BBC Review
Still pursuing their uber-muscular progressive metal agenda with ruthless dedication.
Sid Smith 2009-06-15
One doesn't so much listen to Dream Theater as get overrun by them, and ten studio albums in, the band are still pursuing their uber-muscular progressive metal agenda with ruthless dedication.
Their undoubted collective instrumental firepower is deployed like a bunch of marauding marines with anger management issues, slipping the leash and swarming over everything in their path.
The relative subtleties of their symphonic aspirations laid out in 2005 on Octavarium are pushed aside in favour of six tracks that are mostly of the 'pumped-up, psyched out, hyper-inflated, super-fast, flat-out in yer face' variety.
Harsher in tone and texture than 2007's Systematic Chaos, with constantly exploding fusillades of cavernous drumming and snarling guitars that'll slice through steel at 30 yards, there's not much room here for anything too delicate or understated.
To get anywhere near that you have to go through four tracks of bombast-heavy bashing before you arrive at The Best Of Times. Even then it's only a matter of minutes (2' 55'' to be precise) before the listener is blasted back into the high-octane cut and thrust of it all.
True, John Petrucci's souped-up athletic guitar runs are amongst the quickest things you're ever likely to hear.
However one person's thrash is another's idea of brash and whilst it's easy to understand the exhilarating sense of momentum such advanced technique affords the group, it's unrelenting nature quickly palls to all but the faithful. Sometimes it's not what you’ve got that counts but how you use it.
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Great review, but after listening to the album a few hours ago I have a small suggestion. The next review of a band should be done by someone with ears.
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This review is awful, it reads like the reviewer has never heard of Dream Theater or ever listend to anything prog.
In the last few albums Dream Theater have used a heavier commericial sound compared to past works of like Scenes from a Memory, Images and Words and Falling Into Infinity. They obviously have progressed to be this way and you could say Awake and Falling Into Infinity showed signs they wanted to. Their whish to be a little heavier, darker, maybe even more easily accessible to the average metal fan seems to divide even their most die-hard fans. This progression is intentional one thinks, especially as they signed with Roadrunner as opposed to some one like InsideOut Music.
Count of Tuscany would not sound out of place on an older album and largely has a more prog-rock as opposed to prog-metal sound. Rite of Passage wouldn't be out of place on Train of Thought and is heavy, but with tracks like this now, one wonders whether they're trying to sound too cool. Wither is a nice ballad but not up there with the likes of Hollow Years, Anna Lee or Stay Another Day; and a Nightmare to Remember is in keeping with their more recent heavier feel. This sounds like I'm criticising them, when it's merely minor gripes with their direction. I would love their next album to be more like Scenes from a Memory in structure for example, but I still love everything this band has done and will do, because each musician is literally the best at what they do. In an ideal world, whilst La Brie is by no means weak, I would love to see Russell Allen from Symphony X vocal with this band.
This band are so techincally masterful, you have to listen time and time again to the album to take everything in and whilst this album is a little heavier, more commerical, it's still a better effort than Systematic Chaos. It is impossible for this band to make a bad album and because Scenes from a Memory and Images were so impressive anything they do will forever be compared back. Whlist this has more of metal sound, as always they stay faithful to their prog ideals and all the usual techincal instrumentals you could expect from Portnoy, Petrucci and Rudess are present. I will follow this band till I die and to really apprecaite anything they do, you really have to see them live.
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Amazing live band, amazing sounding album. I like all Dream Theater's albums from the ones with a Proggier basis to Train of Thought which I think is by far their strongest album. Black Clouds seems to come from the same place as T o T which makes me so happy and in Shattered Fortress they have managed to combine 4 of their best songs into one new original track to finish the AA suite in the best possible way. The best 4 musicians in Heavy Rock do what they do best yet again. There is no other group with the collective skills of Petrucci, Myung, Rudess and Portnoy, long may they reign.
'Sometimes it's not what youve got that counts but how you use it'
Couldn't agree more, it has been used fantastically as it always is
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"This review is awful, it reads like the reviewer has never heard of Dream Theater or ever listend to anything prog."
This is a spoof comment, right? The author of this review wrote the book on King Crimson. Literally. Look it up.
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I received my copy this morning 2 days before release date, have listened to it twice and must say as previous comments. THE REVIEWER IS NOT LISTENING!.
personnalely i like all tracks but "The best of times " stands out. Yes i love all the 15min+ plus tracks they are standard with DT. I agree that seeing them "live" is the only way to apprieciate there mastery of there instruments, i was privilaged to see them at southampton last week. may be the reviewer needed to be there before he posted his review.
