Dream Theater - "The Astonishing"

Dream Theater - The Astonishing
2016, Roadrunner

DISC ONE:
1. Descent of the Nomacs
2. Dystopian Overture
3. The Gift of Music
4. The Answer
5. A Better Life
6. Lord Nafaryus
7. A Savior In the Square
8. When Your Time Has Come
9. Act of Faythe
10. Three Days
11. The Hovering Sojourn
12. Brother, Can You Hear Me?
13. A Life Left Behind
14. Ravenskill
15. Chosen
16. A Tempting Offer
17. Digital Discord
18. The X Aspect
19. A New Beginning
20. The Road to Revolution

DISC TWO:
1. 2285 Entr'acte
2. Moment of Betrayal
3. Heaven's Cove
4. Begin Again
5. The Path That Divides
6. Machine Chatter
7. The Walking Shadow
8. My Last Farewell
9. Losing Faythe
10. Whispers on the Wind
11. Hymn of a Thousand Voices
12. Our New World
13. Power Down
14. Astonishing

Oh gosh... yeah... um... no thanks, guys. When I first heard about The Astonishing I was looking forward to it. It sounded like it could be good. Well... I honestly don't know. I just know it's not for me. It's a two-and-a-half hour theatrical music extravaganza. The problem is that there's nothing in the way of hooks or memorable melodies. There's not even any interesting progressive stuff to hold your attention. It's just this big, bloated, self-indulgent musical that takes up way too much of my time and doesn't give me anything for it. Granted, the music is executed with the precision and talent that you come to expect from Dream Theater, but as I said, most of it isn't very interesting and is only there to prop up the story.

And oh my word... the story.

It's supposed to be some epic battle between good and evil, I guess. What it really is, however, is every trope you've ever seen from Super Nintendo-era Final Fantasies. There's the evil king and his special daughter. Naturally, she's the love interest for the hero - the "chosen one" who can save the world through the power of friendship music. And they've wasted so much money and resources on this nonsense. Are these guys, like, thirteen? The name of the evil emperor is Nafaryus. Flippin' Nafaryus. Really?! Oh, and there's Faythe. Good grief guys.

Ugh. Some people might like this but I would much rather just have a good album. Please don't do this again. I'll give you guys one more album to impress me again but then I'm tapping out.

Useless Fact: I guess there's a website where you can explore the characters and the world the album takes place in. For people who've never played Final Fantasy, I guess.

Dream Theater - "Dream Theater"

Dream Theater - Dream Theater
2013, Roadrunner

1. False Awakening Suite
2. The Enemy Inside
3. The Looking Glass
4. Enigma Machine
5. The Bigger Picture
6. Behind The Veil
7. Surrender to Reason
8. Along For The Ride
9. Illumination Theory

Now that I'm all caught up on Dream Theater (for the most part) I pre-ordered this album as soon as I could. It's the first album with new drummer, Mike Mangini, contributing to the actual song writing. I really enjoyed A Dramatic Turn of Events and was excited for what the band would do. I mean, heck, they even threw down the gauntlet and self-titled this album. However, it pains me to say that I'm a little disappointed. Aside from the amazing "The Enemy Inside" and a few other tracks, nothing has really stuck with me. I dig the sort of Rush/Coheed-esque riff in "The Looking Glass" and "Enigma Machine" is a cool instrumental. Other than that nothing seems to really stick with me. I keep forgetting that "Surrender to Reason" is even on the album. I'm also going to risk saying that "Illumination Theory" is one of their weakest epics. It seems like three separate songs strung together with only the most tenuous grasp on one another.

Also, let's talk about the mastering, shall we? There's definitely some loudness wars crap going on here. In addition the guitars seem to be muddy. Muddy guitars. In Dream Theater. Couple that with the loud production (which pushes the vocals back into the mix) and it definitely hurts the listening experience. This ain't Sonic Youth! Or Slipknot! Or a Christian metal album on REX records circa 1990! This is Dream Theater! I kind of expect some precision in the sound. While this release is way better than Systematic Chaos, it didn't entrance me. I'm hoping this one will grow on me.

Useless Fact: The deluxe edition of this album only features extra artwork and a 5.1 mix of the album. Perhaps the label knew the mastering was poor? Hmmm...

