Dream Theater - Train of Thought
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Free Music Notes for Train of Thought
Free Music Review: A Monstrous Prog/Metal Masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
Personally, I found "Train of Thought" to be an amazingly brilliant album from Dream Theater, and it's also the heaviest album they've ever released, even heavier than 1994's "Awake". This album is also Dream Theater's most underrated and harshly criticized release in their catalog. I know alot of fans who enjoyed the band's older material have strongly criticized "Train of Thought" for being "too heavy" and "too metal", and stuff like that. I seriously don't find anything wrong with this album, I mean, I own every Dream Theater album (except for "When Dream and Day Unite"), and I don't even remember that last time they ever released one bad album. Each album of theirs is different in it's own way, and ToT proves that Dream Theater are never afraid to try anything different without forsaking their progressive sound, and that's what made them one of progressive metal's best bands to begin with.
Now onto the album, "Train of Thought" is nearly 70 minutes of pure, menacing, monstrous, progressive metal brilliance that will totally assault your senses. There are seven epically, masterful songs (most of them clocking in at between 10 and 15 minutes long) that will take you on an awesomely epic and unforgettable ride you'll never forget. The band's musicianship is in absolute full force throughout this album. James LaBrie delivers an awesome vocal performance as he usually does on any DT album. His vocals can range from melodic and soaring ("Endless Sacrifice" and "In the Name of God") to fierce and angry ("As I Am"). Guitarist John Petrucci truly steals the show on this album. His riffs are just heavy, crushing, chunky, monstrous and very technical, and his solos are just absolutely sick and wicked, yet very virtuoistic. I've said it many times before, but I'll say it again, Petrucci is without question one of the BEST rock/metal guitarists ever. Jordan Rudess also shines as he shows off his awesome keyboarding skills with dazzling effects and solos of his own, while bassist John Myung powers his way throughout with strong, humming, muscular basslines, and of course Mike Portnoy does an awesome performance behind the drums as he usually can, and he also shows his great double bass skills as well.
Now we'll take a look at the songs.
Kicking off the album, we have "As I Am" which is a solid, heavy hitting opener that is highlighted by awesomely fierce singing from James, a great catchy chorus, crushingly heavy riffage and a wickedly mindblowing solo by John, as well as some hard, solid drumming from Mike. Next up, we have "This Dying Soul" which is my personal favorite song on here, and it's also a continuation of Mike's Alcoholics Anonymous suite (parts 4 "Reflections of Reality" and 5 "Release"). This is without a doubt, one of the heaviest songs that DT have ever written. The guitar riffs are just savagely heavy and brutal, the changes in tempo are amazing, the drumming is fantastic, and Petrucci's soloing is just amazingly crazy, stunning, and off the hook especially in the beginning as well as near the end of the song. There's also a stunning keyboard solo by Rudess at 9:38 as well. The third track "Endless Sacrifice" is another fantastic song that starts off soft with some nice acoustic strumming, and some hearfelt melodic singing from James, and the chorus is just fantastic with heavier, crunchier riffs backing it up, until the opening section is played again, which is followed by the chorus, and then before you know it, the song breaks into a heavier instrumental section with several solos, including a mindblowing trade-off section between Rudess and Petrucci. Following that is a bludgeoning, classic heavy metal style section that is reminiscent of Iron Maiden which will give you no other alternative but to bang your head in unison. James's vocals in this part are also very reminiscent of Bruce Dickinson as well.
Track four "Honor Thy Father" is another heavy, visceral and bludgeoning song that is highighted by some angry and fierce rap like vocals from James (yeah I know it's a bit uncharacteristic of James to rap, but it actually has some good results), and there's also some more awesome drumming by Mike especially in the intro, and there's some nice double bass work as well. John's riffing is just dare I say blisteringly heavy and monstrous, and track five "Vacant" is a short, yet beautiful piano driven ballad with some cello parts added, that gives the album a short needed break from the heaviness.
