OCTAVARIUM

I've listened Dream Theater for over a year, but I don't see me as a 'fan', anymore. I still like their music very much, though I dislike much too. I love 'Awake', I like 'Scenes From a Memory' and 'Images and Words'. This record...? From what I think, Dream Theater is loosing its touch. This album is not very bad, but it is quite bad. It definitely is not a masterpiece of progressive music. Though the concept is very intresting, the music is not. If I had reviewed this little after buying this album, I would've give this a four star rating, probably.

The first track, 'The Root of All Evil' starts with drumming from 'This Dying Soul'. Those and 'The Glass Prison' all are linked together. There is really nothing special about the first track. After listening it, when I notice that it lasts for over eight minutes, I get confused. It really could've been shorter track. There is very boring riffing and singing. The song just leaves my head after listening it, and two minutes after listening the album through, when recalling the songs, when I'm thinking this song: nothing. Not very prog song. The next track, 'The Answer Lies Within' is very beautiful to listen. But it really is very corny, musically and lyrically. It could be a rock ballad by a rock band. Or a pop ballad, by the sexy pop artist James LaBrie. The orchesteral part in the middle is fine. Basic rock beat must be very difficult for Portnoy to play. 'These Walls' is another boring track. There is not much prog in this one. Simple guitar melody, simple keyboard lines. Nothing special about the track. Almost the same feelings as in the first track (...I can't remember the name of it...?). I heard a funny story for the fourth track, 'I Walk Beside You'. Dream Theater wanted eight tracks in the album, and they had only seven. So they 'had' to do a very simple filler track. You know what? They succeeded in that! This is a pop song with pop lyrics. This is quite enjoyable pop song actually. Top class in its own genre. Very refreshing part in the album. The next bit is 'Panic Attack'. Now I hear the Dream Theater what I've been waiting for. Prog metal song. Though not very progressive, but still. I love this part: "Run/Try to hide/Overwhelmed by this complex delirium" and the singing of LaBrie in it. After that, fast solos by keyboards and guitar. This is very Dream Theaterish track, though not a great one.

'Never Enough' is another fine track. Going towards the end, the album gets much better, but not too much still. Psychedelic intro and very good drum fill. I like the keyboards in the whole song. Structurally not very prog. I love the guitar solo part. Intro-verse- chorus-verse-solos-chorus type of song, like 'The Answer Lies Within' and 'These Walls' and of course the 'I Walk Beside You'.

'Sacrified Sons' is a good track. Soft touch of Dream Theater punches with rather low power. Good feeling through the song. For me, the feeling of the music is very important. The song evolves into metal from a calm beginning. Good keyboard solo. This is quite progressive piece of music. Good drumming by Portnoy. Very enjoyable song.

The last song is good, but too long compared to its quality. The title track, 'Octavarium' is an epic Dream Theater track, which lasts exactly 24 minutes. Calm beginning with a keyboard intro and LaBries soft voice after that. The first ten minutes are very mellow. Good bass playing by Myung. The song evolves slowly to rockier direction. Very fine keyboard playing and rhythm changes. Good melodies and fine proggin'. This is very good Dream Theater material. Fast soloing and swift drumming. Very agressive singing by LaBrie, when "Trapped inside this Octavarium". After that part, good classical keyboards and the song starts to fade slowly away. The structure of the song is kind of "Rise and Fall"-type. Begins slowly, calmly. Then evolves (very slowly) to faster rock. It evolves and develops into its climax; "Trapped inside this Octavarium" and after that the song fades slowly. Good song, but doesn't save the album.

All in all this is the worst Dream Theater album I own. (I don't own their first record, and 'Falling to Infinity' and 'Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence' are still at the recordstore). As I said before, Dream Theater is loosing their touch. They are musically and lyrically cornier than before. Half of the album is ok music (the last four tracks), but the album is bad as a whole. This album doesn't impress the genre, progressive metal much, if at all. I would've give a one star rating for the first four tracks, but the rest deserves three stars. But because all the songs are in the same album, as a compromise, this album gets two stars by me. I recommend this to all diehard fans, but if you like their previous work, this will be a disappointment. If you are looking for prog metal, avoid the album.