BLACK CLOUDS & SILVER LININGS

Nightmare to Remember: This one starts out dark and sets to tell a story of a car accident. I like the textures provided by Rudess and Co., specifically with the choir vocals and organ. Very dark! When the singing kicks in, it is a little Hetfield-wannabee like. Even so, I think this is the most controlled that LaBrie has sounded in a decade, especially when singing in his lower register. The song goes through mood changes galore, and I think this is a great opener. 8 out of 10.

Rite of Passage: This one is a little more radio-friendly, but with some very nice riffs from guitar and keys. The lyrics are a little cheesy here, but the music is good riff-driven rock. Unlike many others, I really like to see Rudess experimenting with just funky sounds on the keys. The solo is not melodic and the noises are weird, but it is good to see him get out of the box a little. Only complaint here is the seemingly lazy break between the instrumental section and the chorus at the end. 7 our of 10.

Wither: Not too much to say here, but a nice catchy tune, but lacks progression. 5 out of 10.

Shattered Fortress: This song makes a great ending to the AA Suite. There are nods to many of their earlier songs in the suite, but with different melodies and/or time sigs. A very well-written song, and this one rocks pretty hard. 8 out of 10.

The Best of Times: This is the first song on the disc where I felt a lot of Rush influence, specifically in the guitar riffs. Despite the overly cheesy lyrics and opening section, the music on this track sounds very mature and well-composed. Also, is it just me or is Petrucci getting better and better? His riffs are as clean as can be, and are soulful and melodic. Kudos Mr. Petrucci! 8 out of 10.

Count of Tuscany: And finally, we have this beast...I honestly can say that I enjoy this epic song more than any other song in the entire DT library. It is wonderfully composed and the band plays as a BAND! This is the first DT song in a long while where I feel like they are all on the same page musically and not just showing off in different sections. Once again, I also get the vibe of more Rush influence, specifically between the keyboard and guitar playoffs. Once again, LaBrie sounds very good on this song, especially at the end. I can't write enough about this song, so I will end my review by saying that the entire disc is worth the purchase for this one track. Yes, it's that good. 11 out of 10...err, 10 out of 10.

Final score: 4 stars

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