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had this album for a month now (as most DT fans) - will buy the release copy when it comes out, most of us will get the deluxe copy with vinyl, stem mixes, the covers cd etc...
the review is useless. this album is far less 'metal' than systematic chaos, other than certain moments in ' a nightmare', which incorporate black metal motifs. what is important is that is prob the best album since metropolis, and the star of the show is james labrie, oft maligned, but on this album gives his best ever DT performance, the harmonies are sublime and he makes sense of some complex passages instrumentally.
they were amazing live in leeds last week, and although it's great to see DT reviewed on the beeb, please put someone who knows what they talk about!
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QUOTE "This review is awful, it reads like the reviewer has never heard of Dream Theater or ever listend to anything prog." "This is a spoof comment, right? The author of this review wrote the book on King Crimson. Literally. Look it up. "
Sid Smith clearly isn't a DT fan. What is it about music reviews by people who don't like the music they're reviewing - who are they reviewing it FOR? Hmmmm - you like it or you don't I guess. If this guy likes King Crimson enough to write about them - then he is clearly on a different path of progressive as 'the Crimson' are one of the WORST examples of the genre in my opinion. Utter rubbish and bad form. Robert Fripps extremely embarrassing performance with the G3 tour the other year was as hopeless as his career (apart from his work with Peter Gabriel which was really quite marvellous). However - I digress....
Been a Dream Theater fan since Images & Words. I lost faith a bit - mainly due to James's recent live vocal performances letting them down (since about 2003/2004) - but I still love them. James performance on the albums is always great and I'm now resigned to always willing him to sing well live every tour and ultimately it not happening. Before I get lambasted - I KNOW it's not easy to sing like him - but if you do that for your JOB then you should be able to cut it live - like bands like Symphony X for example. The band - as always - live and in the studio - are exemplary. Awesome in fact. Not awesome like an american would describe a hot dog, but awesome as in the Planets and the Galaxy!! Ahem...That aside: The new album is a better return to form than Systematic Chaos in my opinion - but hey - it's my opinion. If you're a DT fan - buy it - you won't be disappointed. If you're not a DT fan or haven't heard of them, go and buy Images & Words first followed by the Live Scenes From New York 3cd (the best live album and DVD EVER made) then if you still like them after that - buy the rest...only my opinion :-) Keep rockin'
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I dont think Wither could ever fit in to "'pumped-up, psyched out, hyper-inflated, super-fast, flat-out in yer face'".
Personally I think this album is not as loud as previous releases, which actually disappointed me a little. It still has its moments though.
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"This is a spoof comment, right? The author of this review wrote the book on King Crimson. Literally. Look it up."
Why would it be spoof comment? Whether they wrote the book or not, it still reads like someone who's listened to prog for the first time and has never listened to Dream Theater
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ps. King Crimson are not particulalry good in my opinion. I'd take Pain of Salvation, Neal Morse, Transatlantic, Platypus, Spocks Beard, Isildurs Bane, Flower Kings, Symphony X, Genesis (Gabriel days of course), Dream Theater, hell even Yes over them, any day.
Also how do you know it isn't http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_Smith_(writer) this Sid Smith.
If it is the Sid Smith you mention, then he also writes sleeve notes for indie record labels (horrible genre).
Adolf Hitler wrote Mein Kampf, does that mean he's an expert on diaries?
Yisrayl Hawkins has written numerous books regarding religion, does that mean he's an expert on the existence of God and possible armageddon?
As stated above, the review does not read well and if the reviewer did like King Crimson, they must have some knowledge of prog, aka Dream Theater, therefore why is the review so poor?
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Sid, have a word with yourself because you talk utter tosh!!!! Dream Theater have an uncompromised artistic license to produce the music that THEY believe that they can not only perform on stage but also to push the boundaries of their particular genre. Having grown old with them I feel justified in expressing dismay at your very sarcastic and idiotic comments regarding one of rock musics great and prolific contemporary bands. You can put a band into whatever catergory that you choose but if you took the time , like I and many others have to view the band at something called a concert, maybe your point of view will change/ or improve.
Anyway, onto the current album and tour.
I attended Leeds o2 Academy on June 12th and they put on an awesome show with lots of energy and enthuiasm which some younger bands could learn from.
The album, is a very good follow up to Systematic Chaos and provides closure in an autobiographical way for some of the band members.....namely guitarst John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy in the lyrics. The music is a mixture of the great blend that this band produces on EVERY album that they produce. Particuarly heavy on the first 2 tracks and melancholy on Wither and The best of times.
anyway, hope this is more helpful to people who are not familiar with the Dream Theater brand!!!!!
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I bought the 3 cd set, and I don't know if I will muster the strength to listen to the third one.
The reason is that the two first cd's are sheer and utter crap. How could anyone make a song with the title 'The Count of Tuscany'? Oh, please... And Stargazer!?! It's a stupid carbon copy.
