If I had to make a list of most productive bands, the US progressive metal gods of Dream Theater would definitely be somewhere on top. Not a year goes by without a sign of life - whether it is a side project, a new studio album, a live album or a high quality DVD - from these guys. Hot on the heels of the "Live At Budokan" CD/DVD combo and - more recently - frontman James LaBrie's third solo album "Elements Of Persuasion", released last year and this year respectively, there's a new DT album on the shelves. It's their eighth, in case you might have lost count over the years, and therefore subtly titled "Octavarium". Well... more subtle than the "Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence" moniker if you like. Anyway, we're here to talk about what's on offer.
And that is something totally different than what you'd expect if you've heard their previous album "Train Of Thought". The latter, released in 2003, was the heaviest delivery of the band ever, loved by some and hated for the same reason by quite a few others. It seems though that the band have had their catharsis after the release of this rather aggressive album. On "Octavarium", they have refound the balance, blending the best elements of their earlier releases with those of "Train Of Thought".
The remains of their previous album can be heard in "The Root Of All Evil" and "Panic Attack", the two heaviest tracks on offer here, but both of them of the highest quality and melodic enough to please even the most demanding in that department. Separated from each other by the haunting ballad "The Answer Lies Within", which proves what a great lyricist John Petrucci is, the superb "These Walls" - check the chorus and that damn catchy guitar solo by Petrucci - and the surprisingly radio-friendly "I Walk Beside You", a tune with a high U2 factor. The straightforward "Never Enough" and the beautiful "Sacrificed Sons", the only song on the album written by LaBrie, lead to the magnum opus of this album: the 24-minute, 5-part title track. "Octavarium", the song, is a trip through progressive rock and metal history. Starting off as a Pink Floyd classic, with numerous nods to traditional and modern outfits as Genesis, Kansas, IQ, Arena, Shadow Gallery - the guitar run around minute 17 - and Spock's Beard, and with the support of a full blown orchestra for the first time it DT's history, it is one of the most original and impressive 'pieces' of music the inspirational band have ever recorded.
Contrary to its predecessor, "Octavarium" will undoubtedly appeal to each and every long-time fan and I would be very surprised if it didn't attract any new ones. This fine piece of work is the best Dream Theater have delivered since 1999's "Scenes From A Memory". Spread the word! (SL)
 