Dream Theater - "A Dramatic Turn of Events"

Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events
2011, Roadrunner

1. On the Backs of Angels
2. Build Me Up, Break Me Down
3. Lost Not Forgotten
4. This is the Life
5. Bridges in the Sky
6. Outcry
7. Far From Heaven
8. Breaking All Illusions
9. Beneath the Surface

So I guess I'm a full Dream Theater fan now. After all, I've gotten more and more DT and only disliked one (Systematic Chaos). So... how does the band fare after the departure of cornerstone Mike Portnoy? Answer: pretty good actually. In fact, I think anyone who says "the band sucks now that Portnoy's gone" is crazy and biased. A Dramatic Turn of Events is a fine album. It's vibrant and varied. You can tell the guys are really giving it their all and trying to prove to the fans that it wasn't all Portnoy. The drums are pushed back in the mix a bit and the bass brought out - which isn't really a bad thing if you ask me. I think there's also a little more variety in the songs here. I don't think I've heard a fully acoustic ballad from these guys but the album closes with one of the most beautiful ones I've heard ("Beneath the Surface"). I do think "Build Me Up, Break Me Down" is a tad too long but that's my only complaint. Actually, there's nothing in this album that makes me fear for the band. Quite the opposite, I'm excited to see what they'll do next.

Useless Fact: There is some throat singing in "Bridges in the Sky." We were listening to it in the car and my daughter said, "Is that a burp?" She's so cute!

Dream Theater - "Systematic Chaos"

Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos
2007, Roadrunner

1. In the Presence of Enemies, Pt. 1
2. Forsaken
3. Constant Motion
4. The Dark Eternal Night
5. Repentance
6. Prophets of War
7. The Ministry of Lost Souls
8. In the Presence of Enemies, Pt. 2

I picked up Systematic Chaos because, like Train of Thought, opinions on this one seem to be divided. I really liked Train of Thought so I figured I might like this one too. Unfortunately, I'm on the opposite side. Systematic Chaos, while certainly an example of flawless musicianship (as per usual) just doesn't hold my attention. The first track doesn't really go anywhere, waiting for the second half of the song at the end of the disc to really assume an identity. Tracks like "Forsaken" and "Prophets of War" are completely forgettable. "Constant Motion" is another one of those Metallic-esque tracks, but I don't think it's as good as the band has done before. Two tracks I really enjoyed were "The Dark Eternal Night" and "Repentance." The former is heavy and interesting and the latter is the ballad part of Portnoy's Alcoholics Anonymous suite. Oh, and what's up with the lyrics? Each song (aside from "Repentance") is filled with "dark" fantasy stories. I guess the guys were boning up on their Iron Maiden or something. Anyway, while I've grown to really love this band, this particular album doesn't do much for me. Oh well, they can't all be winners.

Useless Fact: "The Dark Eternal Night" is based off of an H.P. Lovecraft story. While "In the Presence of Enemies" was based off of some manga about a Korean priest... I think... at least according to Wikipedia.

Dream Theater - "Train of Thought"

Dream Theater - Train of Thought
2003, Elektra

1. As I Am
2. This Dying Soul
3. Endless Sacrifice
4. Honor Thy Father
5. Vacant
6. Stream of Consciousness
7. In the Name of God

I was in college when Train of Thought came out and I didn't really pay it any attention. Since my recent rediscovery of the band I thought I'd pick this up as people say it's their heaviest. Indeed, this is some of the most aggressive music both sonically and lyrically the band has put to tape. Given my love of heavy stuff it's safe to say that I really like this album.  Their love for Metallica is evident throughout but especially on "Endless Sacrifice" where they rip off the "Blackened" verses. It's also the most "nu-metally" as some parts almost sound like System of a Down's Toxicity. There's even some rapping in "Honor Thy Father." You'd think this would come off as silly and stupid at best and pandering to the "kids" at worst. This seems to be a divisive album according to the reviews online. Then again, it's pretty much my M.O. to like albums people tend to hate. Anyway, the band manages to create memorable songs - no easy feat considering most of the tracks are about ten minutes long ("As I Am" and "Vacant" being the only two exceptions). Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention Jon Petrucci's solos in this. They are absolutely insane. Fast and intense - I didn't even think people could pick that fast. So there's a bit of wankery here and there but all in all a solid package that I quite enjoy!

Useless Fact: "Honor Thy Father" is about Mike Portnoy's step-father. It contains the most profanity I've ever heard in a Dream Theater song.

Dream Theater - "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence"

Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
2002, Elektra

Disc One:
1. The Glass Prison
2. Blind Faith
3. Misunderstood
4. The Great Debate
5. Disappear

Disc Two:
1. I. Overture
2. II. About to Crash
3. III. War Inside My Head
4. IV. The Test That Stumped Them All
5. V. Goodnight Kiss
6. VI. Solitary Shell
7. VII. About to Crash (Reprise)
8. VIII. Losing Time/ Grand Finale

I vaguely remember when this came out some fans were upset because this was a heavier, more "modern" album. It certainly is heavy, probably the heaviest the band had done up until this point. The guitars seem a little bit thicker and the production certainly seems more "modern." However, I can't imagine there's really anything here to be upset over. "The Glass Prison" is an awesome ripping tune that begins the album quite nicely (it's also the first part in Mike Portnoy's Alcoholics Anonymous Suite). I also like the ballad "Misunderstood." "The Great Debate" doesn't do too much for me. I don't hate it, but I'm not over the moon about it either. It actually seems a little drawn out to me (it's 13 minutes long - I think it could have been trimmed). The real treat here is the second disc which contains the ultra epic title track. At over 40 minutes long this collection of eight distinct movements runs the gamut from classically inspired passages to some of the heaviest riffs the band has put to tape then back to some beautiful melodic parts. Truly an awesome song and reason enough to buy this if you're a prog-metal fan.

