In an attempt to keep true to the blog's intent, I'm going to review the album I've been most into this week. To tell the truth, this is the only album I've listened to since last Tuesday! What I want to do with this week's entry is give the album another look, either reinforcing my first reactions or rescinding them.
"A Nightmare to Remember"
This song is amazing. It's definitely my favorite overall song on the album. The band really lets it all out on this song, musically. It rocks just as hard as their heaviest tracks from the past. Now that I'm more familiar with the roadmap of the song, I really love the transitions. For example, the switch between first verse and refrain is phenomenal. It's pounding along, fast and furious, when it broadens out into a slow 3/4. Then, in the middle of the refrain, the bass drum switches from a duple to a triple, which creates a great effect. The flow through the slow section continues to keep my interest. I've grown a bit fonder of Mike Portnoy's spoken section, but I still feel like it's a bit out of place. Also, there's a perfect place for the song to end around 14:16 in, but instead, it just repeates some themes with different drum beats. I don't know if this was necessary, but I'm getting too specific now... This song is wonderful and I embrace it as one of my favorites by the band.
"A Rite of Passage"
This song grows on me with every listen. The refrain is still a bit poppy, but it's catchy, and I like that. My favorite part is the lead-in right before the refrain. It's got a real gothic sound to it, and I can't get enough. I also really dig the transition into the solo section. As soon as you get that faster guitar riff, you know what's coming: some shredding from JP and Jordan... and you know it will be great.
"Wither"
I didn't have much to say about this the first time, but I have an opinion, now. Although this song is a fine filler, I don't feel like the album needs it. It's a good song, and a decent ballad, but I don't think it would have been missed by many people.
"The Shattered Fortress"
I've really developed a fondness for this song. It's a great closer to the suite, and in a way I wasn't expecting. I absolutely LOVE the way they take passages and riffs from the older songs, but play them in a different way (faster, slower, different time signature, etc.). Additionally, the original section at the end (called Responsible) is a wonderful glue to seal up the fragments of the other songs. This song's got a lot more to offer than it first appears.
"The Best of Times"
I don't really have anything new to say about this song. It's still a great song, and a wonderful tribute. However, last time I mentioned that it sounds a lot like "Spirit of the Radio". As I was listening closely today, I noticed that the lyrics use the words "spirit" and "radio" at different parts. I found this clever.
"The Count of Tuscany"
I said some negative things about this song last time. I still hold that the lyrics are not great. I won't call them awful like I did last time. They've grown on me a bit. However, I still don't feel that the narrator's reaction is justified given the scene we're presented with. Aside from the lyrics, though, this song is pure gold. As I become more and more familiar with it, and start to recognize foreshadowing and themes I really start to get into it. The flow is still broken a bit by the slow section, but Jordan's gorgeous solo makes up for it. It doesn't build like "Octavarium" and it doesn't have the flow of "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence", but it's still a great epic by the band, and a very nice closer to the album that's grown nearer and dearer to my heart.
All of this considered, I also want to take back part of my afterthought from the last review. There is, indeed, something different about this album, but can't that be said about every DT album? Wouldn't I have said that if I had just picked up Train of Thought? With time and attention, this album is becoming better and better. Because I like lists so much, I'd like to present you with my Dream Theater album list. In order, from best to worst, I would list DT's studio albums as such:
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory
Octavarium
Train of Thought
Black Clouds & Silver Linings
Images and Words
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Systematic Chaos
Awake
When Dream and Day Unite
Falling Into Infinity
Disagree? Let me know with a comment! Thanks for reading my 2-part review! I'll be back next week with whatever catches my ear! Happy listening!
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