A DRAMATIC TURN OF EVENTS

As a long-time Dream Theater fan who discovered them when Pull Me Under was getting radio airtime across the US, I was pretty anxious to hear the latest album from a band I have felt had been on a long artistic decline over the past 8 or so years. Upon hearing that Mike Portnoy had left the group, I was eager to hear how the band would change without his control over the creative process. My imagination ran somewhat wild now that there would be no more rap-metal and pseudo extreme metal influences in what was once my favorite band.

However, after getting my hands on an early copy of the disc, I was pretty disappointed. Perhaps this disappointment can only come from someone who has followed the band with every album and heard their peaks and valleys... along with the publicized drama that followed the departure of Portnoy. Yes, the more egregious Portnoy influences are absent from this album, which in itself is a major improvement--- but to say that an album is great just because of what is NOT there would be ludicrous.

What is here though-- is still just more of the same formula-- just heavier on the melodic side of things. The basis for much of the album simply seems to be the band's own back catalog. On the first listen through with headphones and a pen and piece of paper, I noted melodic (including vocal), rhythmic, and structural references to all of the following songs from previous albums: Burning My Soul, Sacrificed Sons, Ministry of Lost Souls, Octavarium, The Best of Times, Nightmare to Remember, Peruvian Skies, Under A Glass Moon, Wither, The Answer Lies Within, Metropolis, Glass Prison, Root of all Evil, Caught in a Web, Losing Time, and Count of Tuscany.

This is not good. I already have all these songs. Petrucci hasn't faltered a beat with his technique and skills but is still falling prey to the metal guitar rhythmic cliches--- (does he really need to copy the triplet-feel chugs from Metropolis and The Glass Prison again? -- or include a verse section of a song that has the same vibe as Symphony of Destruction by Megadeth?). Jordan Rudess, as always, shines as the master that he is when let loose--- but the compositions, when taken as a whole, just seem to lack any real semblance of inspiration.

As for the drumming... I understand that Petrucci, not Mangini, wrote these drum parts using software. Replace one of the world's most popular drummers with someone who could arguably be considered one of the world's best--- but don't let him contribute any grooves...? I was completely underwhelmed by the drums... (and also the drum sound--- that gated, compressed snare--- ugh).

So, in short, if you're a huge Dream Theater fan and love their signature sound... it's definitely here in full force. While the overall product is an improvement over the last couple of albums, the band doesn't appear to really do anything.... well, progressive...