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Dream Theater - Dream Theater CD (album) cover

DREAM THEATER

Dream Theater

 

Progressive Metal

3.25 | 1100 ratings

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A Crimson Mellotron
Prog Reviewer
3 stars Dream Theater's self-titled 2013 album is... How do I put it? It is predictable. The releases of the post-Portnoy incarnation of the US prog metal pioneers have been hit or miss, primarily because of the re-hash of sounds already mad, or because of the fleshless regurgitation of tricks already showcased multiple times. Therefore, it is all left upon the shoulders of the songwriting to help us weigh out whether a new DT album is excellent, tedious, or just decent. It is worth mentioning that this album and its follow-up can be thought of as 'the Petrucci duplet', as Dream Theater's own guitar hero takes [almost] full control of the musical and lyrical content as well as the production (and we have to say, the production on these most recent albums by the Boston prog metal titans has been stellar; the songs just happen to be yawn-inducing sometimes).

Opening the self-titled twelfth studio release by Dream Theater, is the 3-part and nearly 3-minute long instrumental 'False Awakening Suite', a piece that has been primarily written to serve as a concert opener. This leads to one of the more successful and recognizable singles of the band, the strikingly heavy 'The Enemy Inside' - a sing-along prog metal anthem that reminisces the days of 'Awake' or 'Train of Thought', a great beginning to this record! Next up is the very Dream Theater-y track 'The Looking Glass'; great lyrics, maybe a bit catchy, but not too inspiring to make the listener take up the role of a musician and kickstart a prog metal band with art pop leanings. The instrumental 'Enigma Machine' is one of the highlights of the 'Dream Theater' album, a very complex mind-boggling circus of sounds, with each instrumentalists showcasing enviable pace, technique and feel. 'The Bigger Picture' sees off James LaBrie's majestic vocals almost in full power, as the song is driven by its menacing theatrical mood. 'Behind the Veil' is among the really enjoyable number on here, a DT classic, as some may classify it - both powerful and melodic, with equally impressive moments of serenity and aggression. 'Surrender to Reason' with lyrics written by John Myung, and 'Along for the Ride' are songs that get more and more painful to get through with every new spin of the record. But finally, all the lows are redeemed by the graceful 22-minute epic 'Illumination Theory', this is one of the highlights of Dream Theater's catalogue overall, whether it is for the composition's structure (and I emphasize composition here), or the philosophical lyrics, or simply the great music that the band play - a highly recommended listen even outside the context of the album (or maybe, especially outside of it...).

Dream Theater take a step back after the adventurous 'A Dramatic Turn of Events', as they present a collection of very Rush-inspired songs to questionable results. Eventful moments are present but they quickly become uninteresting upon repeated listens. Briefly, half of the album is killer, and it can certainly be compared to some of the band's finest episodes, and half of it is plain and mediocre. The highs, however, outweigh the lows, but despite the reserves I hold for this album and the many joyous listens, the truth is that it is just good, nothing more.

A Crimson Mellotron | 3/5 |

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