Critically compared to prog acts like Dream Theater and Fates Warning for m… Read Full Bio ↴Critically compared to prog acts like Dream Theater and Fates Warning for much of the mid-to-late 1990’s, Alchemy X nonetheless has managed to carve out their own niche in the very underground scene that is progressive metal in the U.S. At times sounding heavier than the aforementioned bands, AX has also drawn comparisons to Iron Maiden and Savatage, as well as contemporaries in the field like Symphony X, Aztec Jade and Defyance All these characterizations have merit, depending upon which album or song one is hearing at the moment. The superior Petrucci-esque guitar work of twin 7-string ax-men Chris Fox and Rob Schreiber finds the perfect balance between furious riffing and bottom-end heaviness, while Steve Ratchen’s virtuosity on seven string bass(upside down no less!) is a well-documented configuration that further adds to AX's unique sound. Ratchen also adds everything from atmospheric strings to classical piano, laying texture to the bands more lush pieces. Drummer Chris Scorsese walks the fine line between Neil Peart precision and all-out thrashing. New vocalist Tom Engel brings amazing chops and a more modern sound as the band continues to move away from the DT comparisons, evoking the dark imagery and sound of bands like Tool, Tea Party and Korn, as well as the conceptualized lyrics and themes we’ve come to expect from Mr. Ratchen and company. The band is currently recording their third studio album, tentatively due out sometime in 2006.

Music Style
Progressive Metal

Past Members:
Martin Morin (vocals on "A Delicate Balance" album 1999)
Bob Mitchell (vocals on "11:59:59" album)

Renaissance
Alchemy X Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Part I - "Cee-faring"
Part II - "Lullaby for a baby plastic giraffe"
Part III - "Penguins on a grand parade"
Part IV - "Surely you're joking, Senor Gorski!"
Part V - "Oddz and Endz"
Part VI -"Go Rob Go!"
Part VII -"Gee-Whiz"
Part VIII -"Gidhorra"

Part IX -"Gee-Whiz" (reprise)

Renaissance Notes

Part I- "Cee-faring"-

The name says it all, doesn't it? A little corny to be sure, but the whole idea of naming all the subsections of a bloated instrumental is right up there with Rush's "La Villa Strangiato". As I've said so many times, we take the music extremely seriously, but never ourselves, hence all the self-deprecating stuff you'll find herein! From the piano outro of "Kiss before dying" into Rob's long solo, the whole section is in the key of C, hence the illuminative title-I think I do a fair job trying to play "jazz bass" on this section as well

Part II- "Lullaby for a baby plastic giraffe"-

Just an 5-10 second blurb that separates sections 1 & 3, but the genesis of the plastic giraffe (those 2 or 3 hardcore fans of ours in the world today will remember that was the name of our limited corporation back in the late 90's) was a drink ornament I used to carry for good luck- in fact Mr. Plastic Giraffe is missing both a hind and front leg, but he continues to soldier on at Chris Scorsese's recording studio! "LLLAAAOOWWWLL" (for those unfortunate few who are uninitiated, that is the phonetic spelling of the virtually unpronounceable sound made by tiny plastic giraffes everywhere-

Part III- "Penguins on a grand parade"-

Cute name for Chris Fox's shredding solo section, made famous by my predilection for flightless birds in a former life

Part IV- "Surely you're joking, Senor Gorski!"-

To know him is to love him! Everyone's favorite soul-less corporate suit continues to be a friend of mine back since our college days-I was considering for the "11:59:59" album cover the idea of featuring my old pal in a Hugo Boss special, evicting homeless shelters while cashing stock options, but the rest of the guys wanted something darker- in all seriousness, I had written this little Spanish guitar piece many years ago, and had promised Gorski I would make him famous some day, so here we are!

Part V- "Oddz and Endz"-

Another throw-away piece from many years ago, I figured I'd compensate for it's general monotony with those cool, modern spellingz! No diggity you all!

