FALLING INTO INFINITY

Dream Theater has been in my top 3 bands for quite some time. This right here, is not Dream Theater. It may have all the same members, but this album seems to be devoid of all things that make Dream Theater great for me. It has eventual moments of greatness. "Trial of Tears" is one of their best songs. "Lines in the Sand" is another goodie with a great guitar solo. "Hollow Years" has an astounding live performance. But the bulk of this album isn't very DT-ish.

The problems? Most of the songs are either very mainstream and uninspired or filled with Dream Theater's sad attempt at writing with angst. I love the guys, but whenever they write an angry song it just seems so pretentious. If a song isn't either of those things, it's either great like the songs mentioned in the previous paragraph or just boring. James LaBrie is also very weak on this album. I love him as a singer, but this isn't his finest hour, but I guess the food poisoning incident is to blame for that.

In short, if you're looking to get into Dream Theater start anywhere but here. Go with Images and Words or Scenes from a Memory. This one is good for a couple listens perhaps, but I rarely listen to it unless I wanna hear "Trial of Tears", "Lines in the Sand", or "Hollow Years". Otherwise, it's a dust collector for me.