Dream Theater - Distance Over Time (2019)

We are now into the fourth record in the post-Portnoy era of Dream Theater, and I think it is pretty safe to say that while the previous three entries have been pretty decent, they have had their flaws. "A Dramatic Turn of Events" had at least two generic ballads too many, the self titled album was a little too safe, and "The Astonishing" was ambitious and grand, but was mostly filled with musical fluff. It is understandable though why it has been like this, it is very rarely that a band who loses one of their main contributors bounce back in the next record, and while it seems like Dream Theater has complicated things again here with "Distance Over Time" (which is just a pretentious way of saying velocity), they might have found their way back home.

With "Distance Over Time", Dream Theater is going both forward and backward, implementing new ideas together with familiar tactics that we have seen from such albums as "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence", "Train of Thought", and "Systematic Chaos". Take for instance "Barstool Warrior", an obvious song about alcoholism (something Portnoy used to write a lot about since he has suffered from it) where the melodies are just as vibrant and flowing as they were in the beginning of the 21st century. That in itself is a clear statement that the band is back in form. Another call back is "Room 137", which would have fitted right in the "Train of Thought" line up without any problems, and the closer "Pale Blue Dot" is just another one of those ultra epic progressive goodies that only this band would produce. Pure magic.

Then we have the newer ideas that also shine just as bright. "S2N" has these playful Rush patterns that will make any prog fan drool, with the band going back and forth in different tempos and time signatures, while "Paralyzed" opens up with an incredibly groovy guitar line that still somehow merges nicely with the epic build up that is classic Dream Theater stuff. And to show that Dream Theater take newer progressive acts to notice, how about "At Wit's End" that has that djenty tech feel that we normally hear from Animals As Leaders, while still implementing that Dream Theater magic.

Yes, this is definitely one of the most imaginative DT albums for some time, and the performances shows that the band has had a blast recording this. The duels between guitarist John Petrucci and keyboardist Jordan Ruddess are thrilling as hell, constantly trying to one up each other without losing the musical melodies. Drummer Mike Mangini also does a great job in this record, also having writing credit for the first time ever with the song "Room 137". And then we have the "weak" link James LaBrie, who might do one of his finest vocal performances so far, getting even more emotions out to the listener than he normally would. He still has a voice that might not suit everyone, but he is not holding anything back in this disc.

The strong suit of this record though might be its length. After the exhausting experience known as "The Astonishing", it feels great that we get a more scaled back version of the band, with an album that goes just under the hour mark (just the third time the band has released an album this "short") and no track going over ten minutes. It is enough music to quench the thirst, and not much more, which I am totally fine with. It still makes the classic mistake of having a very generic ballad in it just to widen the range of the record ("Out of Reach"), but the bonus track "Viper King" kind of makes up for it with its fast paced blues metal, being the grooviest song the band has ever made. That song is not gonna affect the final score since it is a bonus track, but make sure to not miss out on that one, it is one of the funnest tracks of the year.

This is without a doubt the strongest Dream Theater record since "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", a record that once again shows just how awesome this band could be. The band has found that perfect balance of nostalgic goodness and innovative thinking that everyone wants to see from this band. They do not need to impress us with ambitious story writing, or wow us with some insane technical skills, just write awesome songs and you are good to go. "Distance Over Time" is a marvelous and solid record that should bring all the past Dream Theater fans back to the band, but most importantly, it is a record that makes a statement, that Dream Theater is still the kings of progressive metal, and that it's gonna take a hell of a lot of effort to over throw them from their throne.

Songs worthy of recognition: Pale Blue Dot, Paralyzed, S2N, At Wit's End

Rating: 9/10 Barstool Warriors

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More reviews of Dream Theater
When Dream And Day Unite
Images And Words
Awake
Falling Into Infinity
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Train of Thought
Octavarium
Systematic Chaos
Black Clouds & Silver Linings
A Dramatic Turn of Events
S/T
The Astonishing

From Worst To First: Dream Theater albums

So in my last discography review, I chose to just rank the band's albums instead of ranking and rating a bunch of random shit, mostly because I felt that it was a lot of unnecessary work for very little payoff. Sure, just ranking the albums is not the most original thing, but I found it to be a lot more satisfying to wrap up a journey in this way. Then it came to me, how about doing exactly that for the other bands I have done discography reviews on in the past. With some time to spare (thanks to a slow period in album releases and a lack of inspiration), I now start a quest to do a "From Worst To First" ranking on all other 10 bands I have reviewed every single album of.

The first band I gave this review treatment to was Dream Theater, and I have to admit that there was not any real good reason to why I did so. I love progressive metal, and they are more or less the creators of the genre, so that might be the answer? Well, I don't know, I love the band, and going through their discography once more was fun. A whooping five years have past since I did close off this discography review, and some of those opinions I uttered back then have not stood the test of time all that well, so these rankings might be a surprise if you tried to figure out the order basing from those reviews.

Some final disclaimers before I start, this is a ranking of all the band's 13 full length albums, so no live albums, singles, or EPs (sorry "A Change of Seasons"). Also, this is my list and my opinions, so I am neither wrong or right here, and neither are you. Feel free to rank the albums yourself, either in the comment section, or on Twitter (@ForsakenGates). Let's get to the rankings!

13. Falling From Infinity

Thanks to pressure from their record company, "Falling Into Infinity" became a slight mess of an album that was divided in what it wanted to do. The more commercial sound is not well suited for the band, leaving an album that feels bland and unimaginative. It still has its moments though, like the heavy nature of "Burning My Soul" or the soothing "Peruvian Skies", and it does sound better than what I remembered, but against such stiff competition, it just does not hold up. This is certainly an album that is not rising any time soon.



12. The Astonishing

When I reviewed this album back in 2016, I was blinded by all the hard work and effort the band had put into this project, missing the obvious fact that the music itself was very bland and dull. I still admire the length the band went for, a very ambitious Shakespearean concept record with a website that was filled with information to back it up. The problem is that the band was a little too ambitious, ending up with a double album (or quadruple LP) that spanned over 2 hours and contained 34 tracks, with only a handful of them being memorable. It is an astonishing blob of theatrical music that may be impressive, but it is a lot of work for such little pay off.

