TRAIN OF THOUGHT

After a few spins, I grew really bored with it. Why? It's basically an amalgam of every overrated metal and not-so-metal band that has influenced Petrucci and Portnoy. They "set out to make a classic metal album" according to the band themselves. Well, it's a good album...no doubt. The songs are all strong and technically proficient. However, the band threw this album together in 3 weeks...basically hashing out riffs as a live band in the spirit of Metallica. I don't know why people still laude this band so much seeing what they have become. From LaBrie's Hetfield imitation of "As I Am" to the blatant Blackened rip-off section of "This Dying Soul" to the (Welcome Home) Sanitarium ending of "Endless Sacrifice." I've heard all those songs before. I want NEW MUSIC...especially from, arguably, the best progressive metal band in existence. This album is not progressive. Odd time signatures and shredding does not equal progressive music. Compared to the previous release, Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, which was highly progressive and experimental, Train of Thought gives me a feeling that Portnoy is going through a mid-life crisis. LaBrie's voice was twisted to sound like Dave Mustaine of Megadeth in "This Dying Soul." WHY?? LaBrie does a rap in "Honor Thy Father." WHY?? Dream Theater is not Limp Bizkit. The combination of "Vacant/Stream of Consciousness" is the highlight of the album. Hopefully, the next release will sound like Dream Theater instead of metal's fallen heroes of the past. To make a quality DT album, Myung and LaBrie need more contribution, and Portnoy needs to have fewer side projects. Then maybe they will have more than 3 weeks to bang out some quick riffs.

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