Michael Romeo
Encyclopedia
Since 2005, Romeo has taken advantage of a new custom model, Caparison
Dellinger II - Michael Romeo Custom, which he used to record the Symphony X
album Paradise Lost
. Throughout his career, Romeo has also used ESP
M-II Deluxe guitars with EMG Active pickups and Fender Stratocasters
to perform and record other albums from the band.
In terms of amplification in the studio, he uses an Engl
Fireball as well as a recently acquired Engl
SE E670 that is used strictly for recording purposes. Live, Romeo makes use of both the Engl
Fireball and Powerball models. Recent photographs that have been made available at Symphony X Official Website show him also using other amplifiers
from brands such as Marshall
and Madison. He has also been known to use a Mesa Triaxis and Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier for recording.
In terms of effects, Romeo pairs his various amplifiers with a TC Electronics G System and a Boss NS2 Noisegate.
.
As a guest musician for Ayreon
, Romeo has played guitar solos on the song "Dawn of a Million Souls" (featuring lead vocals by Russell Allen
), from Ayreon's 2000 album Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator
, and on the song "E=MC²", from Ayreon's 2008 release, 01011001
. Romeo also did the guitar work for Vitalij Kuprij
on his "Piano Overture' song in his album Forward and Beyond. Romeo also played a guest solo on the Eidolon album The Parallel Otherworld on the song Arcturus #9. Romeo also did some orchestration work on 3 songs of Steve Walsh
's solo album Shadowman
.
Caparison Guitars
Caparison Guitars is a Japan-based manufacturer of custom shop electric guitars.-History:The Caparison Guitar company was established in 1995 by former Jackson/Charvel Japan designer Itaru Kanno and was owned by Kyowa Shokai, a company that made contracts with factories to produce guitars for them...
Dellinger II - Michael Romeo Custom, which he used to record the Symphony X
Symphony X
Symphony X is an American progressive metal band from Middletown, New Jersey.Founded in 1994 by guitarist Michael Romeo, their albums The Divine Wings of Tragedy and V: The New Mythology Suite have given the band considerable attention within the progressive metal community...
album Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost (Symphony X album)
-Personnel:Symphony X*Russell Allen – vocals*Michael Romeo – guitars, orchestral keyboards and programming*Michael Pinnella – piano, keyboards*Michael Lepond – bass*Jason Rullo – drumsProduction*Produced, recorded, and engineered by Michael Romeo...
. Throughout his career, Romeo has also used ESP
ESP Guitars
, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
M-II Deluxe guitars with EMG Active pickups and Fender Stratocasters
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
to perform and record other albums from the band.
In terms of amplification in the studio, he uses an Engl
Engl
ENGL is a German company that makes high-end tube amplifiers for electric guitars. Over the years ENGL has succeeded in becoming a global player in this market...
Fireball as well as a recently acquired Engl
Engl
ENGL is a German company that makes high-end tube amplifiers for electric guitars. Over the years ENGL has succeeded in becoming a global player in this market...
SE E670 that is used strictly for recording purposes. Live, Romeo makes use of both the Engl
Engl
ENGL is a German company that makes high-end tube amplifiers for electric guitars. Over the years ENGL has succeeded in becoming a global player in this market...
Fireball and Powerball models. Recent photographs that have been made available at Symphony X Official Website show him also using other amplifiers
Instrument amplifier
An instrument amplifier is an electronic amplifier that converts the often barely audible or purely electronic signal from musical instruments such as an electric guitar, an electric bass, or an electric keyboard into an electronic signal capable of driving a loudspeaker that can be heard by the...
from brands such as Marshall
Marshall Amplification
Marshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
and Madison. He has also been known to use a Mesa Triaxis and Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier for recording.
In terms of effects, Romeo pairs his various amplifiers with a TC Electronics G System and a Boss NS2 Noisegate.
Side projects
In 1994, he released a solo album entitled The Dark ChapterThe Dark Chapter
The Dark Chapter is a studio album by Symphony X guitarist Michael Romeo, released in April 1994 through Zero Corporation and reissued in 2000 through InsideOut Music .-Background:...
.
As a guest musician for Ayreon
Ayreon
Ayreon is a project by Dutch composer and musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen.Ayreon's musical style derives mostly from heavy metal and progressive rock, but combines them with genres like folk, classical and electronica...
, Romeo has played guitar solos on the song "Dawn of a Million Souls" (featuring lead vocals by Russell Allen
Russell Allen
Russell Allen is the singer of the American progressive metal band Symphony X.-Biography:Before working with a rock band, he was a jouster at a Medieval Times Dinner Theater. He was introduced to the band Symphony X by former singer Rod Tyler...
), from Ayreon's 2000 album Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator
Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator
Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator is a progressive metal album released in 2000 by Dutch multi-instrumentalist Arjen Lucassen, and is the fifth album of his Ayreon project....
, and on the song "E=MC²", from Ayreon's 2008 release, 01011001
01011001
01011001 is the seventh studio album by Arjen Anthony Lucassen's long-running Ayreon project. "01011001" is the binary representation of the ASCII value of the letter Y...
. Romeo also did the guitar work for Vitalij Kuprij
Vitalij Kuprij
Vitalij Kuprij is a Ukrainian pianist, composer, music teacher, and keyboardist of the defunct neo-classical progressive metal band Artension. He resides in Reading, Pennsylvania when he is not touring.-Music career:...
on his "Piano Overture' song in his album Forward and Beyond. Romeo also played a guest solo on the Eidolon album The Parallel Otherworld on the song Arcturus #9. Romeo also did some orchestration work on 3 songs of Steve Walsh
Steve Walsh
Steve, Stephen or Steven Walsh may refer to:* Steve Walsh , British disc jockey* Steve Walsh , of the 1970s progressive rock band Kansas...
's solo album Shadowman
Shadowman (album)
-Track listing:#"Rise" – 5:15#"Shadowman" – 6:44#"Davey and the Stone That Rolled Away" – 5:54#"Keep On Knockin" – 5:53#"Pages of Old" – 4:54#"Hell is Full of Heroes" – 6:03#"After" – 9:58#"The River" – 4:13...
.