11. When Dream And Day Unite

The debut record is a rough outing for the band in almost every aspect. The production is far from sleek, the song writing is not the sharpest, and singer Charlie Dominici is an even weaker link than James LaBrie ever was. It is still an album that showed what the band could be capable of in the future, showing tons of excellent technical abilities that most bands would only dream of performing. The instrumental piece "Ytse Jam" is the perfect showcase for the band, to prove to the world that they will be a force that could be counted on. An interesting start, with a few fumbles along the way.



10. A Dramatic Turn of Events

This is the first of the Mike Mangini albums, but since this album was written before the band found their new drummer, it was a little simplified so that anyone could keep up with their tempo. "A Dramatic Turn of Events" is a pretty unspectacular album that still has some stand out moments, like the opener "On The Backs of Angels" and the epic "Bridges In The Sky". I just have a couple of questions. Why in the hell is there three ballads in this album? And how does it come that they all suck? And what in the hell is that rope connected to?



9. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence

For a band that made a name for itself thanks to its technical skills, "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" might be the most complex of all Dream Theater records. A double album that goes on for over one and a half hours, with the title track being over 40 minutes of itself. This is a meaty record to swallow, and I still to this day have trouble getting it all down in one meal, but there is definitely enough ear candy in here that makes you come back to this record. "The Glass Prison" is reason enough to revisit this technical enigma of an album.



8. Systematic Chaos

The title of this record is pretty accurate, because "Systematic Chaos" is crafted with a lot of chaotic elements that should not go together, but they do... most of the time. No other album in the Dream Theater discography has a bigger gap between the highs and the lows, going from bland mainstream attempts ("Forsaken") to insane thrash like madness ("Constant Motion"). This sandwich has some great bread in the two parter "In The Presence of Enemies", but the filling is a mixed bag, making it a little less tasty. I just hope those giant ants on the cover does not attack me for not loving their record.


7. S/T

The self titled release was described as a rich chocolate cake by the band, and while I do not fully agree on that description, it is still a meaty record. It is a sneaky good record that may fade away when you mention the band's other records, but it is far from a push over, containing some really nice tunes like "Behind The Veil, "Surrender To Reason", and "The Enemy Inside". This self titled record may not blow you away, but it gives you a solid amount of good progressive metal, giving you a nice, happy little sugar rush. Huh, I guess that cake comparison is not that far off after all.



6. Octavarium

I really should put this album on the number 8 spot, because of reasons, but "Octavarium" is a little too good for me to do so. It is obvious from the get go that the band had a clear idea with what they wanted to do with this record, and they execute it really well. "Octavarium" has an impressive range of songs that tie together real nicely into a rock solid record. Just the fact that the mellow "These Walls" can be in the same room as the frantic "Panic Attack" is an impressive feat, and adding a bunch of other good tracks just adds to the awe. The power of eight is strong with this one.



5. Train of Thought

Without any question the band's heaviest album, "Train of Thought" was a dark experience that saw Dream Theater in one of their moodiest performances, but it might also be one of their more diverse albums, showing an impressive range of heavy, catchy, epic, and haunting. Feels like this album has been forgotten over the years, outshined by other outings, but I still think its heavy nature makes it stand out, as a big stone golem that can squish you with a single punch. It is a train that stops for nothing, delivering the metal goods to your ears.



4. Black Clouds & Silver Linings

The last hurrah from Mike Portnoy is a great one, a six song assault that worked on a simple premise, writing great and solid progressive metal. The band definitely went with quality over quantity here, presenting some extremely fine tunes that still sticks with me today. I can definitely go without "The Best of Times" and "Wither", but the remaining four songs are a wonderful group of prog metal goodness, from the angelic "A Rite of Passage", to the symphonic "The Count of Tuscany". It is a simple record, with a lot of complex candy hidden within.



3. Awake

It is easy for "Awake" to be in the shadow of "Images And Words" since it was the first record after, but this record holds up just as well with some of the sleekest sounds that we have heard from the band. There is just something special with this album, something with its vibe that makes it incredibly enjoyable through and through. While there are few songs that truly stands out ("6:00" and "Lie" does so the most), it is the whole package that makes "Awake" such a mesmerizing record. The flow is exquisite, and all of the songs feel like they belong together. This is certainly a unified album that just works, from first to last second.


2. Images And Words

The most well known Dream Theater album is not the best one, but it is one I keep coming back to time and time again (have to "Take The Time" you know, haha). "Images And Words" is obviously highlighted by "Pull Me Under" (rightfully so), but the fact that this record also have songs like "Take The Time", "Another Day", "Learning To Live", and "Metropolis - Part 1 (The Miracle And The Sleeper)" is just silly. It is the album that showed exactly what the band was capable of, an album that defined an entire genre, an album that is one of the most important metal records in general. However, if the ultimate highlight "Metropolis - Part 1..." showed us anything, it was that the band could get even better.

1. Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory

There are few concept records that I hold higher in regard. The epic saga about Nicholas and his therapy sessions is the band's magnum opus for a reason. It is a multi layered storybook of emotions that has a fantastic pace and flow, both in tale and in music. Once this bad boy has started playing, you just cannot get away from it, you have to finish it to the very end. Everyone is on their A-game, giving performances that is as close to perfection that you can get. The goosebumps are always close by whenever this is on, and it is a feeling that will never get old, no matter how many times that record has been spun. A true progressive masterpiece.



And as a bonus, here are my ten favourite songs from the band, in alphabetical order.

A Change of Seasons
This is how you do a 20+ minute magnum opus

A Nightmare To Remember
Not too shabby for a song about a car crash

Bridges In The Sky
A very underrated goody from the new era of the band

Constant Motion
It spins me round and round, and I can't let go

Finally Free
That ending... THAT ENDING!

Home
Just an epic win, all the way through.