The aformentioned song then kicks into the epically addicting instrumental "Stream of Consciousness" which is 11 amazing minutes of pure, epic instrumental wizardry that starts off soft and mellow, then the song suddenly gives way to heavier, thundering riffs, but that's just the beginning. This song also features stunning keyboardwork by Rudess, fantastic drumming by Portnoy, awesomely catchy and affectious riffing, and of course some absolutely stunning solos by both Petrucci and Rudess, including a ferociously, mindsweeping guitar solo by Petrucci around 3:50, which is followed by an awesomely dazzling keyboard solo by Rudess at 4:29. There's also some nice groovy bass by Myung in the middle part of the song. We also have more fantastically mindblowing solo breaks during the latter part of the song, including an awesome classical style keyboard solo by Rudess around the 9 minute mark, and it's followed by an addicting and melodic guitar solo by Petrucci. This is definately the best and most epic instrumental that DT have ever done in my opinion, it's just amazing, period.
Finally, we have the epic 14+ minute closer "In the Name of God" (which is the longest song on the album). After the song starts off gloomy and mellow, it suddenly explodes into a creepy middle eastern-esque style riff, and after the drums come into play, the song then goes into an addictingly awesome groovy, chunky main riff. James's vocals are just amazing and they soar with passion throughout this song especially in the chorus. There's also some more fantastic solos by Petrucci and Rudess with some nice, humming basslines by Myung during the solo breaks, before kicking back into the chunky main riff, and there's also some fantastic and heartfelt piano keys by Rudess in the end.
Best songs: This Dying Soul, As I Am, Stream of Consciousness, Endless Sacrifice, and In the Name of God.
Despite being harshly criticized and the most underrated album in DT's catalog, "Train of Thought" is an epic and monstrously mindblowing masterpiece from the progressive metal masters themselves. But, I must warn you, that if you're new to Dream Theater, you might not want to start with this album. If you're a fan of the older Dream Theater albums especially "Images and Words" and "Awake", this might not be for you, but if you're a fan of Dream Theater through and through, then by all means, buy this album. Highly Recommended!!
Free Music Review: Spectacular
Hit: 5 Stars
This sublime record is a confident blend of instrumental pyrotechnics and crafty songwriting by a band that is so absurdly at the height of their powers that it seems blandly unimaginative and obvious to claim that they are the finest of their genre. It's a frenzy of speed metal meets prog strangely graced with the best piano player who isn't performing boring music. Every song -- with the possible exception of the radio-friendly weak spot "As I Am" -- oozes perfection and clarity about this kind of art. If you listen to just about any other neo-prog band these days you're listening to a flawed copy of Dream Theater, and on ToT they deliver the essence of their vision. Throughout we find the blistering, innovative instrument interplay of Scenes from a Memory projected onto the sensibility of "Glass Prison" from Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. Thus, this is DT in their most frenzied, angry, and creative mode.The early internet consensus maintains that Petrucci dominates this disc. That isn't quite correct, but it is easy to see how someone might come away with that view. There's no question that the textures that leap out first and most insistently are Petrucci's. It sounds like he's working harder than he ever has on these songs, and we get compositions that combine chugging, otherworldly riffage with solo breaks that burn like a blowtorch. What many listeners seem oblivious to, though, is that many of the solos are mirrored by Rudess on keyboard with a rounder sound coming through the left channel. Moreover, for every Petrucci rhythm pattern there is something subtle and gripping going on on the keyboards.
