OCTAVARIUM

I admit, compared to Train of Thought, this is a bit disappointing at first. Nearly any semblance of heavy metal is eroded or glossed over in favour of a more alternative-rock approach for the majority of this album. This change comes to mixed effect--"I Walk Beside You" is actually a fantastic piece, whereas "Never Enough" and "These Walls" leave something to be desired. And don't even talk to me about "The Answer Lies Within." Screw that piece. Seriously, dump it in a trash bin and never look back. I have no idea what Dream Theater was thinking, but that song is a piece of horse bile....All hatred for one specific piece aside, the songs where they stick to their guns tend to be the highlights on the album. "The Root of All Evil" and "Panic Attack" are both clear highlights on the album, consistent with Dream Theater's established sound. The epic title track is also pretty good as well, melding their sudden obsession with soft-alterna-rock with their heavier-prog roots in what turns out to be a satisfying listen. In summary, the pieces representative of Dream Theater's sound tend to be better, their alternative rock dabblings are really hit-or-miss, and "The Answer Lies Within" should be burnt at stake.