DREAM THEATER – Dream Theater (2013)
* the Real one
They don’t need to put their name on the album cover anymore, their logo is already precisely carved in everyone’s mind: DREAM THEATER don’t even need to give a name to their new album to be released next September 24.
After the much-publicized breakup with founding drummer Mike Portnoy – a huge creative force in the band since its inception – the group’s 12th studio album is aptly self-titled, as it revisits Dream Theater roots and offers the first listen to the band’s writing with new drummer and rhythm heavyweight Mike Mangini.
Guitarist John Petrucci recently said: “When we chose to call it ‘Dream Theater’, we knew we had to make the kind of record that warranted a self-title. We were intent on making something that looks back on and respects our past, but it also pushes us forward in a very passionate and fiery way.”
And indeed “Dream Theater” delivers a menagerie of soaring melodies, crushing riffs and musical prowess to die for, combining the best of classic DT with the band’s usual search for new boundaries.
Petrucci’s meticulous ultra-tight tone is flawless throughout, matched by Myung’s inventive fingerings on the 6-string bass and Chapman stick. Mike Mangini feels so natural (and terrific) that seems to be a founder member, and, despite this album is strongly focused on ‘electric strings’, Jordan Rudess offers some exquisite ivory work.
A whirlwind of heavy, arpeggiated duals and time-signature changes drives the mesmerizing “The Enemy Inside” and “Enigma Machine”, very energetic songs with monster riffs and memorable choruses.
James LaBrie’s vocals and the tight melodic rock inflections on the radio-ready “The Looking Glass” will have early Dream Theater fans dreaming of 1992’s Images and Words.
The acoustic-guitar-driven middle section in “Surrender To Reason” recalls 1997’s Falling Into Infinity, and Rudess’ virtuosic piano arrangements are as stunning as ever in “The Bigger Picture”.
Throw in the multi-movement opening “False Awakening Suite” and the 22-minute epic closing masterpiece “Illumination Theory” (awesome) that venture from padded-out synths and strings to prog-metal dynamics, and you’ve got all the makings of an archetypal Dream Theater album.
“Dream Theater” contains all the aspects of what makes Dream Theater «Dream Theater». It also signifies a sort of change, with something new and something old.
What has changed significantly for me – and it’s more than welcomed – is the sonic approach: this must be the more processed DT recording ever, very layered an quite compressed. ‘Big Sound’ indeed.
This is an album that fans will love, I’m sure of it. It contains many of the things that attracted first time ‘theaters’ (some of which may not have followed Dream Theater for a while) in the first place, and features new, wider, cinematic horizons, something that made this band so unique.
Oh, and for those who feared Mangini couldn’t fill Portnoy’s big shoes, rest easy: throughout “Dream Theater”, he displays formidable technique, while also adding a new flavor that promises to help keep faithful fans headbanging for years to come.
Highly Recommended.
01. False Awakening Suite:
I. Sleep Paralysis
II. Night Terrors
III. Lucid Dream
02. The Enemy Inside
03. The Looking Glass
04. Enigma Machine
05. The Bigger Picture
06. Behind The Veil
07. Surrender To Reason
08. Along For The Ride
09. Illumination Theory:
I. Paradoxe de la Lumière Noire
II. Live, Die, Kill
III. The Embracing Circle
IV. The Pursuit of Truth
V. Surrender, Trust & Passion
James LaBrie – lead vocals
John Petrucci – guitar, backing vocals
John Myung – bass, chapman stick
Jordan Rudess – keyboards, keytar, lap steel guitar
Mike Mangini – drums, percussion
Pre-Oder:
www.amazon.com/Dream-Theater/dp/B00DJ80VLS
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