OCTAVARIUM

Good record, bad production/mixing/engineering. That's the only bad thing I can say about it. Normally, I'd not comment on the production if the songs themselves were solid enough to stand on their own, and while I appreciate the effort it took to produce such an undeniably MASSIVE undertaking, I don't think Petrucci and Portnoy were quite ready to produce DT. Portnoy might get mad at me if he ever reads this, but I think David Prater (Images And Words) or Terry Date (When Dream And Day Unite) were more aligned with the "prog-based heavy metal" that the group had/has in mind.

Problems start almost immediately. The drums, while pounding (no doubt) are ear- bleedingly twee and too high in the mix. The kick drum sounds like a popcorn machine (Shame on you, Portnoy!) and the snare is akin to someone beating on a tin can for 75 minutes. I thought I was hearing things...I really did. But no. In a nod to Lars Ulrich (Metallica), the snare goes BUNG! in classic ST. ANGER fashion. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

And how about that John Myung? Poor guy...he's definitely a presence, but he's almost MUTE here. The only time I can hear him is the opening of PANIC ATTACK. Brilliant. But the vortex of Petrucci and Portnoy (coupled with Rudess' frantic fingers) swallows him whole. The bass levels are dead before and after that, leaving Petrucci to aimlessly play him rhythm guitar all over. What happened to the lead playing? Hopefully, it'll be back. From what I understand, DT have never been about what the public wants; they've also made music for themselves. The equation's flipped here...it sounds like Korn. YUCK! But with the low-tuned, squealing guitars and complete LACK of bass, I close my eyes and right in front of me is...sigh...Korn.

But the songs are good, if a tad nondescript. My fave of the eight? I WALK BESIDE YOU. Starting on a minor key, it makes you think that it's gonna be a downcast tune (never mind the title) but it modulates, and becomes the only bright spot on an otherwise dank, dark record. The aformentioned PANIC ATTACK is another highlight, as the band stretches out and porduces killer riff after killer riff...but instead of that keyboard lead, how about; oh; I dunno...A GUITAR SOLO?

That's another can of worms...the lack of good lead playing. Sure; THESE WALLS has a "lead", but it amounts to nothing more than 30 seconds (exactly) of Petrucci bending strings in a descending chord progression. Whoop-de-doo! I could do that, and I don't play guitar. It's, in its simplicity and relative lack of excitement, all too Nirvana-esque.

So there you have it. Good songs (some solid, some not, but all listenable) with a ham- handed production/mixing job. Can't even give this one 4 stars. I would if I could, but since production is overall an aesthetic choice, I feel it was a mistake. I blame Petrucci, Portnoy and Doug Oberkircher (liner notes; bless.) Back to the drawing board for you five!