OCTAVARIUM

Upon many listens, it took me awhile to realize how much of a concept-album this really is. From the bookend effect that they used, to the recurrances of 5's and 8's throughout the music and the artwork, and all the little things that mean so much on this album.

The first seven songs are, no doubt, great pieces of music on their own, but together, with Octavarium, it creates an album that begs to be listened to straight through. The opening of the album starts where Train Of Thought left off (with Rudess' quiet piano note at the end of In The Name Of God from ToT). The first few songs have little tid-bits of Octavarium thrown throughout the pieces, all little themes we'll hear again later on.

The next three tracks are three of the heaviest, and they are done really well. They remind me of a bit of the previous two albums in their feel and construction in music. And on to the title track, one that has quickly become one of my favorite pieces by Dream Theater. This is a piece of musical genious, one that rivals a lot of the band's other works (SFAM and I&W). The use of multiple musical ideas and merging them together, even within the album itself, is fantastic.

The opening section "Someone Like Him" starts off with Rudess on his Continuum and then Lap Steel Guitar before the whole band starts in. After a big crescendo, it quiets down to the verse/chorus part of this section (with even a little nod to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody on the piano!). This is a nice set-up for the rest of the song as it is not too hard and heavy, but it sets up the musical themes that are to come.

The next section, "Medicate (Awakening)", picks up the pace a bit with a great solo intro by Myung (who can be HEARD on this album! Yes!), along with Portnoy backing up the beat. This section reminds me A LOT of "Six Degrees". Maybe it's the harmonies that Rudess and Petrucci provide behind LaBrie's vocals, or the tempo and rhythm that Myung and Portnoy give, but it's very Six-Degrees-ish. Later on, after the vocals are done, the band goes off into a wonderfully executed 70's Prog moment with Rudess taking the lead on a synth! This then winds down into the next section.

"Full Circle" is aptly name, from the "So this is where we came in." reference to The Wall, to the use of words/phrases that connect to each other (like King Crimson's "The World's My Oyster Soup Kitchen Floor Wax Museum"). The verses have very well thought-out and cleverly-written lyrics by Portnoy, with references to everything under the sun, from mostly musical references, to things like an old Gong Show Dancer (Gene Gene The Dance Machine) or Magna Carta recording artist David Lee Roth (Diamond Dave). A lot of fun here, and the chorus is nicely put together with LaBrie come after Portnoy providing the first half alternately. This is my favorite section of the whole song! This part also then goes into more instrumental fun with the band, with more musical references in the music itself, even a nod to Jingle Bells (thank you Rudess!).

This goes back into the same beat and rhythm that Portnoy opened the previous section. "Intervals" recalls all the songs on the album by each verse, with Portnoy saying "Root, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Octave" as music theory students should know, are the terms for musical degrees in a scale. VERY faintly in the background of even verse are audio samples of each of the 8 songs on the album, very nice to hint back at them to go with the lyrics. This is more easily heard on the "Sixth" and "Octave" sections, though.

After ending with the screamingly loud "TRAPPED INSIDE THIS OCTAVARIUM!"x4, we wind down with themes from the opening section of the song with the Orchestra (more SDOIT-ish parts!). "Razor's Edge" finishes up the song with lyrics by Petrucci (who started the song!) and says the "story ends where it began" (which is evident by the end of the song being the opening of The Root Of All Evil). A GREAT guitar solo by Petrucci ends this section and the song as well. Another great 70's Prog moment, especially the orchestra ending (and french horn as well!).

It really feels like an ending, except the use of the opening of the first song. I had the leaked album, which originally ended the song with Flute, and that felt much more majestic sounding and another reference to 70's Prog. It felt more like an ending than just reusing the opening. Sure it bookends the album and goes with the themes of the album (especially the inside cover), but it felt like a cop-out to me. Where will the next album start? I was looking forward to a flute opening, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens with the 9th album!

Another good album, and I highly recommend it to prog fans of any era, 70's, 80's, 90's, metal or rock, and even to non-prog fans who will enjoy the shorter songs and even the ballads. I must admit, I do like I Walk Beside You, as pop-ish as it sounds, but I love it! It's a good song, and LaBrie's voice is perfect for it! Like I said, a lot of people will love this album, and it's done WELL on the prog-side of things. Very well done, Dream Theater, very well done! 5 Stars for five musical geniuses!

-Marc.

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