OCTAVARIUM

DREAM THEATER - OCTAVARIUM may not strike everyone as a prog album but as a typical speed/power metal album with some prog orientation, yes speed/power metal it is and the more power the metal, the merrier it is to my ears and is one of my favourite ProgMetal albums of all time!!! The album opens with sound effects apparently like Pink Floyd's "Shine on you crazy diamond" song from WISH YOU WERE HERE, but I don't understand this as I am not all aware of Pink Floyd!!

"The Root of All Evil" is mostly hard rocking and is a killer introduction to the album, the songs talks about the pains of alcoholism 4/5. "The Answer Lies Within" is ballad with pianos and my least favourite track, ballads ain't my style and the weakest track on the album sorry a poor 2/5!! "These Walls" opens with a jazzy elements and is a fantasic tune to rock too and on my scales scores a whopping 4/5!!! "I Walk Beside You," which is a Poppy tune and it is too comercial sounding and my least favourite track 1/5!!

"Panic Attack" is my most favourite track on the album and is a killer (fast,power,headbanging - heaven to my ears!!), a speed power metal tune with the best PROG elements on this CD, including extremely frntic tempos, and mellotrons thrown in for good favour 5/5!! "Never Enough" is a straightforward metal composition,There is also a nice keyboard and guitars solos and good to headbang to so get that air guitar out and go nuts!!! 5/5!!!

"Sacrificed Sons" is DT's tribute to the victims and associates of 9/11 terror attacks a very powerful emotional track but not my favourite but a modest 3/5!!! "Octavarium" 24 minute title track,split into five different parts which sounds like Pink Floyd and some of Genesis combined and The introduction has beautiful guitar playing by Petrucci and DT has a 70s style playing of the flute, very excellent epic music. 5/5!!

I really love this album an incredibly outstanding effort from Dream Theatre and comes with great good lyrics, superb and cool musicianship, production is top notch, nice orchestra and good fast paced metal!! (Just as I like it) 100% recommended !!