SYSTEMATIC CHAOS

Great album. I, like so many others eagerly anticipated this album for way too long and finally its arrived, and it doesn't dissapoint. Every DT album is different. They have never done the same album twice, and that is the beauty of this band. Too many people criticise DT so much, comparing each album with Scenes and I & W. We should just listen and compare their albums with the other bands in the genre rather than their own ones. DT are without doubt one of the greatest bands of all time, and this album has many magical moments. On TOT petrucci seemed to be more predominant, on Octavarium, Rudess was. Now on Systematic Chaos, Petrucci dominates again. I'd say it was their best work since six degrees. The albums production is incredible. It sounds absolutley brilliant. It's no Scenes or I & W but its still a great album The highlight is of cource the mighty epic, ITPOE. But let's take it track by track.

1. In The Presence of Enemies Pt. 1 (9:00) - This starts the album in full DT style. 5 minutes of instrumental beauty. Petrucci shines here, and where introduced to some of the riffs we'll hear sung by LaBrie later on. This track really gears us up for the rest of the album, and splitting the song up worked really well. Great blend from the windy noises into the forsaken piano intro too. 10/10 2. Forsaken (5:36) - The shortest song on the album, the catchiest, the most radio friendly. Despite all these factors it is a really great tune. Starting with a beautiful keyboard intro, in comes JP with some great rhythm work. Great work by LaBrie. A very powerful chorus. Some fast lead work that leads into the chorus reminds me of a similar line to that thats played in Pull Me Under. Great guitar solo and above all a really enjoyable track. 9/10

3. Constant Motion (6:55) - The promo song for the album. When I first heard it i really liked it but couldn't help but notice the very Metallica style vocals. Intro riff is very DT. A good instrumental break and some nice guitar/keyboard solo's. Probably the second least progressive song on the album. Some great guitar riffs, prooving again that theres a huge metal side to DT. Just like Forsaken, a really enjoyable track 8/10 4. The Dark Eternal Night (8:51) - Ahh yes, the heavist song on the album and perhaps the heaviest DT song of all time. Mike Portnoy said he wanted the album to have balls, and this song is a great representation of that comment. JP gets out the 7 string for some great intricate riffage. LaBrie and Portnoy share the dark vocals in the voice, and the chorus is very nice, like forsaken, something to sing along to. Some incredibly technical instrumental work in the middle. Ragtime piano solos, and intense metal riffs blended together quite humoursly really breaks up the intensity of the song. The guitar solo is insane and there is a great slow metal ending where JR gets out his continuum. very dark, incredible song. 9/10 5. Repentance (10:43) - I love the metal but I think i just need a little break....ah...Mike Portnoy and his track organisation skills answer your call. This is the next song in the AA epic, and the first slow one. It's a slow epic. Very beautiful song, with many guest appearances. I'm not sure of all the voices but I can make out Steve Wilson from PT, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Michael Akerfeldt, Steve Hogarth and many more legends. A great solo from Petrucci. The song drags on a little, but not enough to get tired of it. The song bears a striking resembelance to PT and Opeth on their Damnation album, but its still DT. I really enjoyed LaBrie on this song. 8.5/10

6. Prophets of War (6:01) - Interesting. At first I wasn't too fond of it, but after a few listens I started accepting the Muse influence and enjoying the song. Great chants from the fans and a very new sound for DT. 8/10

7. The Ministry of Lost Souls (14:57) - My god, the second this begins an incredible keyboard line flows through you. What a great intro. A 15 minute ballard. With some old and new elements combined. The acoustic passage reminds me of Octavarium. Different key, but same idea. The chord progression is more radio friendly, but its still brilliant. The pre-chorus makes me feel like I'm in a perfect world, floating on a cloud. The chorus then reminds us that this isnt just a happy track. I think I know what JP is refering to in his lyrics to this one, and its very deep. Great solo section, and incredibly instrumental section, very traditional DT, that we've missed in the last two songs. A very long guitar solo ends the song, and its great. This song is beautiful. 10/10

8. In The Presence of Enemies Pt. 2 (16:38) - Oh, thats right. 70 minutes ago we heard it, now its back. The wind, the bass, the keyboard. Very dark section. There is a lot of lyrics in this song, and in comes LaBrie to start us off with some strange vocal melodies. Petrucci's volume pedal gives the song an incredible atmospheric feel. We hear the pre- chorus, in its slow version. "Angels fall, all for you, heritic." The lyrics are fictional, and many have said they don't enjoy the lyrics on this song in particular. But I think its a great new direction. " Dark master within, I will fight work you." That dark melody heard in part 1 comes back in part 2. More strange vocal melodies. LaBrie proving he can go very high. Now we move into fast intensity, some backup chanting really adds to the power of this section. One of my favourite parts on the album, beacuse its just so enjoyable. Some great keyboard from JR that sounds similar to Never Enough. The instrumental section is full of signature DT style riffs and some incredible guitar & keyboard solos. JP prooves he is still one of the greatest of all time, as does JR. JP seems to involve more sweeping and tapping in his solos in this album, which is great. Very Metropolis, and they proove once again that no other band can play like them. Oh my god, Rudess shines with some incredible epic keyboard to bring us back into the chorus. LaBrie's greatest moment on the album is when he sings the next lines, with so much energy and feeling, " My soul grows weaker, he knows and he waits." The ending is very similar to the endings of Six Degrees and Octavarium and this song stands beside all of the other DT epics. 10/10

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