Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos (W/Dvd) (Spec)
|
List Price: Our Price: $10.89 You Save: $11.09 (50%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $6.98 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Systematic Chaos (W/Dvd) (Spec)
Free Music Review: Better than Train of Thought, different than Octavarium
Hit: 5 Stars
The title pretty much sums up the general form of this album. It's somewhat like an amalgamation of Train of thought and Octavarium in the sense that it's heavy yet still very progressive. It's hard to say what die hard fans of the band will think, except that I'm one of those and I love it. To me, it feels like a much more "organic" experience than anything they've done since maybe "Scenes From a Memory".
The only minor hiccup in the whole thing is track 5, "Repentance". At over 10 minutes, you might think you're in for a progrock tour de force. Not so. You're in for 10 boring minutes of a repetitive melodic theme with some uninspired singing and talking over it and about 1 minute of beautiful Petrucci soloing. Not that it's a bad song... it's just way too long for what it offers us (the solo smack dab in the middle), and I expect better from Dream Theater. I have no complaints about the rest of this album, whatsoever- it wowed me from beginning to end.
4.5 * with that in mind. I heartily recommend this to any prog fan, any rock fan, any metal fan, any DT fan. Great stuff!
Free Music Review: Balls to the Walls
Hit: 5 Stars
As I said on my review of the standard release. No chinks in the DT armour yet.. After listening to the stereo versions for a few days and watching the DVD.. I must say I am a little disappointed in what seems to be becoming the Portnoy/Petrucci Band... I have been a fan since day one and they are still my favorite band of the last 2 decades, but the proof is in the mix. There is no dought you can hear the drums and guitars. They are in your face, but when its time for JR to do a keyboard solo he is lacking a few db's and the guitar drowns out his solo.. It would be a shame to loose the best keyboard player since Rick Wakeman cause you cant share the spot light.. Its supposed to be a band..
Now after watching the DVD I think Mr Portnoy need to step back and take a reality check.. He is a bit full of himself. I am a little troubled by the fact that throughout the DVD he is critiquing everybody elses efforts but no where in the DVD does he show anyone critiquing him..
I think Mikey needs a little deflation.. They are all incredible players and I want to hear them all..
Free Music Review: Another great album from Dream Theater!
Hit: 5 Stars
For those familiar with Dream Theater this album continues their musical domination of the progressive genre. For those thinking about giving Dream Theater a listen, this is a great way to get familiar with their incredible talent. The bonus DVD is worthwhile, giving you a glimpse into Mike Portnoy's creative process and an idea of how much work goes into the studio process.
My favorite album has always been Images and Words, but this one is slowly creeping into that spot. Transitions, development and musicality all blend so well, resulting in an album that is moving, hard and fast yet still has one or two of those ballads to keep the pace manageable.
The track Constant Motion is a great example of their talent, with so many changes in key and time that you can get dizzy trying to take it all in. Throughout the entire track there are examples of what makes Dream Theater great. Powerful riffs and zinging notes from Petrucci's guitars, just-right vocals, oh-so complex drums, Jordan Rudess' amazing keyboard tones, and Myung's accurate bass.
Free Music Review: Simply outstanding
Hit: 5 Stars
This CD continues to show the diversity that we have come to know and love about DT. This is a marked departure from the storyline driven recordings and is a sonic assault with dark themes and hard-driving instrumentation. Basically, take Train of Thought and turn up the intensity to 11... The accompanying DVD does an great job of explaining what the band wanted for this album (concept, composition, lyrics, etc.) and allows the fan to experience how DT arrived at the final product. There is great studio footage of the boys being the "boys", and it continues to show that DT has four of the greatest musicians on their particular instruments as you will ever find.
In the many reviews that I have read both pre and post-purchase people try to pigeon-hole the genre of this album for reasons that escape me. All I can say is, if you like rock, metal, prog-metal or any combination and variation thereof, you will not be disappointed in Systematic Chaos.
Free Music Review: The ultimate Dream Theater Experience
Hit: 5 Stars
With Dream Theater, you never know exactly what to expect going into a new CD as each one of their albums has been different than any previous. Going into Systematic Chaos, I was ready for anything, but hoping for more heavy stuff than their previous release Octavarium. This CD does not dissapoint hard core DT fans. Songs like Constant Motion and The Dark Eternal Night show a much darker side of Dream Theater than anything they've done in their 21 year history. The album is not with out its ballads as Repentence, which is the 4th in their ongoing saga about the 12 steps to recovery, is a very Pink Floyd-esque, and very dark ballad. It's good to know that some bands can still deliver the goods after more than 20 years of making music together. This brings us to the DVD. The making of is incredibly insightfull and gives us a glimps of what goes into making a Dream Theater album. I rated this 5 stars because that's the highest it would go, but it deserves 11.