Metropolis - Part 1 (The Miracle And The Sleeper)
So many epic moments in here

Panic Attack
A scary hell ride through riffs and solos

Pull Me Under
The only hit the band ever made is still as grand today as it was back then

Take The Time
There is always time for this classic

Stay Metal
Robert "Sharkruisher" Andersson

Dream Theater - The Astonishing (2016)

During the last couple of years, I have felt that Dream Theater has been more laid back in their approach, sort of leaning on their previous accomplishments like they have nothing to prove anymore. This has of course been apparent in the music, with the releases of two fairly mediocre and uninspiring albums (at least by the band's standard). This takes me back to Portnoy's departure, and why it happened. He wanted the band to take a small break, something the others was not on board with. Thinking of it now, it might have been a decent idea, to step down for a year or two to refresh those batteries.

But like a shot in the dark, the band unveils this, the band's 13th album entitled "The Astonishing", the band's biggest project up to date. A full on concept double album (or quadruple LP (!?!?)) that consists of 34 songs and a total play time of 2 hours and 10 minutes. And if you get scared by the pure size now, then you will probably run like hell when you start to dig in on the concept. The band has created a opus that is so humongous that it is hard to even know where to start. To make it easier for the listener to understand the story, the band has created this website that explains literally everything. You can read about the characters, look at an elaborate map of the places, and even follow the story while you are listening to the album, track by track.

In short, the story is set in the year 2285 and in the north east region of the United States, or as it is called in that time, G.N.E.A (the Great Northern Empire of The Americas). It is a time were creative expressions such as dance, art, and most importantly, music are a thing of the past, controlled by these robots called NOMACS (or Noise Machines) and the emperor Lord Nafaryus. However, far away from the main city, in a small town called Ravenskill, a boy has emerged as The Chosen One. His real name is Gabriel, and he possesses the gift of music, knowing how to control ancient instruments and sing. He is the main weapon of his brother and his rebel group, that aim to take down the empire, and bring back real music to the land once more.

I do not think the story in itself is anything original, it is sort of a modern mix of Romeo And Juliet and Star Wars (obviously without the light sabers and the force). However, it is well thought out and very elaborate, and I am not just saying that because it has tons of text and content. Once you understand the story, it is easy to follow with it in the actual lyrics of the music, you picture the characters and what they are doing and saying.

But here lies the problem, there is so much to take in that you run the risk of losing the music. It feels more like a musical than a prog album, like something Mozart and Shakespeare would cooperate on. This of course makes "The Astonishing" a unique piece of art the likes none has ever seen or heard. It is big, full of elements and layers, and still, the music plays the back up role in this story.

While the band performs splendidly as always, I feel like the only one who is pushing his boundaries are James LaBrie. He does some of his finest vocal work up to date, with an impressive range and emotion to really lift the album. The rest of the band are just tagging along for the ride, rarely taking the center stage. Without giving out too many spoilers, I know of at least 2 places where the band could have gone all in with not only their heavy side (which is mostly absent), but also their competitive spirit. That's right, I miss a classic solo battle in this album that otherwise has close to everything a prog lover could dream of.

Obviously, this is a album that should be experienced in all of its 2 hour and 10 minute length, but there are still some songs that are pretty enjoyable on their own. "The Gift of Music" is not only a great introduction to the concept, but it also works as a good introduction for the band as well, showing almost all of the things that defines Dream Theater. Then we have "A Savior In The Square", a song that has a small part that is really epic, and lifts the song from being good to being great. "Chosen" has one of the more striking solos and structures in the album, and "Moment of Betrayal" contains a really good and memorable chorus (unlike the rest of the 33 songs). Oh, and the two opening instrumentals "Dystopian Overture" and "2285 Entr'acte" are amazing ways of opening up the 2 acts, which I am sure will do even better once the band goes on tour (they are performing the entire album from start to finish) So there are some material for the impatient ones here, but since they all are a part of a bigger picture, I still recommend a full listen through.

"The Astonishing" is a huge accomplishment for Dream Theater, because they have not only managed to create a grand story that is rich on detail, but also baked in more or less their entire career in one double album. Sure, there are several fillers, and that patented Dream Theater 10+ minute epic is missing, but this is a album that should be viewed as a artwork. You should look and enjoy it from a distance, not go in and detail every single brush stroke. I love the fact that the band is not taking the easy route and try to reinvent themselves, something they have not done for the last couple of years. With that said, they may have bitten of a little more than they could chew. It does not feel as complete as "Metropolis Pt. 2...". I like this album, and it is their best in some time, but if the band would have killed some of their darlings, and tighten the whole thing up, then I would have loved it. A for effort and courage, B for the content.

Songs worthy of recognition: Moment of Betrayal, The Gift of Music, A Savior In The Square, The Path That Divides

Rating: 8/10 NOMACs

dreamtheater.net/
twitter.com/dreamtheaternet

More reviews of Dream Theater
When Dream And Day Unite
Images And Words
Awake
Falling Into Infinity
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Train of Thought
Octavarium
Systematic Chaos
Black Clouds & Silver Linings
A Dramatic Turn of Events
S/T

Distance Over Time

Dream Theater - S/T (2013)

When a well experienced band is releasing a self titled album, that can only mean one of two things. Either the band has lost all of its inspiration, or it is a mark of a new beginning for the band. And even though Mike Mangini made his debut on the last record, "A Dramatic Turn of Events", he did not contribute in the song writing process and he did not get enough room to show his full potential. So I was very curious of how Dream Theater would approach this album and to see how a big chocolate cake sounds like.

I can instantly say that "Dream Theater" is a bolder piece than its predecessor. "A Dramatic Turn of Events" was a album filled with safe bets so Mangini would feel comfortable in his position. Now that he has some more complex pieces to deal with, he can really show what he is made of, just like the rest of the band. Petrucci's riffs are spot on, Myung's bass lines are groovy, Rudess's keyboard tones are nice and LaBrie sings at his usual level. So the performance is, as usual, superb.

