During this year's 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise, Symphony X bassist Mike LePond spoke to Metal Anthology about the band's long-awaited follow-up to 2015's Underworld. He shared that the band has been working on new material for "many years. A bunch of years."
"We are working on a new album, and it's gonna have all the cool stuff you guys like," LePond said (via Blabbermouth). "It's gonna have the big symphonic stuff, it's gonna have the heavy riffs, it's gonna have the classical elements as well. It's gonna have all that stuff in there."
The songwriting process for Symphony X is meticulous, largely due to the high standards set by guitarist and main songwriter Michael Romeo, LePond explained.
"When we write, it just takes time, because Michael Romeo, his rule is there are no filler songs, no songs that are, like, ‘Ah, it's not bad.' And it goes in the garbage. They've all gotta be where at least we think they're all great. They all have to be that."
Fans have been eagerly awaiting new music, and LePond acknowledged the long gap since their last release. "The fans are, like, 'Hey, it's been so long.' But we promise you it's coming," he assured. "It's gonna be good."
As for the album's direction, LePond noted that the band is still deciding on the structure of the songs. Given that Underworld featured mostly shorter, more straightforward tracks, fans have wondered if the new record will include a longer, more epic piece.
"We're still thinking where we wanna go with that," he said. "There's gonna be something crazy epic on it. We just don't know how we're gonna present it yet. But with all the newer technology for the symphonic stuff, it's gonna be monstrous."
Recording an album is an intense process, and LePond has developed a personal tradition to mark the completion of his bass tracks. "So, yeah, we're excited to finally do it again," he said. "When it's time to record the bass, I'd be sweating for days, but once it's done… I have this routine. Once I finish all my bass tracks and I'm just so tired and wiped out, I go to McDonald's. That's the only time I go, and it's, like, ‘Ah. My comfort.'"
On a possible release date, LePond offered an estimate: "I'm gonna take a guess. I'm gonna think that by the end of the year, we'll be finished writing it. It's just a guess. And then in 2026, probably get it recorded and out."
Once the album is released, Symphony X is eager to hit the road. "We're gonna tour everywhere we can and just get back out there and really try to say, ‘Hey, Symphony X is back.'"