Part VI-"Go Rob Go!"-

Um, I didn't mean this literally, how was I to know Rob would end up in Madison, WI before he knew I was kidding! A "Rob Schreiber-special", great riff actually, a little DT-ish, but hey, when has a day gone by that someone HASN'T compared us to them?

Part VII-"Gee-Whiz"-

Me at my wittiest, as this little 10-second connecting riff is in the key of-you guessed it! G! Again, something I wrote as a link piece a long time ago- it's a good thing we're so underground, if we were ever commercially successful, I'd be out of good material by now!

Part VIII-"Gidhorra"-

Probably the best part of "Renaissance", the vaguely "Destroy all Monsters" sounding main guitar line is referenced around Rob and Chris tearing up the scenery with reckless abandon! We played this section live several times in 2003 and their soloing really brought down the house, so I think this section is here to stay!

Part IX-"Gee-Whiz" (reprise)-

Even the most self-indulgent technical monstrosities have to end sometime, right? And if you're still reading at this point, you're either a hopeless prog-freak, close friend/family member, or beyond help! In any case, keep buying our records so we can someday reach the dream of being thousand-aires!

Overall Meaning

The Alchemy X song "Renaissance" is a bloated instrumental track with nine different subsections, each with its own name and unique character. The parts are a mix of solos, connecting riffs, and throwaway pieces from years past. The musicians play with a sense of humor, as evidenced by the self-deprecating titles and a reference to the phonetic spelling of the sound made by tiny plastic giraffes. Despite the many disparate elements, the song holds together as a cohesive whole and showcases the band's technical prowess and musical versatility.

Part I, "Cee-faring," begins with a piano outro from the previous song before launching into a long guitar solo in the key of C. Part II, "Lullaby for a baby plastic giraffe," is a brief interlude with a silly name that bridges the gap between sections. Part III, "Penguins on a grand parade," features a shredding guitar solo with a cute name referencing the band's predilection for flightless birds. Part IV, "Surely you're joking, Senor Gorski!" is a Spanish guitar piece dedicated to the band's favorite soul-less corporate suit. Part V, "Oddz and Endz," is a throwaway piece compensated for by its cool modern spelling. Part VI, "Go Rob Go!", is a riff-heavy section inspired by a member of the band that turned out to be prescient in an unexpected way. Part VII, "Gee-Whiz," is a witty connecting riff in the key of G. Part VIII, "Gidhorra," is probably the best section of the song with a Destroy all Monsters vibe and impressive guitar solos. Part IX, "Gee-Whiz" (reprise), signals the end of the song and brings together the various parts for a satisfying conclusion.

Line by Line Meaning

Part I- "Cee-faring"-
The instrumental section is in the key of C, and the title is a play on the word "seafaring."

Part II- "Lullaby for a baby plastic giraffe"-
A short section that separates Parts I and III; the baby plastic giraffe is a symbol of a past corporation and carries personal significance for the band members.

Part III- "Penguins on a grand parade"-
A section featuring a shredding guitar solo from Chris Fox, and the title is a nod to the band's former fascination with flightless birds.

Part IV- "Surely you're joking, Senor Gorski!"-
A tribute to a friend of the band named Gorski, featuring a Spanish guitar piece that the band promised to include on an album someday.

Part V- "Oddz and Endz"-
A throwaway section from years ago, with the title spelling in a modern style.

Part VI-"Go Rob Go!"-
A riff-heavy section named after the guitarist Rob Schreiber, with a reference to comparisons between the band and Dream Theater.

Part VII-"Gee-Whiz"-
A short connecting riff played in the key of G, written as a link piece years ago by the band's bassist.

Part VIII-"Gidhorra"-
The best part of the song, with a heavy guitar line reminiscent of "Destroy All Monsters," and featuring impressive solos from Rob and Chris that have brought down the house in live performances.

Part IX-"Gee-Whiz" (reprise)-
The song's ending, acknowledging the self-indulgent nature of technical instrumentals and jokingly urging listeners to keep buying the band's records so they can become thousandaires.

Contributed by Aaron E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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