OCTAVARIUM

I had high hopes for this one, especially with 24-min long track mentioned in announce message. Unfortunately, this is another bitter disappointment a-la FII

DREAM THEATER have changed their idols. Now we hear MUSE, U2, LINKIN PARK and METALLICA instead of RUSH and YES. No, wait, there’s also some PINK FLOYD material thrown in there…In other words, this is the least natural album of them. Most track simply drag on without a reason. “The Answer lies within” is the cheesiest thing DT ever done. “Sacrificed Sons” just slipped through my ears without a trace leaving me totally cold. Finally, the title track had some moments to offer, but I had to wait for 15 minutes of filler for them to appear! “Systematic Chaos” is almost in the same way, but it does better to me anyway; dunno even why (to be honest)!

Best tracks: well, for this album! “These Walls” (best track LINKIN PARK never did), “Octavarium” (except for opening intro stolen from “Shine on your Crazy Diamond” which I always skip)

Best moments: riffing in “Panic Attack”, chorus’ beginning in “Never Enough”