The Damnation Game (album)

The Damnation Game is the second studio album by progressive metal band Symphony X, released in 1995 through Zero Corporation (Japan) and Inside Out Music (Europe); a remastered edition was reissued on September 13, 2004, through Inside Out. The album is the band's first to feature current singer Russell Allen, who replaced Rod Tyler after the release of their 1994 self-titled debut album.

Musical references
The middle section of "Dressed to Kill", after the guitar solo, cites Johann Sebastian Bach's "Prelude in C minor (BWV 847)" from The Well-Tempered Clavier (Book 1, 1722).

The intro of "The Damnation Game" cites Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's Solfeggietto in C minor (H 220, Wq. 117: 2) (1766).

Critical reception
Robert Taylor at AllMusic gave The Damnation Game two stars out of five, calling it an improvement over the band's debut album while criticizing the many influences taken from guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen's work: "Guitarist Michael Romeo's licks and solos are lifted right off of Malmsteen's Rising Force and Marching Out". Allen's vocals were also likened to that of Mark Boals and Jeff Scott Soto, also from Malmsteen's earlier bands.

Personnel
Technical personnel
 * Russell Allen – lead vocals, background vocals
 * Michael Romeo – guitar, background vocals
 * Michael Pinnella – keyboard, background vocals
 * Jason Rullo – drums, background vocals
 * Thomas Miller – bass, background vocals
 * Michael Romeo – production
 * Suha Gur – mastering
 * Steve Evetts – production
 * Eric Rachel – production