OCTAVARIUM

A key fact that must be taken into consideration is the fact that Portnoy challenged everybody to do something different this time around. He suggested the band retain its vituoso element that many people have gotten use to. This time, they decided to focus more on songwriting. Portnoy actually said that a bigger challange for them was writing a song that clocked in at under 5 minutes. Dream Theater, usually proving themselves some of the most fantastic musicians of all time, are now showing what they can do as a cohesive unit (this isn't to say this is the only good DT album, though). This said, the vocal abilities of LaBrie are taken to new hights, perhps because of his new solo work's influence on the rocrding, or the fact that the music is slackened to give it room.

The Root of all Evil:

This is my idea of the classic amazing opener for a DT album (along with 6:00, Pull Me Under, The Glass Prison, As I Am, and New Millenium). This is the third chornicle of the ongoing compilation of songs dealing with Alcoholics Anonymous (parts 6 and 7 out of a projected 12). It begins with a riff closely akin to part 5 in This Dying Soul. And if the Glass Prison and This Dying Soul have the epic-ness and shred capacity, this one certainly has the energy. I personally have not found a better vocal melody (not necessarily lyrics) since New Millenium. Becuase the song is shorter that the previous two of its type (about 7.5 minutes), the transiotion between parts 6 and 7 ins't as distinct. The chorus of This Dying Soul surfaces for a moment, and then, in a fantastic array of musical skill (which is not as frequent on this album), Petrucci and Rudess deliver the goods. The song ends with some lonely keyboards.

The Answer Lies Within:

This is a typical nondescript DT ballad (almost like Misunderstood in the fact that it's a song, not a slate for musical talent). That's not a bad thing though--it's the perfect song to rest on after the Root of all Evil spikes you blood pressure. DT hired a string quartet for this one, and it really makes a difference (in a good way). The vocals are nothing special, and the acoustic guitar sticks to strumming chords. The drums are relaxed and, although Rudess is the key player on this track, he still doesn't do much. All this, and the song relies on the overkilled Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus formula. This song is a perfect example of Octavarium's shorter songs and DT's effort to to focus no songwriting. It's a decent song, and if i had to compare it to another of their works, I'd say either Disappear (without the distorted bridge section) and/or Missunderstood (without the solos or feedback bit). Overall, a fairly good song that leaves no impression.

These Walls:

Now here's a cool song. Everybody says that Rudess is very prominant in this one--I fail to see why. The keyboard just plays the same thing in the intro and chorus. While it's a cool riff, Rudess is capable of better. This is another track where the vocals really take hold, especially the chorus. This is a more mainstream song (sorry if that statement irked you--i only meant it in the sense that it is another not epic song where the collective band is featured rather than solos). Another typical track for the Octavarium mindset...but good. I have no idea what to compare it to...Mayyyybe Strange Deja Vu (I said maybe) but without the funky bridge and with simpler guitar playing. These Walls, for a progger like all of us, epitmizes the type of song hat you want to listen to in moderation. That said, I've listened to it a lot over the last three days...

I Walk Beside You:

As I think most people with agree, this is the worst track on the album. I even heard that it was a U2 ripoff, which I don't beleive. It has more of a major feel than most of the other songs on the album. I guess this isn't really a terrible earsplitting song, but the fact there is nothing special about it causes me to skip over the track, taking me to...

Panic Attack:

One of the better tracks on this CD. If I told you the vocals on These Walls or the Root of all Evil were amazing, just wait till you hear this. LaBrie's haunting melody double under an octave (or two) by Portnoy's voice is always a recipie for sucess (think chorus for New Millenium). The first verse spits some erratic, shaky symptoms of a panic attack (what else could this song be about), while the second verse is built around complete sentences. The chorus is pretty creepy. The other two vocal blocks (helpless hysteria...and run, try to hide...) are also magnificent. And, for the starving soloist, Petrucci and Rudess shine in a solo section. This song more than makes up for the humdrum of I Walk Beside You. Again, this song is difficult to compare to a previous DT work, but I can say that it is nothing like what DT has been since the introduction of Rudess (and their metal edge).

