A VIEW FROM THE TOP OF THE WORLD

I have already mentioned that one of the few advantages of these turbulent times is the fact that most bands that have been banned from performing do not laze and sit in the studio, writing new material, which they will then present to us live, and we all hope that the future the year will really be better. The progressive metal icon, none other than DREAM THEATER, is not an exception. It can be said that we are used to a relatively regular dose from these giants of the given genre, as they always offer us new material relatively regularly, at intervals of about 2-3 years, and this was not the case now. After the last, very successful album "Distance Over Time" comes the new "A View From The Top Of The World".

The line-up on the album remained unchanged, the quintet LaBrie, Petrucci, Myung, Rudess, Mangini probably don't need anyone to be introduced. What has changed is where they put the album together. During the pandemic, the band completed its DTHQ (Dream Theater Headquarters), which is a kind of base where they have their own studio, equipment warehouse and everything else the band needs in their format. They brought in the help of the seasoned Andy Sneap (among others the guitarist JUDAS PRIEST) and James Meslin alias Jimmy T, who helped them with the production. A group of top musicians, therefore, sat down in the studio again and put together material that basically accurately characterizes DREAM THEATER in recent years. To write it exactly, apart from such a controversial album, "The Astonishing", which is probably the most divisive part of the band's entire discography, I dare say that he also overtook "Falling Into Infinity". So what is the view from the top of the world?

It is a clear, so significant classic of the band, which has dominated the genre for more than three decades - in both positive and negative senses. It can be said that the novelty is a continuation of its predecessor. The album is fired by the relatively sharp track "The Alien", where we can really find everything so typical for DT, from really unreal instrumental beats, through excellent guitar and keyboard solos, melodic choruses. "Answering The Call" is one of the most significant songs on the album for me, and that's where I'm seeing something new, maybe more old- fashioned and refreshing. An interesting chorus, which is complemented by excellent singing and an interlude in the middle passage, makes this a really nice piece. "Invisible Monster" is a really dark, gloomy, slightly "radio friendly" smirk, probably the easiest to listen to, slightly relieving thing on the album. "Sleeping Giant´ is a really classic DT in full parade, where we find harder passages, melodic lines, an interesting chorus, probably exactly the song that a rock fan expects from the legend." Transcending Time "is RUSH oriented power ballad which serves as a relief before the hit in the form of "Awaken The Master" and the title track, which is really the most colorful example of the mastery of this formation. Excellent arrangements, beautiful, clear sound, up to the grand finale. Excellent, but relatively difficult doctrine of progressive metal, which ends this successful material.The sound is excellent, every tool has its place, especially Mike Mangini really plays more relaxed, more colorful, it's definitely his best record since joining his post. Apparently, the blanket from the entire discussion in the position of drummer, which became a kind of "apple of contention" among the fans, has already fallen from him. LaBrie gives excellent performance, it does not push into high positions, so singing is very pleasant. The others give excellent, standard performance, while really confirming that they are the absolute top instrumental.

In the introduction, I mentioned that the novelty is an accurate, so classic example of DREAM THEATER's work in recent years, both in a positive and in a negative sense. Yes, the downside is the album's moderate predictability. In principle, it can be said that it no longer offers us much new, as yet unexplored. But I ask: is it still possible at all? It's hard to say, in principle, we will know the answer to that in a few years, when some more progeny from this legend will be added to the discography.

"A View From The Top Of The World" is an excellent, precisely played, but relatively difficult to digest material. It is really necessary to listen to it in great detail, to perceive the complexity of the whole album (the 5.1 mix will also help a lot with animations that beautifully complement the overall impression) and to let yourself be carried away on pro-metal waves. The novelty is an album with which DT once again proves who is the master of the given genre, which they basically defined. It will bring you everything that the last decades have presented, except for one: a moment of surprise. This is not enough for someone and this element is already missing in their creation. I belong to a group that is no longer sure whether it is possible to bring something like this to the work and I enjoy the mastery they offer us. If you also belong to this group, you will definitely fall in love with the novelty.

So, is DT looking at other bands from the top of the prog-metal world? There is no clear answer to this, everyone has their own subjective feeling and opinion, for me DREAM THEATER is still rising, and let's not be surprised when some of the other actions reach the "top of the prog world". They are really close to it! 5 stars.