Useless Fact: As most people know "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" is about different types of mental disorders such as bi-polar and autism.

Dream Theater - "Black Clouds & Silver Linings"

Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings
2009, Roadrunner

1. A Nightmare to Remember
2. A Rite of Passage
3. Wither
4. The Shattered Fortress
5. The Best of Times
6. The Count of Tuscany

Okay, get ready people. Heat up the crow pie because I'm about to eat a mouthful. I take back every bad thing I ever said about Dream Theater. This album is amazing. Simply amazing. While the songs are long and very progressive they never seem to get lost in pure technical playing for the sake of being technical. The vocal melodies are catchy. I have listened to this disc several times and have never gotten bored. I admit, however, that "Wither" isn't exactly my favorite song on here but it's also the shortest track. Oddly enough the two longest tracks ("A Nightmare to Remember" and "The Count of Tuscany") are my favorites. Consider me a Dream Theater convert!

Useless Fact: This was the last album to feature Mike Portnoy on drums.

Dream Theater - "Awake"

Dream Theater - Awake
1994, Atlantic

1. 6:00
2. Caught in a Web
3. Innocence Faded
4. Erotomania
5. Voices
6. The Silent Man
7. The Mirror
8. Lie
9. Lifting Shadows of a Dream
10. Scarred
11. Space Dye Vest

Awake is a lot heavier and a lot darker than Images and Words. I also think it's a good deal more dense. Gone is the commercial sheen that brightened up the last album and in its place is heavy sludge. When I was in college I tried listening to this album again and again and I'd fall asleep every time. How did I like it after not listening to it for years? Well... I did manage to stay awake this time (no pun intended!). However, I still don't really like this album. Most DT fans go bonkers for this one but it's actually boring for me. It doesn't seem like the songs are as interesting. I'd take Octavarium or Black Clouds & Silver Linings over this one any day. I do like "Lifting Shadows of a Dream" and the morose album closer "Space Dye Vest." I suppose it's par for the course for me - I usually don't like albums everyone goes ga-ga over and Awake is, unfortunately, no exception.

Useless Fact: "The Mirror" is about drummer Mike Portnoy's struggle with alcoholism. Eventually he would turn his experiences in Alcoholics Anonymous into a five song sweet that begins with "The Glass Prison" on Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence.

Dream Theater - "Images and Words"

Dream Theater - Images and Words
1992, Atlantic

1. Pull Me Under
2. Another Day
3. Take the Time
4. Surrounded
5. Metropolis, Pt. 1 (The Miracle and the Sleeper)
6. Under a Glass Moon
7. Wait for Sleep
8. Learning to Live

You know what a good day is? Suddenly remembering that you have two Dream Theater CDs that for some reason never went on the ipod. In my Octavarium review I mentioned that Images and Words was the only Dream Theater CD that I really, really liked (that's changing, however). Hearing it again after a few years reminds me of why I liked it in the first place - it's dang near perfect. Everything is in place, not one note is wasted. It even has sort of a commercial sound to the production. I downloaded "Pull Me Under" on Kazaa way back when and it was so powerful, yet so melodic that I immediately went out and bought this disc. Thankfully, the entire album is full of cool parts. I love the drum part in the beginning of "Under a Glass Moon." It's still a pretty tight disc despite the epic length of some of the songs. If you've ever wondered what Dream Theater was all about, Images and Words is a great place to start. I still can't believe I've had this for years and not listened to it until now!

Useless Fact: Metropolis Pt. 2 did happen as a huge concept album. I don't know any more than that though.

Dream Theater - "Octavarium"

Dream Theater - Octavarium
2005, Atlantic

1. The Root of All Evil
2. The Answer Lies Within
3. These Walls
4. I Walk Beside You
5. Panic Attack
6. Never Enough
7. Sacrificed Sons
8. Octavarium

I used to like Dream Theater more back in the Images and Words days. However, after years and years of fifteen minute wankfests and overly technical concept gobbeldy-gook I lost interest in them. I picked this up to see if they had learned how to write actual songs. Surprisingly, this is probably the "hookiest" disc they've made in a while. I like most of the songs on here but I can't say I really come back to it again and again. They put the ballad "The Answer Lies Within" right after the heavy opener "The Root of All Evil" which is a real gear shift. This is okay I guess, but I don't ever think I'll be a huge DT fan.

Useless Fact: Um... let's see... a fact... Erm... part of "Octavarium" is based on the Robin Williams/Robert De Niro movie Awakenings. At least I think that's what it's called.