Portnoy's playing is its usual barrage of muscular, swaggering skill. It's sometimes easy to overlook Portnoy's performance nowadays because he's changed our aesthetic so that we simply expect his drumming to be this excellent. There's no question, though, that this disc offers a tour de force. Portnoy knows better than most musicians how fans want the drums to sound. We want fast but not repetitive double bass hammering, fast decay symbol stack fills all over the place, and the urgent sonic calamity that you imagine a massive car accident making if only someone could orchestrate it to stay in the odd time signatures. Listeners who are themselves prog musicians probably by and large recognize that there are drummers technically better and more mind-boggling than Portnoy playing this kind of music (e.g., Dennis Chamber's recordings with Niacin, and Virgil Donati's work with Planet X; or, if you're a drummer and want to really frighten yourself, listen to Vinnie Colaiuta's playing with Karizma). Still, Portnoy is a rock/metal drummer who has substantial jazz/fusion chops, rather than the other way around, and that's why we end up liking his work better than people who can play outplay him.
LaBrie's singing is variously smooth and operatic and gravely and experimental. It mostly astonishes, and I, at least, can't imagine some other voice with DT's songs. Myung's bass playing offers hints of cleverness here and there, but he is mostly content to show that he can keep up, and keep up he can.
Lyrically, ToT is unrelentingly honest and personal. This is a nice antidote the lyrical excesses of SFAM and 6DOIT. I love the writing on those two releases, but I cringe as friends who aren't DT fans snicker at some of the overwrought drama. Confession: When I first saw the titles of the songs on ToT I was terrified that the disc would be some annoying Christian screed (which makes Mullmuzzler's second album to me just unlistenable). Consider: "Honor Thy Father," "In the Name of God," "This Dying Soul," Endless Sacrifice." Ugh! But that concern was completely, totally misplaced. Here, Petrucci writes about the strain put on relationships due to his being a superhero in a touring rock band (This, of course, is Petrucci's second try at this theme. cf., "Misunderstood") and of the troubling connection between violence and religion. Portnoy's lyrics thunder furiously at a family member in "Honor thy Father," and "This Dying Soul" offers a kind of sequel to "Glass Prison." Even LaBrie offers a heartfelt, haunting vignette about that moment when the life leaves a loved one, as if a light goes out behind their eyes. (This is also a second try at this idea. Part of me thinks that they thought, "oops, I can write that song better when I think harder about it," but it is more likely that the themes are simply fecund enough to generate lots of songs from.)
Most bands working in progressive metal seem ignorant of the history of the form, or, perhaps, are embarrassed by it. Honest listeners can always hear echoes of bands past, but the artists apparently want to mask their debts. Dream Theater has always been a refreshing exception to this attitude, and on ToT we find layers of frank but deft homage. They include numerous musical references to Metallica, and vocal nods to Megadeth and Iron Maiden. Through it all, DT somehow manages to leave out the cheesiness that bothers us when we listen to our old collection. Heck, we can hear Dokken in the intro section of "Endless Sacrifice," but it is so highly idealized Dokken that it doesn't seem ridiculous. These footnotes to their history are combined with a respectful borrowing from talented almost-peers, especially Opeth and Tool. If you're wondering how much nu-metal is on this disc, the answer is "not much." There's a Linkin' Park vocal effect here and there, and a couple of chorus riffs that you can almost hear on MTV, but DT just uses these fragments as touches of sound that contextualize the record within current trends.
If you listen to progressive metal or the more aggressive strands of progressive rock, ToT will blow you away. There's no corner of the genre that DT doesn't touch, and there's no style or moment that other bands do that DT don't do better. (If you had to name a band in the same league, there's Pain of Salvation, but then the gap to the next band is vast.) Dedicated fans will always quibble about which of DT's disc is best. For me, the order from best was SFAM, I&W, 6DOIT, Awake, and FII. Where does ToT fit in? Let's just say that -- at least for the foreseeable future -- when I scroll through my iPod menu I won't instinctively be clicking to "Close [my] eyes and begin to relax" anymore.