I understand that "Dream Theater" is supposed to be the new starting point for the band, but I cannot help to see that this album could be described as the Dream Theater discography for dummies. We have "The Looking Glass" that reminds me of the band's "worst" album "Falling Into Infinity" (also reminds me of the Canadian trio Rush), the heavy instrumental "Enigma Machine" fits right in "Train of Thought", the epicness of "Surrender To Reason" reminds me of "Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory" and the first single, "The Enemy Inside", is a heavier (and better) copy of "On The Backs of Angels" from "A Dramatic Turn of Events". Even with these resemblances, I still see "Dream Theater" as a individual piece in the epic Dream Theater discography, instead of a indirect "best of" album.

One part of the album that I actually think is original is the ballads. Sure, the two songs that are ballads on this album are just like typical Dream Theater ballads, but the quality of them is stepped up a bit. "The Bigger Picture" is actually one of the best ballads the band has ever created. Good lyrics, beautiful melodies and a emotional chorus. Three ingredients that makes a great Dream Theater ballad. The other ballad, "Along For The Ride", is one of the weaker tracks of the album, but I have heard worse ballads made by the band.

Another noticeable thing is that there is only one mastodon song in this album, which is the first time for the band since "Awake". But to compensate the small amount of giant epics, the band made this mastodon over 22 minutes long. The song is called "Illumination Theory" and is the closer of "Dream Theater". It is definitely fitting nicely in the end of the album, but it is pretty uneven on the performance. Some instrumental parts sounds great while others (like the silence in the end) are just weird. I give this mastodon my approval, but it is a proof that just because it is longer, it does not mean that it is better.

"Dream Theater" is far from a masterpiece and with its overall quality, I would put this self titled release somewhere in the middle of the pack against the rest of the discography. Sure, it has some highly enjoyable moments, but it is still a pretty anonymous release without a real clear sense of direction. It is a nice album. No more, no less.

Songs worthy of recognition: The Enemy Inside, The Bigger Picture, Surrender To Reason

Rating: 7,5/10 Illumination Theories

dreamtheater.net/
twitter.com/dreamtheaternet

More reviews of Dream Theater
When Dream And Day Unite
Images And Words
Awake
Falling Into Infinity
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Train of Thought
Octavarium
Systematic Chaos
Black Clouds & Silver Linings
A Dramatic Turn of Events
The Astonishing

Distance Over Time

Best of Dream Theater

So now that I am done with reviewing the whole Dream Theater discography I thought that it would be fun to look back and see what is the highlights of these album. Here is the best of Dream Theater.

Best albums

3. Black Clouds & Silver Linings

This album has only six songs but these songs creates an album out of epic proportions. The mix between heaviness and epicness is fantastic and with the fact that none of the six songs is boring or bad is making "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" an magnificent album.

2. Awake

Out of all the albums Dream Theater has released there is no album that has the same fine class as "Awake". A delicate album with great diversity and outstanding musicality. From the symphonic "Caught In A Web" to the hard and edgy "Lie" is showing that "Awake" is a world class album.

1. Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory

Not only is this the best album in this discography, this is one of the best concept albums ever made. "Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory" has a wide variety of songs and it is also telling an exciting and intriguing story. A mgnificent album that is the definite highlight of Dream Theater's carrier.

Worst album

Falling Into Infinity

Technically is "Falling Into Infinity" the least good album since Dream Theater has not done any album that I dislike. But the reason this album is at the bottom is the record companies fault. They wanted the band to write more commercially attractive material so they could earn as much money as possible. This is the result of the oppression, an uninspiring album that still has some exciting intentions.

Best songs

5. Bridges In The Sky - A Dramatic Turn of Events

The only song in "A Dramatic Turn of Events" that was not a safe gamble. So much beauty going into this song so you can almost drown in it.

4. Home - Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory

Probably the most epic song the band has ever created and the chorus is like a gift from god. Would have been higher up this list if it was not for a long boring middle part.

3. Constant Motion - Systematic Chaos

For a heavy metal freak like me, "Constant Motion" is a blessing. This is without a doubt the fastest song the band has ever created and together with the thrilling guitar/keyboard solo we got ourselves a great song.

2. Pull Me Under - Images And Words

The bands only real "hit" is clearly a masterpiece. The great interaction between the instruments and the epic chorus is just candy for your ears. Would have wanted a longer solo but I could care less, "Pull Me Under" is perfect in its own way.

1. A Nightmare To Remember - Black Clouds & Silver Linings

If you ever would make a roller coaster ride from a particular song then this would be a great candidate. "A Nightmare To Remember" is shifting its tempo fast and it does it multiple times. Together with a great story about a car accident and some heavy riffing we got a song that is almost perfect despite its length of 16 minutes.

Best album cover

Awake

Beauty at its best and look at all the details. The city in the background, the clock in the moon, the spider and its web and of course, the band crest. Also, the guy who came up with making the mirror coloured and the rest black and white is a genius.

Total discography verdict

Quality: 8/10
There is no doubt that Dream Theater's low point is very high but they have yet to come out with a perfect album. Very close to a 9.

Band chemistry: 9/10
5 line-up changes in 28 years is impressive and the new members is getting at least two albums before they leave. But only two original band members left is dropping the rating one point.

Creativity: 9/10
No one can complain against Dream theater that they are boring. They can write all sorts of songs in several different styles from heavy to epic.

Musicality: 10/10
Dream Theater has some of the best musicians in the industry and they are not afraid to show it off with their complex rhythms and perfect timing.

Lyrics: 8/10
Sometimes the lyrics can be a little to direct but Dream Theater certainly knows how to tell a story through music.

Album rating summary
When Dream And Day Unite: 8,5/10
Images And Words: 9/10
Awake: 9/10
Falling Into Infinity: 6,5/10
Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory: 9,5/10
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence: 7/10
Train of Thought: 8,5/10
Octavarium: 7/10
Systematic Chaos: 6,5/10
Black Clouds & Silver Linings: 9/10
A Dramatic Turn of Events: 7/10
S/T: 7,5/10
The Astonishing: 8/10

Average rating: 7,923076923076923/10

Give me your thoughts. Which album/song by Dream Theater is your personal favourite and is the band worthy of its status as one of the best bands in progressive metal? And do not forget to vote for which bands discography I should do next (the poll is on the right side below the description).

Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events (2011)

To say that a lot happened to Dream Theater after the release of "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" is an understatment. The drummer Mike Portnoy thought that the band should take a much needed break, an idea that the rest of the band did not agree on. So without going further into details, Mike left the band who instantly started the search for a drummer who would be able to take over the giant kit that Mike left behind. The spot eventually went, not surprisingly, to another Mike. Mike Mangini has previously worked with Annihilator, Steve Vai and the solo project of James LaBrie so he had good connection with the band from the start. But the big question was still standing, would he be able to handle the pressure and be a solid part in the Dream Theater sound?

During Dream Theater's carrier we have seen many sides of the band. From heavy to epic, commercially attractive to progressive. But on "A Dramatic Turn of Events" is the band taking the safe route by making a mix of ballads, heavy songs and epic mastodons. Maybe the reason for this safe approach is because the band wanted to make it as easy as possible for Mike Mangini to slide in to the band before he starts contributing to the song writing process. Well I do not care are as long as the album sounds good in my ears, which it does.

The single "On The Back of Angels" opens up this album like a technical version of "Pull Me Under". A great song where Mangini directly is showing what he is made of with several difficult fills and edgy beats (listen especially closely around 3:30. The speed Mike is showing is ridiculous). A perfect choice for a single. The commercialism continues on "Build Me Up, Break Me Down". Even though I enjoyed this song I feel that the chorus is a little too mainstream and the musicality is not at top. Such a shame since this song had good potential.

We have a total of four songs that have a length of 10 minutes or longer on this album. Out of the four there is two songs that really stands out and raises the quality of this album to a much higher level. "Lost Not Forgotten" is a good mix between the heavy and the melodic Dream Theater. A thrilling ride where the band is showing of most of their register. But the real top of this album is "Bridges In The Sky" that is very similar to "Lost Not Forgotten" but the chorus here is one of the most beautiful choruses the band has ever made and the technicality is just pure awesomeness. Just the music you would want to hear if you was riding actual bridges up on the sky. The other two mastodons are not the worst I have heard from the band, they are actually great as well but compared to "Bridges In The Sky" and "Lost not Forgotten", "Outcry" and "Break All Illusions" is easily left in the shadows. But they are still worth checking out if you are a Dream theater fan.

We also have three ballads in "A Dramatic Turn of Events" but sadly, they do not cut it for me this time. Out of the three I would say that "This Is The Life" is bringing out the most emotions and has the best musical structure while "Beneath The Surface" is close behind and "Far From Heaven" is just plain boring.

So to answer the question I asked in the begginging, yes, Mike Mangini is a great replacement for Mike Portnoy. His technical skills and perfect timing are just what Dream Theater wants so they can keep doing what the have done for over twenty years. As far as "A Dramatic Turn of Events" goes, it is an unstable album where the long songs rule and the ballads fail. It is far from their worst album but this album is a clear evidence that the band took the safe way to ease it up for their new drummer as much as possible. But for the next album, I expect that Mangini gets in to the writing process and that the band at least tries to write more exciting material. So welcome to the band Mike Mangini. May you have several fun years with one of the best bands in the progressive metal scene.

Songs worthy of recognition: Bridges In The Sky, Lost Not Forgotten, On The Backs of Angels

Rating: 7/10 Outcries

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More reviews of Dream Theater
When Dream And Day Unite
Images And Words
Awake
Falling Into Infinity
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Train of Thought
Octavarium
Systematic Chaos
Black Clouds & Silver Linings
S/T
The Astonishing

Distance Over Time

Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009)

For a normal band, six songs is not nearly an album, it is closer to an EP. But for a band like Dream Theater, six songs can easily lead to a full-length album that is well over one hour. This was a clear sign that "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" would be one of the bands most progressive albums to date with a total of four songs that reach beyond the ten minute mark. So yeah, this is easily not an album for those faint hearted nor an album for those who have no patient. This is an ultimate Dream Theater album for the ultimate Dream Theater fan.

Let us start talking about the two song that is under ten minutes long. The songs are "A Rite of Passage" and "Wither" and both of them made it as singles. "A Rite of Passage" is probably the closest thing the band has ever come to repeating their only super hit "Pull Me Under". The structure is similar and the choruses are both singalong friendly. But when it comes to epicness I feel that "A Rite of Passage" is falling behind "Pull Me Under". Still a great song though. The other single, "Wither", is a beautiful ballad that in the same time has a level of epic no previous Dream Theater ballad has ever reached. The power in the chorus makes the song really grand but at the same time also fragile in a very good way. One of the bands best ballads in their carrier.

So the "short" songs hold a high standard but what about the longer songs? Fortunately, they do not drag down the album into the dirt. The opener "A Nightmare To Remember" is a song about a car crash John Petrucci was involved in as a child. A great song that throws you between hope and despair, darkness and light, horrible memories and a man without a face. So yeah, "A Nightmare To Remember" is just like a thrilling rollercoaster where the excitement never seem to end. Never seen the likes of a more versatile song. Then we also have "The Shattered Fortress" which is the last song in Mike Portnoy's twelve-step suite about the AA and that song includes both familiar themes and musical parts from previous songs in the suite. For instance, the part around 8:30 comes from "The Root of All Evil". It is a sprawling song but it is a worthy finally of the suite. "The Best of Times" is also written by Portnoy, about his father who died from cancer. Now I do not want to be disrespectful to neither Mike, his father or this song but "The Best of Times" is the weakest song in "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" because it is hard to remember anything from it. It is bland all through. But I am still sure that Mike's father would be proud if he heard this piece before he died.

The last song is "The Count of Tuscany", the longest song in the album with a length of 19:19 and is about an encounter that John Petrucci had in, you guessed it, Tuscany, Italy. Is it just me but is that not a weird topic to sing about? No matter what, this song ends "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" in the same way "A Nightmare To Remember" started the album, in an exciting epic that is some of the bands finest moments ever. I know, the lyrics is a little to direct but that has very little matter when the music is so well composed and perfectly executed. Just magnificent.

