OCTAVARIUM

Although I remain a loyal and active-listening fan of Dream Theater, it has taken me a lot longer to digest and enjoy the last three albums, which leads me to believe that they peaked with Metropolis Part 2. I believe this for two reasons: (1) in the quest to expand their musicianship, if that's possible, and to grow the complexity of their compositions, they have sacrificed melody; and (2) by increasingly paying homage to their influences, Yes, Rush, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, and now U2, they have moved away from their signature style and tone, which was a blend of metal, progressive rock and operatic voice, that sounded like no other band. With regard to the softer songs, my three favorites, Surrounded, Silent Man and Take Away My Pain, are far more creative and melodic than any of their counterparts on this album. That said, Octavarium is a very good album that I suspect will grow on me over time. Octavarium may not be as good as the previous seven albums and A Change of Seasons, but Dream Theater continues to write more creatively and play better than any other band releasing albums today. Octavarium deserves 3.5 stars.