Free Music Review: Bow Down!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
Breathtaking... you want your ears to listen to real True music... 90% of the artist past/present/future could only dream they could create art of that which is Dream Theater. This is a piece of art work, from the book cover to the imagery to the words/text to the voice to the sounds coming from the most talented band there is. This album from the beginning to the end is simply beautiful. More people have to give respect and recognition to this band, who knows how long they will be around so we need to enjoy there briliancy and should feel privledged to get a chance to listen to what they create. They have gotten better with each of there albums... As I am: One hell of a haunting yet eligent riff that would make Pantera aplaud... wonderful chorus... overall an impressive single that should be played on the air waves!!! 9/10 (only 9 because i still cant get over the very friendly radio feel(unlike DD, which can be looked at as a good or bad thing, remember they love to keep you on your toes) of the song... still unbelivable though
This Dying Soul: heavy, quick, dark, emotional yet still beautiful key to what makes Dream Theater unique, you never want any of there songs to end, and its saying alot since they go with an untraditional state of length at times in there songs...I would say this is the heaviest track on the album and built around History and pasion of music, with the implications of other bands, i would too agree that its much like something you would hear from metallica 10/10
Endless Sacrifice: My fav track on the album, true the riff has a more nu - metal feel to it, but come on its still amazing and im sry but nothing from this album can be considered anything nu - metal that is a rediculous statment the gender of nu - metal is a discrace to music... this is my fav track because of its transition from gentle to hard and its overall implications that this band can take the structure of anything in this case make even Nu-Metal sound not just good but brilliant.. wonderful album on every level.. 11/10 ( 11 for making a mockery out of nu-metal and showing how to do it!)
Honor Thy Father: Scary, actualy haunting, very dark, twisted, heavy/fast, most powerful track on the album all i can say about this track is that, it brings another question, outside of (Dimebag & Rex from Pantera) can any pair of guitar and basses work as good together as these two? Wow, the riffs that they create through blending/twisting/entwining together is unstopable... again one thing to note true there are again a few implications of what some could consider nu - metal traits... but yet again i must implicate that thouse who say that one dont understand music, and two do not understand DD they love doing new things... they try everything, what have they not tried to do... and there music speaks for it selve in saying that they can do just about anything right. They love to push themselves they are a progressive band... keep this in mind even through this album, true this is on the boudarie of being a metal album, but its still a progressive album, its still DD being them 10/10 (just alone the work that they create together says it all)
Vacant: I can not even imagine how to comment on this track... 15/10 extra points for the risk, choosing to put such a beautiful/elegant soft/gentle piece along with the rest of this album... showing that clasical music will never die. My hats off to this track... whats most impressive is that my heart tightens and beats just a little tigher and faster, one the lightest track on the album!! sheer beautiy... the gods are looking down on them on this track
Stream Of Consciousness: I love the title... in many ways u could say that this title belongs to every one of Dream Theaters songs... when you listen to this track, along with any of there tracks ever.. it really has a feeling of a Stream Of Consciousness, yet another wonderful trait of Dream Theater... i would however if i have a fav, i have to have a least fav, and i t would be this track.. the bizare thing its not a bad thing, the only reason why i put it as my least fav, is because every time i listen to the track, i get lost in it, and i never remember listening to it.. so even though its my least fav, i still have to give it a 10/10 because its so good u get lost in its beauty ... the only turn off is that theres no specific special key notes in the track. so they offset eachother making it a 10
To The Name Of God: 9/10 for only one reason, before buying this album i read some reviews from onthers on this site... and they all sayed that the ending to this track is specatcular.. and now im not saying its not there, and that the ending is bad.. not at all all im saying is that what you didnt think that this band had it in them, i mean what ending are u talking about? John has pulled thouse amazing quick guitar solo's before.. nothing new.. and the kind of almost opera feel to the very end again is something they have done before.. each time they have they have been good at it... so my point is that i am listening to it waiting for this suposingly extra spectacular new phase, and it never happend, all i heard was Dream Theater being the briliant Dream Theater
Free Music Review: Well, I likes it
Hit: 5 Stars
Well it looks like we are in the midst of a an anti-Dream Theater backlash. Many of us(myself included, although to a lesser extent than most) tended to be a bit over enthusiastic in our praising of this band, and their fanboys tend to be of a particularly obnoxious and devious breed. So I can't say that the backlash completely undeserved. However, I don't think that this is the album that should've instigated it, and personally I like it second best of theirs that I own.(I haven't got the debut or FII)It is standard practice for bands to insist that their next album is going to be heavier than the last. It is substantially less common for this actually to occur, which is what has happened here. Make no mistake, this album is FAR heavier than any of their others, and is more consistently metal-oriented as well.(i.e. more loud parts which are now louder) This, naturally, means that it doesn't employ the sort of tonal changes and genre-hopping that DT is known for. Take this as you will, as it is certain to be a detractor for many. Personally, I find the relative lack of fruity keyboards to be anything but a flaw. It would appear, however, that most disagree.
