mixture of heavy metal and progressive rock have made them a favored staple among prog metal fans for almost 20 years. Iconoclast, the band’s eighth studio album, debuted at #76 on the Billboard Top 200 chart in the U.S. and at #105 on the Canadian Soundscan Top 200 chart in June.

"I'm excited to tour with SYMPHONY X," shares ICED EARTH founder Jon Schaffer. "They're phenomenal musicians and very cool guys. This co-headliner tour will be a great experience for the fans. It is also way overdue for us to play a proper tour of North America. Get ready!"

Schaffer formed ICED EARTH in Tampa, Florida, in 1984. Since then, he has released 10 studio albums, the newest being the highly-acclaimed Dystopia (October, 2011) – which debuted at #67 on the Billboard Top 200 – one live album, two compilations, three boxed sets, and several DVDs. Thanks to massive worldwide sales -- and rabidly loyal fans – ICED EARTH has earned a seat in the pantheon of America's most successful heavy metal bands.

Confirmed dates for the co-headlining 2012 tour are:

01/31/12 Webster Theater – Hartford, CT

02/01/12 Trocadero – Philadelphia, PA

02/03/12 Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ

02/04/12 Albert Rousseau – Quebec City, QC CANADA

02/05/12 Metropolis – Montreal, QC CANADA

02/06/12 Phoenix – Toronto, ON CANADA

02/09/12 Garrick – Winnipeg, MB CANADA

02/10/12 Louis Pub – Saskatoon, SK CANADA

02/11/12 Starlite Room – Edmonton, AB CANADA

02/12/12 Flames Central – Calgary, AB CANADA

02/14/12 Commodore Ballroom – Vancouver, B.C. CANADA

02/15/12 Showbox Market – Seattle, WA

02/16/12 Hawthorne – Portland, OR

02/17/12 Regency – San Francisco, CA

02/18/12 Club Nokia – Los Angeles, CA

02/20/12 House of Blues – Las Vegas, NV

02/21/12 The Grove – Anaheim, CA

02/22/12 House of Blues – San Diego

02/24/12 The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT

02/25/12 Summit – Denver, CO

02/26/12 Midland Theater – Kansas City, MO

02/27/12 Trees – Dallas, TX

02/28/12 Emo’s East – Austin, TX

02/29/12 House of Blues – Houston, TX

03/02/12 Revolution – Fort Lauderdale, FL

03/03/12 House of Blues – Lake Buena Vista, FL

03/05/12 Lincoln Theater – Raleigh, NC

03/06/12 The Fillmore Charlotte – Charlotte, NC

03/07/12 Newport Music Hall – Columbus, OH

03/09/12 The Palladium – Worcester, MA

03/10/12 Best Buy Theater – New York, NY

03/11/12 Northern Lights – Clifton Park, NY

Exclusive pre-sale tickets are now available online at EnterTheVault.com and ArtistArena.com.

View the official fan-created video for the SYMPHONY X track “Electric Messiah” – off the new album Iconoclast - on YouTube.

SOILWORK FORCED TO CANCEL UPCOMING NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

Swedish modern metallers SOILWORK - who were originally scheduled to head out this April & May supporting SYMPHONY X - have regretfully been forced to cancel their participation on this upcoming North American tour.

Drummer Dirk Verbeuren has issued the following statement:

“Due to recurring issues with a herniated disc in his lower back requiring a prolonged period of resting and healing, our guitarist Peter Wichers is forced to sit out this spring’s North American tour with Symphony X and Nevermore. We did consider hiring a fill-in guitar player, but we’ve decided to stick together as a band and out of respect for our fans, to cancel our participation in the tour. Our apologies to those of you who were hoping to see us. If all goes well, Peter should be healed and ready to hit the road in time for the summer festivals.”  

Debuting at #88 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart the week after its July 2010 release, The Panic Broadcast secured SOILWORK’s highest-charting record in the history of the band and marked the return of original guitarist, songwriter & producer Peter Wichers, whose last album appearance was in 2005.

View Peter’s interview & guitar lesson with Guitar World magazine here.

Watch the video for “Let This River Flow” by Tommy Jones of Studio NJ at this location.  View the “Deliverance Is Mine” video by Rock The Nation here.

Visit SOILWORK online at www.SOILWORK.org, www.facebook.com/SOILWORK, www.myspace.com/SOILWORK, on Twitter.com/_SOILWORK and YouTube.com/SOILWORK.