In the end, "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" is the hardest album since "Train of Thought" and with the extra approach towards the progressive part we have ourselves the best album since "Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory". But with the few amount of songs I surprisingly get an urge for wanting more from the band even though the play time is well over one hour. Well screw it, this is a fantastic album that should make the mouths of every progressive metal fan very wet.

Songs worthy of recognition: A Nightmare To Remember, The Count of Tuscany, Wither

Rating: 9/10 Shattered Fortresses

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More reviews of Dream Theater
When Dream And Day Unite
Images And Words
Awake
Falling Into Infinity
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Train of Thought
Octavarium
Systematic Chaos
A Dramatic Turn of Events
S/T
The Astonishing

Distance Over Time

Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos (2007)

If you have to believe the metal heads that have done a review of this album in Metal archives, "Systematic Chaos" is the worst of the albums in the bands entire discography with a average rating of 72% (best album in the same site is "Awake" that has the rating 93%). That statistics is nothing that really surprise me since "Systematic Chaos" is more "modern" metal than progressive or heavy and the commercialism over the album is about as high as it was on "Falling Into Infinity". A couple of proofs of the increased commercial approach on this record is that this was the first album from Dream Theater released by Roadrunner Records (a band that in present days have contracts with Nickelback, Stone Sour and Avenged Sevenfold) and the band made its first music video in over ten years (the video was for an edited version of "Constant Motion"). But I am not going to talk more on how others thought of "Systematic Chaos", this is what I thought about this album.

Starting off "Systematic Chaos" is the first part of the song "In The Presence of Enemies", a piece that in its entirety is 25 minutes long but is split into two songs with the lengths 9 and 16 minutes. The total song is a progressive masterpiece with heavy, fast, slow and melodic parts in each and every corner. It is an exciting song that has a easy to follow flow and has a ability to get a good grip at the listener. Even though this is as close to a perfect song as you can get I still feel that Dream Theater should not have made it into two parts and definitely not put the parts as the first and last song on "Systematic Chaos".

After the first part of the second longest song ever created by the band we have "Forsaken". This is probably the most commercially appealing song the band has made in over a decade and it is no wonder that this song was released as a single (even though it was not the first single from this album). If it was not for the beautiful musicality I would probably just shrug this song of me and move on. The chorus is not lifting the way I want it to and the overall song is not impressive. But it is the production and the musicality that makes this song better than it should have been. Well it will do. The first single from this album is "Constant Motion". A pretty odd choice for a first single since it is a song that is not typical Dream Theater. But this is my favourite song in this album because it has a great speed and beat that actually fits the band like a glove. Then we also have the dark and epic chorus that is getting accompanied with a simple but oh so effective guitar riff pattern. But the absolute best part of the song is the guitar and keyboard solo where the complete madness kicks in and your head is going into overdrive. So "Constant Motion" is a very welcome irregularity in Dream Theaters song catalog.

Otherwise from the three previously mentioned songs, there is nothing really impressive on "Systematic Chaos". Sure, "The Dark Eternal Night" has its great moments and "The Ministry of Lost Souls" is not a horrible 15 minute song but the remaining songs on this record is either boring or a song that the band has previously done better. The only really interesting is that several great artists such as Joe Satriani, Corey Taylor, Mikael Åkerfeldt, Steve Vai and more is lending a couple of words on the song "Repentance" (which is a part of Mike Portnoy's Twelve-step Suite, a collection of songs about Mike's struggles with alcohol). And another thing, the mix between modern rock a la Muse and a disco intro (from the song "Prophets of War") is admirable but not something I would want the band to keep doing. So yeah, the second half of "Systematic Chaos" is more or less fillers.

So is my view on "Systematic Chaos" the same as it was on Metal Archives? No, I do not think this album is the worst that the band has released but it is certainly no among the top of the discography. The gap between high and low is unusually big which in turn leads to an uneven album. But "Systematic Chaos" has it moments and with a little luck this album could have been a future classic but it also could have been a total ship wreck.

Songs worthy of recognition: Constant Motion, In The Presence of Enemies

Rating: 6,5/10 Dark Eternal Nights

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More reviews of Dream Theater
When Dream And Day Unite
Images And Words
Awake
Falling Into Infinity
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Train of Thought
Octavarium
Black Clouds & Silver Linings
A Dramatic Turn of Events
S/T
The Astonishing

Distance Over Time

Dream Theater - Octavarium (2005)

Man, Dream Theater did really take the album order  seriously into their last albums. Their sixth album was "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" (contained six songs and has six in the title) and "Train of Thought" was the seventh album (seven tracks). That leads us to "Octavarium", Dream Theaters eigth album. And were do we find the number eigth on this album? Well, were should I start? The number of tracks is eight, octa means eight, there are a total of eight marbles on the albums front and back side and more connections to the number eigth is shown in most of the songs (do not worry, I will tell when we come to the songs I am speaking of). One thing that separates "Octavarium" from its two predecessors is that the band now tried to make "a classic Dream Theater" record. So gone is the heaviness from "Train of Thought" and the complexity from "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence". It would be an album that would remind us of their earlier years.

"The Root of All Evil" kicks off this album and you can instantly hear that classic Dream Theater sound. It is melodic and well composed but it also contain a dark vein in both the music and lyrics that is really interesting to follow. A good way to start of a new album. Next song is "The Answer Lies Within", a ballad that is not innovative nor impressive. The lyrics are good but it only takes you so far. The only interesting with this song is the bell at the beginning that tolls eight times. Luckily my interest is regained on "These Walls", the highlight of "Octavarium" It is an epic song that is glistening with its musicality and delicate fragility. It may not be the hardest the band has ever put out on the market but it is one of their more thought-out tracks. Then we also have "I Walk Beside You", or what I would like to call, "Dream Theater's attempt to copy U2, Coldplay or similar band". Not a bad try but it just feels wierd. Way too commercial for my tasting.