Personally, I've always been a metal fan, first and foremost, so their moving in a more conventionally metal direction is what I'd always wanted. Petrucci's new guitar tone absolutely crushes his earlier work, and the keyboards have a much subtler roll. They are, however, not as dimished as many seem to claim. Now the 'boards tend to texture and color the guitar riffs primarily, rather then provide leads and counter melodies. They are, however, usually doing something and are still fairly integral to the album.
The downside fo the more metallic turn is that Labrie is not as well suited for heavier material.(which has always been a dangerous contradiction in their music, as the vocals are best suited to do the opposite of what the instruments do best) He does a good enough job, for the most part, but isn't really ideal either. The inclusion of some distorted vocals generally works pretty well, but every once in a while Labrie just comes across as a wimp.(and at one point in Honor Thy Father, a bit ridiculous) He works best when he is less angry and more of a melodic counterpoint to the instruments, and this, fortunately, is what he does most of the time.
It standard procedure to claim that whatever DT album is your least favorite is the album where they stopped making music and just started 'wanking'. Naturally, this is what many say about this one. This really isn't the truth. Although the instrumental sections may bore you, they aren't really much longer or more frequent then they usually are on a DT album.(and they definitely aren't as long or common as they were on SFAM. Not by a long shot) However, the instrumental sections are a bit less varied then before, which may make them seem longer.
All this may sound less positive then the rating I've given it, but in the end the various flaws in this album add up to less then they appear.(as they always do, for DT and me anyway) This album is 70 minutes long, and still consistently compelling. As I Am is the controversial opener. It's got a definite Black Album flavor wrapped around lengthy and particularly wanktacular solo, but it works pretty well. The chorus is perhaps trying a little to hard to be memorable, but I still kinda like it, and it's got a solid groove. Not the best thing on here, but not as bad as lots make it out to be. This Dying Soul is my favorite track. The chorus is great, and it's got a good set of riffs. The second half is weaker then the first, particularly when Labrie pulls out his Mustaine imitation, but it all stands up well enough. Endless Sacrifice starts out as a power ballad which launches into one of those crazy instrumental sections that they're so found of. The later sections are the best part of this song, particularly the great little Maiden-y lick they throw in twice towards the end of the instrumental part, and the following vocal section. Honor Thy Father is probably the heaviest thing here. The vox don't always work, but the riffs are pretty ferocious, and the odd, vocal sample section works pretty well. Vacant is the non-metal interlude. Not to great, though I rather like the cello. Stream of Consciousness is a nice long instrumental. Unlike their other instrumentals, it is very cohesive, with a few(very good) basic riffs and melodies slowly evolving rather than the wild mutations and genre-hopping which define their other instrumentals. Personally, I prefer it this way, though most DT fans don't seem to. In the Name of God is the closer. Very long and epic, lots of atmosphere with a solid chorus. The instrumental break in the middle is a bit too long, but the vocal sections carry the day. The slow outro is quite effective, particularly the unexpected use of The Battle Hymn of the Republic.
Well that's about it. Pretty different from their other stuff, but I really like it, and prefer it to most of their other material. However, odds are pretty good that you'll disagree so consider yourself warned.
