Dream Theater - Train of Thought
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Free Music Notes for Train of Thought
Free Music Review: Nu-metal? Have you LISTENED to this disc???
Hit: 5 Stars
Those who claim this album is nu-metal have listened to 1...pehaps 2...songs on the disc. Try listening to the 11 minute instrumental "Stream of Consciousness". Try listening to the short but fantastic "Vacant". If you honestly can say things like "Metallica would record that" or "just nu-metal crap", then one of 3 things is wrong...1. You've never listened to Metallica
2. You don't actually know what nu-metal is
3. You've never listened to any of Dream Theater's other work
Honestly, those two tracks alone are classic Dream Theater, and they're not the only ones. Listen to the instrumental pieces on Scenes from a Memory (still their best disc), and then this disc. Its all there. In a lot of ways, this disc is very Scenes-from-a-Memory-ish, without the storyline. Nu-metal doesn't sound like this, and neither does Metallica (never did, actually). The time chages, the keyboard parts, the returning to a theme after monstrous solos...classic, textbook, DT.
Sure, if you listen to As I Am, its somewhat simple, given what we know they can do. But that doesn't make it a bad song...its just not 18 minutes of huge solos. So what? Listen past that song...and not just once. Listen several times. Then listen to any...I say ANY...Metallica album. They don't, and never did sound like this.
It was 6DOIT that was the odd one out. Not this one. If you really can hear music, and understand it, you'll know this is a return to form, not a further departure. In fact, if anything, this disc is a compilation. It takes the musical places Dream Theater has been over the years, and puts them together in one place. Ever listen to "Lie" from Awake? Do you know why nobody accused that of being nu-metal? Because there was no such thing then. But its heavy...just like As I Am.
Train of Thought is a really great album. The best ever? No. But regardless of what you think of the individual tracks, this IS Dream Theater, through and through. And you're a fool to think any different. You're not a fool if you don't like it. Everyone is entitled to thier feelings. But to say its Metallica or some nu-metal sound. Thats not opinion...its simply incorrect.
Free Music Review: The Great Debate ends here!
Hit: 5 Stars
Since it seems that every reviewer here on Amazon is either raving about DT's new 'metallic' turn or whining about their departure from their 'melodic' roots, I figured I would atttempt to present a somewhat unbiased and neutral point of view. First and foremost, the point is this: Dream Theater is a PROGRESSIVE metal band, implying that every record they put out should (and does)sound different from the previous one. It seems to me that some DT 'fans' always seem to have something to complain about- Falling Into Infinity was too 'commercial', Six Degrees was too 'Broadway' and now Train of Thought is too 'metal'. Well here's a news flash- not every DT album is going to sound like Images & Words, and if it did, then DT would be no different from every other band recycling the same old crap with each new album. Simply put, DT would not be DT. That said the question remains- is DT going metal a good or bad thing? Well the answer of course depends on what you want from your music. If you want excellent musicianship, songwriting, tempo changes AND kick-ass METAL then this is definitely the album of the year- especially when compared to St. Anger (dont even get me started on how much THAT sucked...)If, however all you want is smooth, dreamy melodic prog rock along the lines of Another Day, Surrounded, Take Away My Pain and The Spirit Carries On, then give this record a skip (and stop calling yourself a prog metal fan while you're at it).
I wouldnt go so far as to call this my favorite DT album (that distinction goes to Images & Words, following which all of them are so damn good that I can't make up my mind) but it certainly is up there.
This is a thinking man's metal album, that while being loud, fast and aggressive is still essentially DT doing what no other band can do, namely playing the best hard rock on the planet.
Train of Thought may not be THE best DT album of all time, but it's still a million times better than every other CD out there on the shelves today. So my advice is this- if you like quality metal buy this album and if you don't, then quit whining about how DT have lost touch with their roots and go listen to Justin Timberlake.
Free Music Review: This album is BRILLIANT, regardless of bad reviews....
