TRAIN OF THOUGHT

This album, along side 'Images and Words' and 'Scenes from a Memory', is one of my favourites of all time. Alot of people complain that DT have lost their progressive elements, but they're definately still there as is evident in 'Stream of Consciousness'. However if you want progressive, that can be found in the afore mentioned releases. This album is very, very heavy. I love the raw power, and insane shredding that has been unleashed in this album. It contains some of their most technical, fast solos and riffs ever, and the drumming is insane. A usual, James Labrie's voice is in fine form. John Myung's bass playing is nothing short of incredible, from the bass harmonic intro to 'As I Am', to the heavy bass lines of 'This Dying Soul', to the incredible way he mirrors the guitar lines on 'In the Name of God'. John Petrucci's guitar is amazing as usual, playing some of his fastest and most technically challenging solos I've ever heard. Mike Portnoy really lets loose on this album, with faster, harder drumming, and a lot more double bass drumming. Jordan Rudess doesn't feature quite as prominently on this album, but his keyboards make the album a little more symphonic, and he still trades off incredible solos with Petrucci, such as on 'Endless Sacrifice', and 'ITNOG'.If you think this sounds just like any other metal release, then you need only to look at the tracklisting to realise that on top of that, the songs are still quite progressive and very epic in nature. Only seven songs, but nearly 70 minutes worth of music, with nearly all the songs clocking in at around 10 minutes. The three minute song 'Vacant', serves as a nice interlude in the middle of the CD, with just piano, bass and cello, but the rest of the album is faster and heavier than any other release by DT. Stand out songs are: 'Endless Sacrifice', 'Stream of Consciousness', and 'In the Name of God'.