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STEELER (on 27/12/09) 2 of my greatest DT dissapointments:falling into infinity and octavarium,every time i try to listen this album,i fall to sleep,i can't finish it!!!   Jez (on 19/04/07) 'Train Of Though' DT's previous album, dissapointed me big time,their first one ever to do so. Thank god then that the band have decided to cut the Metallica thing and get back to what they do best - writing powerful, yet melodic quality material.This is a fantastic album, and their best paced and most varied in a long time. The title track is every Prog fans dream come true, whilst 'I Walk Beside You' is one of the most commercial catchy songs the band has ever released with a U2 vibe to it. Superb   TheBoneman (on 15/08/06) Yay! They've finally done it! With all due respect to the founding fathers of prog metal, I have never held DT as dearly in my affections as some of their successors - Symphony X, Vanden Plas and the truly wondrous Threshold. There are two reasons for this: firstly, James Labrie's castrato-on-helium vocals, which convert some intelligent and thoughtful lyrics into a vocal white-out (and spoilt their otherwise wonderful "Images and Words"); secondly, DT have formerly lacked an adequate filter against excess. All too often their songs can degenerate into musical wank-fests, self-indulgent to the point of irritation. But not this time. Maybe an involvement with Metallica's back catalogue - Dream Theater's live performances of "Master of Puppets" - has had a significant impact; certainly it seems to have influenced the last DT album "Train of Thought", which many critics felt was too metal for its own good. However, I would contend that their live renditions of one of metal's supreme masterworks forced DT to do some serious thinking about their own material. "Train of Thought" may have aped Metallica way too much, but having got it out of their collective systems, Labrie and Co. have now finally achieved a faultless balance - their own prog brilliance combined with Metallica's economy of style, where even in lengthy songs there isn't a single wasted note. And the result is simply outstanding. The prog epics, such as the magnificent title track and the moving "Sacrificed Sons", no longer carry any spare flesh, while the whole disc is leavened by the gloriously commercial "I Walk Beside You", which could almost have been written by U2. Mr. Labrie's vocals are excellent too - no longer competing with dog whistles, he has finally found his true voice. This is a marvellous release, and if DT can continue in this vein it may be that the founders of metallic prog still have their greatest years ahead of them.   snoe (on 16/05/06) Weird that I never shared my opinion about this CD, but here goes. This is a great record, but it's nothing compared to the great 'Images and Words'. Two years after the rather disappointing release of 'Train of Thought', Dream Theater slap us silly with something totally different to its predecessor. Where 'Train of Thought' could be seen as Dream Theater's metal album, they now made a much more breathing release full of nods to great bands like Yes and even U2. Mike Portnoy's love for Muse is pretty obvious too. I guess this CD fits best into the same category as 'Awake' and 'Scenes from a Memory'... very good, but not quite yet. These guys can't make a bad record I suppose.   H13H (on 16/05/06) I preferred Train of Thought! But... still good!   Modulator (on 24/01/06) Goog album but after "Train Of Thought" it was little disappointment. Who knows......   Starcast (on 15/08/05) Great album, if what safe...   metaldami (on 24/07/05) Una genial mezcla de Melodia, Potencia y Poder hace que los cambio de ritmos en OCTAVARIUM parezcan sacados de otro mundo. Realmente se pasaron esta vez, con temas emotivos como I Walk Beside You (bien para MTV) y poderosisimamente progresivos como Panic Atack!!! Sin dudarlo, el mejor de Dream Theater despues de Scenes from a Memory!   Progrock (on 24/07/05) I love it. Jame's voice fits much better in this album. The only one track i don't like is the ballad The answer lies within. It is so obvious and stupid.... for the rest two thumbs up!   jimbodelux (on 23/07/05) I personally prefer Train of Thoughts. And even the (heavier) James Labrie solo cd. But however Octavarium is one of the greatest cd you could listen to this year. Complex and compelling. I can't wait for the show in FN!!!   TomSawYa (on 21/07/05) This album was the first I listened to of DT at all. I liked it at once, but it wasn´t really what I expected of DT to hear regarding all read comments so far about DT (in general). So, afterwards I went to buy "Images & Words" to get their "masterpiece" everyone recommended. Out of that experience (sorry, no more than two albums so far), Octavarium lost 1 extra star to the "planned" 5.5   stevevai111 (on 16/07/05) I again need to agree with Wolf and Aorpompy. It's a diamond, a must have. Very varied songs and atmosphere. The live show was also brilliant, the new songs sounded even better in live. Only the I/w and the Scenes are better (just a bit). No use quareling on the scores...   Sas (on 14/07/05) It's always great to hear new material DT does, but I think a 6 star rating is over the top. Musicianship is always great. Songwriting is where they lack in this album. I hear pieces of various songs and sounds of other bands, but where is the Dream Theater sound? Images and Words and Awake blow this album out of the water like an M80 under a rubber duckie! Where are the great memorable melodies and feel that made them who they are? Where is Kevin Moore? I hope they find their "own" roots once again. TOT to Octavarium, there has to be a happy medium somewhere!!   Paiva (on 13/07/05) A d.t. album,is always a good album, words of the grandma...   AORPOMPY (on 12/07/05) The MASTERS are back ! Without a shadow of a doubt : this is the most important and best current band ! How Joan and Vader can give this a rather average rating, is totally beyond me ! This is pure ART !!!!! A MUST HAVE !!! And whatever Gloobey may think, not the full rating ( I'll seldom give such a rating), but a well deserved 5,5 rating for this new MASTERPIECE !   Joan (on 8/07/05) Finally they succeeded in grabbing me with some tunes of which I thought, "hey is that really DT?". So an extra star for that, but I can see VaDeR's points on Labrie & catchiness too.   HIBA (on 6/07/05) I agree with Gordy, without a doubt the best album they've made in ages. Not that these guys ever made a bad album, but this one stands out !!!! Great stuff !!!   theater66 (on 3/07/05) For me its there best since I/W, there's no other band that release quality album EVERY time, This album has everything for me and im just so pleased with this album, the last 2 tracks are simply awesome, this is my only 6 stars of this year and its been a very good year for me.   Muadebe (on 3/07/05) After TOT which I did not like much, I was a bit apprehensive about buying this. Bought it the first day and have been listening to it since. To me this is the most enjoyable album DT has put out since Scenes from a Memory. Stand out songs for me are definately "Sacrificed Sons" and "Octavarium". If you liked I&W, Awake, and SFAM, you'll probably enjoy this. Octavarium will most likely end up in my top 10 this year.   Gordy (on 3/07/05) This is Dream Theater's best CD in ages. I'm more into the melodic DT, and this album satisfies in that department. What a great record. I never thought they had it in them to do something this good ever again. I think they are finally letting Jordan Ruddess to shine, and his keyboard work is great. And James LaBrie is singing great on this album. How can anyone think he spoils this is totally beyond me. An incredible album with a lot of influences on display. I even hear some neo-classical elements in some instrumental soloing, and Octavarium begins in a manner that wouldn't seem out of place on an Ayreon album. Just brilliant!   WOLF 359 (on 3/07/05) Is Vader listening to the same band as the rest of us ? . Songs that don't grab you a bad singer , i must be hearing a totally different band . Yet he still gives the cd 4.5 stars ( very odd ) . For me it's a belter of an album and although not a six pointer , it's their best work in ages . Octivarium and Sacrificed Sons are worth the price of the cd alone .   VaDeR (on 2/07/05) Hmm.....Not really worth 6 stars. Where DT offers the top in musicanship, they lack the talent of writing really great songs that "grab you". As there are many bands that DO offer this, I can' t see why DT should have a 6 star for this release. Great music, poor songs. Personal note: when is DT getting rid of James Labrie? I personally think he's the main spoiler of DT as his vocals are not THAT great.   Gloobey (on 2/07/05) Yes, a great record...but not SIX STARS great (I must be becoming really boring....) So, if this worth six stars, was 'Images And Words' worth seven? That would make it better than perfect, wouldn't it....?   AOR Ive (on 2/07/05) Finaly Dream Theather has released an album that's worthy for their reputation . "Octavarium" is somewhere in between their first and their last couple albums , so it's melodic , progressive , extremely well played with some slightly modern influences here and there , but never too much . I also agree with Stijn that the song "I walk beside you" is very much influenced by U2 , but the song is a million times better then anything U2 has come up with the last 15 years . All the other songs are also awesome and it's probably the fourth best album they released so far ( after "Images and words" , "Scenes from a memory" and "Awake" . Very very recommmended .

 

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