Hit: 5 Stars
People, people, people! Can't you just SMELL the satire in this album? You wonder where the Metallica, Tool, Linkin Park riffs come from, its all a big JOKE! Portnoy said he wanted a classic metal album.. and they did that... but I think that they took a lot of "classic metal" and twisted it... Look at it this way... You have everything from LaBrie singing JUST like Maynard James Keenan in Honor Thy Father, just like that Chester guy in Honor Thy Father, JUST like Hetfield in As I Am, and This Dying Soul (Can you say Blackened, anyone?)... You have Petrucci playing every cliched Metallica riff in existence, Portnoy seems like he took a big dose of Ulrich, and of all things, Rudess plys a few Zakk Wylde riffs on his KEYS... its all a joke people... its so obvious... you have your "My daddy hates me" song (Honor Thy Father), "I can't take anymore of your BS, I hate everyone" songs, (As I Am, Endless Sacrifice), your "God is stupid" song (In the Name of God), the sappy "My girlfriend hates me" song (Vacant)... and thats pretty much the album... But still, its DT and its AWESOME! I don't care what anyone onhere says, DT IS progressing... look at Petrucci's playing on this album... Listen to the solo for As I Am and tell me that these guys haven't progressed... The production quality has slumped a little... but I think that was the point... Anyway, there are moments on this album where I see nothing but pure technical genius.. Listen to the end of This Dying Soul, or the Solo/duet on "In the Name of God".. its mindblowing stuff... To you people who are unsure of this album, just buy the thing. You'll like it. It may take a second or two to get used to the new sound, but you'll like it. I am a DT fan from I&W, and of all of their albums, this seems most like "The Mirror" from Awake... thats kind of the approach they are taking here... But buy the album. Its great, and they really show off their pure skill on this album... Don't listen to these closed minded people who say this "nu-metal".. They're idiots... This stuff is just as technical as anything else DT has released. BUY IT!Free Music Review: Transitional but outstanding album
Hit: 5 Stars
"Train of Thought" was a transitional album for Dream Theater on which they embraced a harder-edged sound, less progressive and more metallic. It is interesting that the progressive metal band Symphony X also transitioned to a rawer sound with "The Odyssey" in 2002. The harder-edged sound of ToT was continued by DT on "Octavarium" and "Systematic Chaos". Based on pre-release reviews, DT's new album "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" will continue this trend.
While some fans did not like the harder sound of ToT, I enjoy the infusion of energy and appreciate DT's willingness to modify their style rather than play it safe and do more of the same. While I liked the gentler, more progressive "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" a lot, I like "Train of Thought" and subsequent albums just as much. But my tastes are quite eclectic, ranging from classical music to broadway musicals to jazz to hard rock.
The album kicks off with the very powerful "As I Am" which is an anthem of independence. Basically, DT is telling their fans and critics that they're going to play the music they want to play and that everyone can either accept them as they are or listen to other bands. I really like this song a lot, not just for the message but for their stating it with a fresh sound that challenges even those who loved their prior work to accept the fact that Dream Theater will continue to evolve.
"The Dying Soul", a continuation of Mike Portnoy's "Alcoholics Anonymous Suite" continues the intensity as does the fourth track, "Honor Thy Father" which might be DT's most angry song. The third and fifth songs, "Endless Sacrifice" and "Vacant", provide some relief from the intensity; LaBrie delivers some poignant lyrics with heart-felt emotion. The instrumental "Stream of Consciousness" builds off the piano riff of "Vacant" but at a faster tempo; it then explodes in a fury of energy that is sustained for an 11 minute tour-de-force. The final song, "In the Name of God" is a critique of religious extremism and war in the same vein of the later DT songs "Sacrificed Sons" and "Prophets of War".
Overall, this is an outstanding album.
Free Music Review: excellent
Hit: 5 Stars
I don't get it...What more do people want. This is probably, and this is not just an opinion, the greatest group of musicians ever in the same band in music history and it is still not good enough for some people. As far as Portnoy writing lyrics, Moore is gone, get over it; some one has to write lyrics. If you look at all the old albums, including the ones with Moore, Portnoy wrote a good amount of lyrics then too, no one complained about his lyrics then. And everyone who thinks that "Scenes From a Memory" was their masterpiece; who wrote the bulk of the lyrics...Portnoy!This is a great album, peroid. It is different than "6 degrees", which is different than "Scenes From a Memory", which is different than "Falling into Infinity" and so on. In my opinion, that is what makes a great band, they still show their style without it getting stale or changing with what's popular at the time. It is a heaver album so maybe the keyboard sections are tamed down as to previous albums, but they are there and played amazingly. I do have to agree with some reviewers about the playing of JP. Don't get me wrong, he is truly amazing, but sometimes playing fast is just playing fast. Granted, it is welcomed in this day and age of people who only play 3 chords, but what happened to solos like "Another day" and "Surrounded".
I think "Another day" is JP's best solo yet, it has emotion and taste that he seems to be missing now. I still love every solo he plays, I just expect more emotion from someone so talented.
Personally, I really don't want to hear another "Scenes from a Memory", a great album should be left alone and not try to be copied. As with all DT albums, I am already waiting in anticipation for the follow up to "Train of Thought". Even if people don't think this is as good as their previous work, giving this band less than 4 stars is an insult. This is a 4-5 star band just on the musicianship alone.
I feel that if people listen to this album enough, they may want to change their reviews...It grows on you. If you don't believe me, listen to "In the Name of God", if that song isn't running through your head for days......