Symphony X

Michael Romeo formed Symphony X in New Jersey in 1994. The original lineup of the group also included Thomas Miller (bass guitar), Rod Tyler (vocals), Jason Rullo (drums), and Michael Pinnella (keyboards). They released their self-titled debut late that same year. The next year they put out the follow-up The Damnation Game. 1995 also saw Tyler leave the group, his replacement coming in the personage of Russell Allen. Their next release came out in 1997. It was the critically acclaimed The Divine Wings of Tragedy. In addition to the critical praise, this disc became the group's biggest commercial success yet. Before recording their next album, Jason Rullo left the band. He was replaced by Thomas Walling. With this lineup, the group released Twilight in Olympus. This release garnered both greater critical kudos and greater sales. In a unique turn of events, however, the band faced a new lineup change. Newcomer Walling and bassman Thomas Miller both decided that they were not up to touring for the album. The recently departed Rullo rethought his exodus and came back into the Symphony X fold. Andy DeLuca was brought in on bass for the duration of the tour. After the tour was over, the group found a permanent replacement in Mike LePond. This formation of the group released their fifth album in 2000 with V: The New Mythology Suite. The following year, Symphony X released their first live album, Live on the Edge of Forever, which captured performances from their 2000 European tour. In 2002, the band continued to mine mythology with their sixth studio album, The Odyssey, which was based on Homer's epic of the same name. The band took a bit of a break while its members released solo albums, but came together again in 2007 with the relased of Paradise Lost, a concept album based on Milton's tale. Taking a break from mining the past, the band looked to the future for the theme of their next album. The result was 2011's Iconoclast, which featured a darker tone and a cautionary story about machines taking over the world.