BLACK CLOUDS & SILVER LININGS

Fantastic new album from the unstoppable Dream Theater. Black Clouds And Silver Linings is their most solid, balanced, and simply best album since 2002's Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence. In order of favourite tracks:

"The Count Of Tuscany" will surely rank among many fans' favourite DT songs of all time. A stunning epic with shifting moods, a gorgeous, haunting instrumental section, and one of the best choruses to be heard in a Dream Theater track. 5/5

"The Shattered Fortress" is a fine, fitting end to an amazing series of songs. Don't be put off by the sometimes jarring transitions - think of this piece as a 'Grand Finale' of sorts, reprising themes from the first four songs and adding some new ones. A really, really strong conclusion. 4/5

"The Best Of Times" - A simple, delicate and heartfelt lyric that needs no further embellishment to get its point across. A very beautiful and emotional piece with a stunning Petrucci solo to close it out. 4/5

"Wither" - Now THIS is how DT should sound doing a ballad-type song. Just excellent. 4/5

"A Nightmare To Remember" - The opening track sets the tone for the album - a strong, lengthy piece with all of the DT hallmarks. Complex, hard-edged metallic riffs that give way to softer, highly melodic sections. 3/5

"A Rite Of Passage" - The lone 'skipper track' for this reviewer. Has its moments but the chorus is weak and the soloing somewhat bland and uninspired. 2/5

All of the usual DT trademarks are present on this album, and the usual influences are displayed prominently in sections that were surely listed as "Rush section" or "Marillion keyboard section" on the band's charts during the writing/recording. Overall, a very, very, very good Dream Theater release that I can't stop playing!