Album Review — Sons of Apollo
Sons of Apollo — MMXX
Sons of Apollo are back with their second studio record, this one called “MMXX”. If the term “supergroup” was ever appropriate, Sons of Apollo is it. It would be difficult to assemble a more talented group of musicians than Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Mike Portnoy, Derek Sherinian and Billy Sheehan. And Jeff Scott Soto is no slouch on vocals.
Their first album, “Psychotic Symphony”, was quite progressive and sounded much more Dream Theatre than Winery Dogs. “MMXX” doubles down on the progressive metal vibe. These songs are long and complex, including the nearly sixteen minute “New World Today” to close the record.
If you are looking for excellent musicianship, this record is for you. I feel like Bumblefoot really shines on this record, although every member has their standout moments. The songs are complex with multiple time changes, interludes and high quality solos.
The album gets off to a strong start with “Goodbye Divinity”. It checks in at over seven minutes long but it’s one of the more melodic tracks on the album. There’s almost two minutes of what I would call an instrumental intro before the song kicks in. If the entire album sounded like this I would have been pretty happy.
I’ll be honest and say I’m not the biggest Prog Rock guy. As much as I appreciate quality musicianship, the song is king for me. It feels like the songs provide more of an outline for these high quality musicians to do their thing. That’s not to say there aren’t some quality songs here, but it feels like they take a backseat to the tremendous playing on the record.
“New World Today” is quite the epic with each band member getting a time to shine. And we get quite a few guitar/keyboard solos that go back and forth throughout the album. “Desolate July” is another standout, as it’s a little more bluesy and gives Soto a chance to stretch out a bit.
In my opinion, my two favorite band members are under utilized in this band. Soto is one of the better vocalists out there, and although he sounds great, I feel like he doesn’t have the platform to really emote like he can. We get glimpses (Desolate July), but he’s capable of more than he’s asked.
And of course, Billy Sheehan. To me, he’s the best bass player around (sorry Geddy fans), and although he has some cool moments on the record (Wither to Black, New World Today), I liken it to having Jerry Rice on your team and not throwing him the ball.
All that being said, I understand this band is about Portnoy and Sherinian. They brought in these high quality musicians, but these are their songs and their vision. It’s not meant to be Mr. Big or Winery Dogs. This is a Prog/Metal band and that’s the kind of music they have written. So if you like their work from Dream Theatre, I’m sure you will love this album.
I can appreciate this album and band for what they are. But give me a new Winery Dogs record, or better yet, Mr. Big record any day of the week. My rating is not based on their performance, which is fantastic, but rather my personal taste. But if this is your thing, I have no doubt in my mind you will enjoy this record.
80 out of 100
Track Listing
1. Goodbye Divinity *
2. Wither To Black
3. Asphyxiation
4. Desolate July *
5. King Of Delusion
6. Fall To Ascend
7. Resurrection Day
8. New World Today *
*Best Songs