Out of all the tracks on "Octavarium" there is only one song that I knew from first to last beat and that was "Panic Attack", and that is only because it is on Rock Band 2 (a great game for gaming and rock geeks). It is  technically a great song and I like the scary mood that the band is setting up but easily the best part is the instrumental part were every band member (except James LaBrie) + instruments get a chance to go close to ape shit. One of the best instrumental parts of the bands entire career. Still wished though that the keyboard would have gotten a little more room on that part or at the ending where the band is repeating the same final note a total of eight times at the end. After that horror show we are led into "Never Enough", a song I have split opinions on. I like the chorus, the build up á la Muse and LaBrie's vocal work but the overall performance feel a little sloppy, like the band is saving up for the big finale.

So far has "Octavarium" been free from mastodon songs but then, with out a mastodon there would simply not be a true Dream Theater album. That thirst is put out on the last two tracks "Sacrificed Sons" (clocked at 10:44) and the title track (clocked at a whooping 23:59). Both are definitely listenable but not something you would press replay for over and over again. They both have a really slow start before shifting to about third gear and starting what Dream Theater is best at. Progressive and technical music with a clear idea all the way through. Not the best songs in this league but certainly not the worst either.

A lot of eight's on this release so it would be fitting if I put an eight as rating right? Sadly, "Octavarium" does not deserve that high of a rating. It is a good album, no doubt about that, but I feel that the distance between top and bottom is way to big for a band like Dream Theater. And even though the lyrics are great I find the concept on this album highly confusing and hazy. None the less this is a album that could have gotten some extra improvements but it is still a good and listenable album. It is just not an album that stands out in the bands catalogue.

Songs worthy of recognition: These Walls, Panic Attack, The Root of All Evil

Rating: 7/10 Sacrificed Sons

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More reviews of Dream Theater
When Dream And Day Unite
Images And Words
Awake
Falling Into Infinity
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Train of Thought
Systematic Chaos
Black Clouds & Silver Linings
A Dramatic Turn of Events
S/T
The Astonishing

Distance Over Time

Dream Theater - Train of Thought (2003)

I always say that a band can never be legendary without expanding their horizons and not trying to evolve their music, something Dream Theater really did not try until this moment. "Train of Thought" is the bands seventh full-length release and is probably one of the most controversial releases Dream Theater has ever made since it is an album that is much darker and heavier than its predecessors. The band itself explained that they wanted to be exposed to another kind of metal fans and expanding their music further into the music universe. But did that mean that they left behind all the characteristics of what made them so great and abandoned their old fans? Well, not entirely but I would understand if a fan of the bands earlier works would think twice before listening to this album.

As stated before, this album is very much different from the rest of the albums in the Dream Theater catalog. We still got a lot of long, epic songs but most of the musicality is gone and is replaced by true strength powered by heavy riffs and a fast tempo. The regular Dream Theater sound is still there even though it is taking less space than usual.

The opener of "Train of Thought" is "As I Am", a very weird song even for Dream Theater.A heavy mid-tempo riff goes into a fast and groovy verse just to fall back to the mid-tempo sludge in the chorus. It takes some time to appreciate the song but it stands very clear that "As I Am" is one of the weakest opener in any Dream Theater album to date (competing with "New Millenium" from "Falling Into Infinity"). So not a great start for the heavier Dream Theater but the band shapes up instantly in "This Dying Soul" A great heavy and progressive song that is both exciting and groovy. But the most interesting part of this song is around 7:15. Is it just me or does that part sound like the Metallica song "Blackened"? You may say rip-off, I say that it was awesome.

The third song is "Endless Sacrifice", a great emotional track that gives me shivers every time that chorus is played. An to top it off it has a fast solo that shows of Petrucci's shredding abilities. Probably the song that showed the best mix between the early and the new Dream Theater. That good mix continues onto the next track, "Honor Thy Father". This track may not be as exciting and thrilling as "Endless Sacrifice" but it is still a groovy and heavy song that shows that the band is in an element they can control.

Now there is only one useless song on "Train of Thought" and, not surprisingly, it is the shortest song. "Vacant" is a slow and meaningless ballad that is just a filler. Actually, I think the only reason that "Vacant" is on here is to make this seventh album seven songs long. Fortunately, it is a small part of this album with its short playing time (2:58, almost five minutes shorter than the second shortest song). The last two songs on this album, "Stream of Consciousness" and "In The Name of God", are pretty pale against the rest of the songs on this album. Sure, they are good songs but they have their weaknesses. "Stream of Consciousness" is over ten minutes long, a little too long for a instrumental, and "In The Name of God" is epic and so but I do not think the solo is as good as it could have been. Such a shame for such a good track.

Controversial or not, I absolutely love this album. The fact that the band has baked in all these heavy elements into six tracks (plus one without any heaviness) is not only brilliant but a perfect way for the band to expand their music. "Train of Thought" is without a doubt the most unique album the band has made so far into their careers. But the new influences have its price. The lyrics and the settings are not as strong as in previous releases. Still, I find "Train of Thought" appealing and amusing. An album that any metal fan, progressive and heavy, should take a shoot at.

Songs Worthy of Recognition: This Dying Soul, Endless Sacrifice, Honor Thy Father

Rating: 8,5/10 Streams of Consciousness

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More reviews of Dream Theater
When Dream And Day Unite
Images And Words
Awake
Falling Into Infinity
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Octavarium
Systematic Chaos
Black Clouds & Silver Linings
A Dramatic Turn of Events
S/T
The Astonishing

Distance Over Time

Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2002)

With one of the best concept album made by any band behind them, Dream Theater went in to the 21st century as one of the biggest bands in progressive metal. But there was one problem. How would they top "Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory"? Well the band thought that the only way to follow up such a fantastic conceptual album is to write a bigger conceptual album. "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" is over one and a half hours long and extracts itself into two separate discs. Although there is only six songs on this albums the title track takes up one disc itself with a length of 42 minutes which makes this song the longest song the band has ever written. So yeah, this album is not for the weak listeners.

