BLACK CLOUDS & SILVER LININGS

Whenever you listen to a Dream Theater album you are always in for a treat. Whether it?s a 20 minute song with 5 parts or even a 3-5 minute song, there?s always something that gets your attention. The band is known for their definitively calculated musical arrangements and solid musicianship. Dream theater is arguably a band with some of the most talented musicians at their respective instruments. With that said ?Black Clouds and Silver Linings? is the bands newest album to date released June 23rd on Roadrunner Records.

The album this time has 6 songs. The album doesn?t have too much that you haven?t heard before but there are a few surprises. ?Nightmare To Remember? opens the album in typical Dream Theater fashion but about 4:30 in turns into a mellow breakdown of lush guitar tones and an flashback to the 80?s guitar clean tones blended with chorus and delay. I love those tones! (80?s fans will know what I am talking about.) The title track ?Rites of Passage? is nothing short of guitar solos, finger picking and heavy chugging guitars in the background; A die hard theater fans wet dream. The chorus gets into the time signature change and a catchy refrain. I think the choruses from the band gets better and better. ?Wither? has to be one of my favorites on the album. I don?t know why but I am always a fan of the radio friendly song and the one of the shortest on the record. I think the long songs are a little overdone sometimes and we get the point. Its nice to hear the regular tunes thrown in and see that they can write a regular jam and keep you interested. The more moderate songs catch me a lot. Like others ?Vacant? on ?Train of Thought? and ?I Walk Beside You? on ?Octavarium? ?Best of Times? reminds me of an almost Rush vibe with the more straight forward rocker but does bust into the crazy Dream Theater technicality thorough the song.

Most of the songs on the album in regular Dream Theater presentation could be a full 10 song album but they mash the tunes together in 6 songs and a million different parts. Kudos to the band for sticking true to their sound, even though (and I saying this as an outsider knowing I?ll never be able to play half the parts they play) they don?t show too much growth on this record. Die hard fans will the love the album as I am glad they stay to their roots. Definitely better than the last effort "Systematic Chaos."