This album is a bloated version of the previous one. An if the next album is done in a similar way, it will probably be named 'Medley'. That is, a medley of all their previous songs. On this one, maybe five to six? I have heard a few on the previous one as well.
I have always been a dedicated DT fan, and I have listened to their songs a thousand times.
It probably won't continue in the future.
PS. I guess the band members know that they haven't made a particularly brilliant album, since they have thrown in a cover cd, and a remix of the new one.
PPS. A plausible theory is that Jordan Rudess finally has put DT:s creativity to sleep. You just can't replace an electric guitar with a synthesizer.
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"What is it about music reviews by people who don't like the music they're reviewing - who are they reviewing it FOR? Hmmmm - you like it or you don't I guess."
CS Lewis introduced the reviewer's two must-have-skills in the 30's; feeling and understanding. It goes today, as well. I am not sure if Sid Smith meets these requirements.
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I do agree with some people that the reviewer doesn't seem to be a competent person to review DT. The review is brilliant. It is not a review this album, though.
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One of the worst written things I've ever read ('thing' being a more appropriate description than not review). Was there a strict commitment about using as many long pompous words as possible, regardless of any relationship they might have with reality? Has this guy listened to this album, and the band's previous two, for more than 5 minutes, total? I wouldn't think so. Must be from that 'this is more recent than my favourite band therefore it is not worth my time' school of thought, which breeds music critics everywhere. There is even no point in defending this glorious album, as the reviewer obviously couldn't be bothered to begin with. Hope he loves his own books. How to waste ten minutes of my life.
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"To get anywhere near that you have to go through four tracks of bombast-heavy bashing before you arrive at The Best Of Times"
Did you even listen to this album? Wither, which is track 3 is a slow melodic song with lots of harmonies.
Please disregard this review and make your own mind up. This is a great album.
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Unfortunately the problem with this review is that the author is not fully versed in the genre. King Crimson may have been classed as a progressive band but the style differences could not be bigger.
Also a shame to see typos from a person who apparently is such an expert writer in the form of "athletic".
All in all it is a poor review and not for the writers apparent dislike of the band but for his lack of knowledge in general for the genre.
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After listening to this album over the last few days, I am amazed at how these guys pump out such great music time after time. This album to me is what DT are all about, especially track 4 which is a fanatastic medly of DT through the years. I have been a fan since 1993 after hearing them on a radio station in the US, something that doesn't seem to happen over here at all.
I was expecting an explosive first track followed by something great but not as powerful, but the whole album is to me outstanding. If the next album climbs the metal\prog ladder as this one has I can't wait.
As mentioned before the reviewer needs to be a real fan to appreciate the talents of these guys, as you will not get more talent on one album if you tried.
We need more British dates from DT so we can drag the doubters to see the light.
Come on DT more of the same please, and nothing less than 10 minutes will do. "Rush" on acid!!!! what more can we ask for?
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Yeah, this reviewer should have listened to the album more than once, and should also have been concentrating.
"...pushed aside in favour of six tracks that are mostly of the 'pumped-up, psyched out, hyper-inflated, super-fast, flat-out in yer face' variety"
Erm, no?
"Harsher in tone and texture than 2007's Systematic Chaos..."
Also, no?
This album is far lighter than SC. The only track which is constantly heavy is A Rite Of Passage - all the rest are varied and definitely not
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...(continued from last comment as I accidentally clicked off the window...)
This album is far lighter than SC. The only track which is constantly heavy is A Rite Of Passage - all the rest are varied and definitely not heavy. The first track has an excellent mellow part in the middle. Wither, the third track, is a ballad! Not heavy at all! That really proves the reviewer wasn't listening.
He doesn't even refer to The Count Of Tuscany either which is the best track on the album.
Next time, listen to it more than once with some degree of concentration. I wouldn't be displeased if the author had actually referred to individual weak points of the album because it's by no means perfect (Read: Mike Portnoy's vocals, generally terrible lyrics, some really quite bad keyboard effects and solos). Don't just tell me it's a thrash-fest and dismiss it.
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Ever wondered why prog is such a minority interest in Britain? Ever wondered why we have to put up with a music industry ruled by the two Simons? Ever wondered why no one seems to give a stuff about rock music? Sorry Aunty Beeb, getting this reviewer to "review" this album is the reason why it will remain a minority interest. This album is excellent. So what if its bludgeoning? your reviewer should stick to Mariah Carey or other such dross. This is Prog Metal. DT have always been Prog Metal. If you don't like it - don't listen to it!...and by the way, the absence of such prejudice is probably the reason why prog is huge in all of our EU countries...except for this one.
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Great, great album, didn't expect anything less from DT I guess.Who cares if the reviewer doesn't like it, neither does my 6 year old daughter, she loves Hanna Montana :) 'The Count of Tuscany' is the perfect prog song!
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