Never Enough:

Anybody who listens to this song will immediately know that Portnoy wrote the lyrics. For the most part, the song is very eerie and dark, though not as heavy as some past works. One thing that really catches the listener's ear is a brief switch to a major key in the chorus, which is unsettling or a progessive touch, depending on how you look at it. Again (and this is the last time i will say this), the song is very unusual when put alongside other worls by the band.

Sacrificed Sons:

In a maneuver similar to the Great Debate, DT has written a politically flavored work. Although it's taken four years to write a song about 9/11, the song is great (somebody said the chorus was too predictable...i disagree). The song is very slow at the beginning, but soon picks up by the second verse. After that, there is a large instrumental break where the guitar and keyboard shine once again. The song then wraps up with anpother chorus. Aside from the second part of Octavarium (the song), this is the only song whose lyrics were written by LaBrie. There's some thing very professional about them, and when coupled with the music and melody, the end result is an amazing song. Also similar to the Great Debate, there are some samplings of news reportes at the beginning, panned left and right, only dealing with the horror of the scene at ground zero. Overall, amazing song.

Octavarium:

The title track, Octavarium, stands at 24 minutes long on the dot. Like Six Degrees, it is broken into different segments (though not seperate tracks).

Someone Like Him (lyrics by Petrucci) Medicate (LaBrie) Full Circle (Portnoy) Intervals (Portnoy) Razor's Edge (Petrucci)

SWEET TRACK! That's all I have to say. Not really, actually. This song is the exeption to DT's songwriting crusade, this could not be any more progressive. The beginning starts with a guitar drencehed in reverb, and eventually a keyboard meloduy that springs up at the end of the song. At about 5 minutes and 10 seconds, the singing starts. The vocals of Someone Like Him start slow, build up, and end slow. After that section is over, the keyboards take an extended aria, replying a certain melody and embellishing it more after each repitition. Medicate takes a somewhat mysterious topic and fuses it with a melody that is not far from Goodnight Kiss. By the way, this section of Octavarium is also the easiest to understand--it's about a guy who's been in a coma for 30 years. After the singing, the instruments slowy modulate to a harder and more minor musical background. Although not as heavy as previous DT works, this section is still pretty driving. The verses are full of nonsense, with references to a bunch of things like Lucy in the Sky and Nightmare Cinema. However, the chorus, sung as a duet by Portnoy (and maybe Petrucci) and LaBrie, is quite phnominal. The singing ends and there is a ridiculous guitar/key unison that is remiscent of The Test that Stumped them All, but without spastic time signatures. Then they lead into Intervals, which is agruably one of the greatest moments on the CD. It begins with rhythmic talking, and slowly the vocals get more inense until LaBrie begins shouting (and shouting amazingly) "Trapped inside this Octavarium!" with whispered overdubs. It is the climax of the song. Razor's Edge soon follows, a breif six-line conclusion that sounds great. This short and sweet ending is then followind by the great outro, carried by the orchestra that DT hired. You will love this track, provided you have 24 minutes of uninterrupted time.

Additional notes:

Since Metropolis II, all of DT's albums have flowed into another. The static that ends Metropolis II reappears as the static that starts Six Degrees. The last chord of Six Degrees is featured at the beginning of Train of Though, and the Final Piano note of Train of Though kicks off Octavarium. Just something that I noticed.

This is not a great album to buy if you haven't been initiated into DT--you'll get the wrong sense of them from the album.

This album is unprecedented when it comes to song intros. I don't mean like the Glass Prison had a three minute instrumental intro. When one track ends, the CD player says Track 03: -00.48 or something like that. If you skip directly to a track, the long intro (which is comprised of sounds effects) will be skipped, so it's not like you're missing anything. That said, the majority of the tracks have very long intros. This isn't a good or bad thing, but you'll have to decide for youself whether or not you like them.

I give this CD a 5/5 because it's awesome. And that should be a good reason why.