The overall concept of the first half of the album is the struggles we sometimes face in life which includes alcoholism, death, self-isolation and more. In the second disc, we get to follow the journeys of six individuals with different illnesses. I definitely dig the concept but I feel it is still a little weaker than the concept on "Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory". It just does not have the same dazzling strengths. Never the less it is still a concept worthy of digging deeper in to.

Out of the two discs I would say that the second disc is the stronger but the first disc has it moments. It starts of great with "The Glass Prison", a dazzling song that continues on where the last album ended (literally since "The Glass Prison" starts with the same roaring Noise that ended "Finally Free"). Such a great epic and a perfect way to kick of this album. The following song "Blind Faith" also makes a decent impression on me with a good structure and fine work on the keyboard by Jordan Rudess. But after that it goes somewhat downhill since no other song on the first disc holds the same standards. Do not get me wrong, the tracks 3-5 is no horrible songs but you will probably not be blown away by them. For instance, "Misunderstood" is overall a good song but it feels like some kind of a whining is going through. Also add a annoying ending that is completely useless. There are some good intentions in all these songs on disc 1 but no one (except "The Glass Prison") reaches all the way through.

So let us all jump in to the second disc instead. It is there the magic truly lies. And if you can not stand a song that reaches over 10 minutes then you will probably be pleased to hear that the title track is divided into 8 individual songs that together creates one of the meatiest songs known by man. Individually the songs differ from beautiful and spiritual slow-tempos songs ("Solitary Shell", "About To Crash") to more fast paced and technical metal ("War Inside My Head", "The Test That Stumped Them All"). A good mix of songs that makes the whole disc diverse and unpredictable. Just as we all want it to be. I think that the faster songs are the better parts of the title track since they really reflect on the struggles that the characters on the songs is experiencing. It is also on those song where the band is showing a great amount of skills.

A great overall concept but I am missing that true Dream Theater magic that we experienced on the bands greatest albums. The overall quality of the songs is lower than normal and I have a really hard time to enjoy this album completely. But I still think this is a valid effort from the band but with the quality Dream Theater possesses I know that they got an extra level or two to put in to their music.

Songs worthy of recognition: The Glass Prison, The Test That Stumped Them All, Blind Faith

Rating: 7/10 Solitary Shells

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More reviews of Dream Theater
When Dream And Day Unite
Images And Words
Awake
Falling Into Infinity
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory
Train of Thought
Octavarium
Systematic Chaos
Black Clouds & Silver Linings
A Dramatic Turn of Events
S/T
The Astonishing

Distance Over Time

Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory (1999)

After the failing success of "Falling Into Infinity" the record company finally let the band be themselves and stopped pushing them to write more commercial material. So what would Dream Theater do with this opportunity? The band decided to go back and give the track "Metropolis - Part I "The Miracle And The Sleeper"" from "Images And Words" its awaited conclusion (even though there was no initial plans on having a second part. The Pt. 1 was actually more for jokes then a hint of what to come.).

"Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory" is set up like a movie or a play, in acts and scenes. Act 1 is the tracks 1-7 and Act 2 is track 8-12 and the scenes are the tracks themselves (note that scene 2, 3 and 7 contains two songs instead of one). I do not really know why they did divide the album in acts and scenes but I could not care less. It is the songs that matters. So let us get cracking shall we?

The album opens with a spoken word part that is probably trying to hypnotize you. Did not work on me but I still got tired from the first track "Regression". After the slow opener the tempo is raised in the second scene which contains the songs "Overture 1928" and "Strange Deja Vu". The first part is acting like some long intro to the second part which got me to think "Why did they not bake them together to one song". I mean, together they measures up to around 9 minutes which is nothing for a band like Dream Theater. Anyhow, scene two is groovy and melodic and when James LaBrie steps in the scene takes a more serious turn. A good start for the album if you ask me. The next scene is also divided into two songs which leads to a darker and sadder part of the album. At first I did not care for this particular scene but after a couple of listening sessions I have found myself enjoying this scene, especially the second half of "Fatal Tragedy" which is fast and challenging.

Next song is the first out of three that is over 10 minutes. "Beyond This Life" is great since it does not loose you during the long drive with its exciting riffs and astounding musicality. It has everything a good mastodon song should have. Some tempo shifting here and there, a edgy main riff and, of course, an irregular and unpredictable pattern. But "Beyond This Life" is not the best among the mastodon's. That throne goes to the oriental sounding song called "Home". It feels more epic and is one of the most intriguing songs Dream Theater has ever made. How about the third mastodon then? The last mastodon on this album is also the last song which is "Finally Free", a song that feels grand straight through the 12 minutes of playing time. A great epic and a perfect song to end this album and its concept. But the last 2 minutes felt a little weird for some reason (maybe cause the music stopped I don't know).

We also find two instrumentals on "Metropolis Pt. 2". I have already mentioned the first one ("Overture 1928") but it is the second one that is just fantastic. "The Dance of Eternity" is for me one of the best instrumentals ever made with its challenging rhythms and blistering usage of the instruments. There is not a dull moment on the entire song. And also ad that it is pretty unpredictable as well (for instance, in the middle there is some sort of western piano bar style music). A great recipe to make a world class instrumental. Also have to mention the emotional and spiritual "The Spirit Carries On". One of the best ballads the band have ever made.

There is so much to take in when you listen to this album but it is easy to see that this is a conceptual masterpiece. The story is interesting and the band does a great job telling it. And do not forget about the musicianship, which is some of the bands finest throughout their career. This is almost a perfect album but the problem is not that it lack something, it is that it almost contains to much of the good stuff. This album could have easily cut off some useless parts in some songs where they are taking their music a little too far. But who cares, this is a sweet album that every progressive metal fan should have on its shelf.

Songs worthy of recognition: Home, The Dance of Eternity, Strange Deja Vu, Finally Free

Rating: 9,5/10 Fatal Tragedies

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More reviews of Dream Theater
When Dream And Day Unite
Images And Words
Awake
Falling Into Infinity
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Train of Thought
Octavarium
Systematic Chaos
Black Clouds & Silver Linings
A Dramatic Turn of Events
S/T
The Astonishing

Distance Over Time