Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography
Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events CD (album) cover

A DRAMATIC TURN OF EVENTS

Dream Theater

 

Progressive Metal

3.84 | 1775 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Progrussia
4 stars Feels like a transition album for DT. Their last albums with drummer and band creative co-leader Mike Portnoy were, as always, technically impeccable and still quite catchy, but had songs vastly overstaying their welcome or stitched together, and terrible lyrics. Seemed like a creative roadblock, maybe from such a huge workload. Attempts to stretch their sound by incorporating modern youth metal influences seemed, well, demeaning for DT.

On A dramatic turn of events they decided to play on their strengths. That means 10-minute plus epics, wild instrumental interplay (proving that nobody in prog metal has such a diverse sound palette as them), melodic and vocals hooks, and, yes, poppy ballads, but wisely choosing not to do a power ballad overkill, in case of Beneath the surface, but ending the song with tasteful orchestration. The only songs that don't do anything for me are the uninspired ballad Far from heaven, and power rocker Build me up, break me down, where they still try to sound modern (quasi techno beats, rapping vocal), but across kinda silly like old men trying to do a youth sound.

Why feels like a transition? Well, while playing to strenghts, they don't venture out anywhere new, just solidifying their long-held positions (appropriate, given their recent slide, but still, you come to expect something exciting from DT). The longer songs have a similar structure as if on a formula. But this is just grumbling. Casual fans of DT-style pompous, diverse and highly technical and at the same time pop-savvy metal should eat it up.

Progrussia | 4/5 |

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Share this DREAM THEATER review

Social review comments () BETA







Review related links

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.