Free Music Review: Entering the Stream of Consciousness
Hit: 5 Stars
Dream Theater are a musical anomoly. I believe it is repeating this article of truth that one needs to put this disc into their cd player. The first, and most obvious thing about this album is that it is a touch (a touch?) heavier than previous releases. Unfortunately, that seems to be enough for a lot of people to form an opinion of the album. But it is only when you delve further that you truly discover what the magic of Train of Thought is. Here are just a few of my thoughts on what I consider a brilliant album:
The album opens with what I would describe as a pretty conventional, not bad just conventional, track. As I Am probably fits the classic sense of a rock song closer than anything recorded by DT up until this point. There are some famtastic displays of chops metered with remarkable conrol and retraint by all instrumentalists.
This Dying Soul is a great piece of music, from the layered guitar harmonies to the complexity of the changes within the song. On this track Petrucci shows the value of playing a measured solo over firing off 16 notes per beat. Even during the solos no member of the band becomes bigger than the rest, resulting in the PERFECT band arrangement. But the album only gets better...
Endless Sacrifice is fairly similar to This Dying Soul. I am not too sure whether this was intended or not, but knowing DT it was! I don't mean that they carry the same melody or lyrical content or anything like that, just that when I think of those songs I automatically think of them as a pair. (Probably Live at Budokan's fault!)
Honor Thy Father is the only track that I truly consider weak on the album. I really enjoy the verse because it is so different to anything I've ever heard from these guys. (Bit like Tool almost?) Therein lies the potential that the song had. Where the song falls down is with a poor chorus. Even the break between the verse and chorus is something akin to hitting a brick wall, or changing the disc halfway through a song. There does not seem to be any logical movement between the verse and chorus. Anyway enough about that track.
From here on the album more than recovers with the last 3 tracks being my favourites on the album.
Vacant is a haunting piece of music complete with cello to really paint a dark picture. The impressive working of the melody on the piano is done to perfection by an ever-magnificent Jordan Rudess. It only become truly impressive upon hearing Stream of Consciousness when you realise that they took the 5/4 melody from that and turned it into a 6/8 (which I'll admit is pretty difficult to hear until you hear the give-away swing of compound time that James La Brie's voice gives it.)
On Stream of Consciousness James gets a break and the instruments go to town! This is for me the most impressive track on the album. In classic DT fashion it moves from time signature to time signature (at some points 3 measures in a row can have 3 different time signatures!) The highlight of the piece is Jordan's classically-inspired solo at the end of the song into his harmony with John Petrucci who's tone is as always nothing short of beautiful.
In the Name of God is GRAND. This is what prog rock is. (OK maybe a little heavier than most but the elements are all there!) As proven on Live at Budokan this is the song to close a concert with. The technical chops shown by John, John, Mike and Jordan are mind-numbing! In this context the highlight of the entire album is the solo jam at around 9 minutes with Jordan and John P trading extremely fast licks (John ripping out serious tremelo picking, and Jordan growing an extra 5 fingers to play at that speed!) All the while John M and Mike are locked into their funky (not too technically challenging but still a fantastic display of rhythm section dynamics) groove and don't miss a beat.
Each musician's performance on this album is HUGE. It is easy to see James, John P. and Jordan's contributions because they are evident, but this in no way means that Mike and John M. had a smaller role to play. Myung's bass playing is something phenominal. His ability to lock into a groove yet still play lines that create beautiful countermelodies is unbelievable. Mike can play any time signature as though it was a basic 4/4. In Stream of Consciousness you almost can't detect the obscure time signatures since he just plays through them beautifully (and never steamrolls his way through them as so many drummers can be guilty of in those circumstances.)
In conclusion this is an album by a band that streches itself more with each album they release (One song can be more adventurous than other well-known bands will be their entire careers) This album is a must for anybody who wants to experience a band that is never content to rest on its laurels. As I finish this review the CD rips into the jam at the end of "In the Name of God" so the last thing to be said is that this album can only be experienced by owning it and not by reading my review - so why are you still reading? Go get it!