The kings of progressive metal are back with a brand new album and how! It seems that – after the releases of the highly ambitious “Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory” and last year’s lengthy “Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence” – the Americans wanted to come up with something catchier and more compact, but above all rawer and heavier.
The previous time that the band made this challenge was with the “Falling From Infinity” album, released in 1997. The record displayed a more modern sounding Dream Theater and was much talked about by both friend and foe. But if we look back upon it, it was much fuzz about nothing as they quickly returned to their usual, less modern approach. Meanwhile however, many bands whom Dream Theater inspired, kept on searching for new ideas and influences in order to sound different from their siblings as well as from their ancestors. Seemingly, the band felt that it was time for another little experiment. On “Train Of Thought”, their new album, they sound more straight forward than ever. Although the songs’ running times may imply the contrary, the tracks at least seem more compact and direct than on “Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence” for instance, but above all they show a rawer Dream Theater. Now, don’t think your prog gods have definitively chosen another musical route. This is still Dream Theater, even at their best, but at their heaviest as well, resulting in fabulous songs as single and album opener “As I Am”, the impressive “This Dying Soul”, “Endless Sacrifice” with its fabulous build-up, the aggressive but haunting “Honor Thy Father” or “In The Name Of God”, the perfect finale for this album.
The music may be heavy, an equal amount of power can be heard in Petrucci’s and Portnoy’s great production, which adds to the already high amount of quality of this album. Consequently, none other than the maximum score would’ve been right to assign to “Train Of Thought”. It doesn’t top their “Images And Words” album, but together with “Awake” and “Metropolis Pt. 2”, this record is a serious contender for the second place in Dream Theater’s ‘best album ever’ chart. And at the end of this year, it will probably end at the top of numerous polls as well. Seems like Queensr?che should take a couple of lessons from LaBrie and company on how to keep developing without becoming a wallflower… (SL)
 

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STEELER (on 27/12/09) NO...not a masterpiece,but yes..better than octavarium,dark,heavier,epic than octavarium,i like it a lot,and i seen them alive with this album,awesome!!   Metalrob4662 (on 20/09/07) I love it!! One of the best from Dream Theater..Aggressive, Heavy Progressive.Just the way i like it. Some of the riffs are like what others said "Metallia" like, but still very DT. If you love DT like me then you have to have this one.   Modulator (on 24/01/06) M A S T E R P I E C E !!!!!! BEST DREAM THEATER ALBUM!!!!! A MUST HAVE FOR EVERYBODY WHO LOVES GUITAR SOUND AT ALL! OH,GOD!!!   Progrock (on 24/07/05) Quite loud at some times. You can hear rip offs of metallica (and justice for all) and Pain of salvation and some others just for a few seconds but what really matters is that they make high quality music so easy that it's unbeliveable. They release an album almost every year with so much quality music wise speaking, ideas and changes that I don't think they care anymore about what critics will say. They are just themselves composing, writting music and doing what the hell they want and so far I don't think there's a band on earth close to them they just play on their own league. For me the only downside of the album is James singing/screaming away in some parts that it doesn't fit at all it gets annoying some times but................It's Dream Theater, you know.   Gordy (on 26/06/05) I am going to say I dont really like this album very much, thereby demonstrating my total lack of DT loyalty, even though I purchase everything they release (which does demonstrate my loyalty), but for fans of the more melodic side of DT, this doesnt have much to offer really.   H13H (on 18/05/05) Not being much into prog metal, I must admit that (having each and every DT album so far anyway!), this one does kick assssss!!! Even LaBrie, whose voice in high tones I don't like, sounds excellent on this one! Good shit, people, and it comes from a guy that prefers Maiden, Purple, Motorhead, Sabbath, Whitesnake... that kind of blues-based stuff. Hey! What's good is good! Enuff said!   rodrigo666 (on 8/04/05) It isn't too great like Images & Words, Awake or Metropolis pt. 2 (the three better albuns from DT, ever), but it really is a great album and muche better than the Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence, wich disc one was too boring and pretencious for me, while the Six D.O.I. Turbulence Disc Two is amazing and worth buying.   Glass Prisoner (on 29/11/03) Kaj must have s**t in his ears. This album is great. As for his comment "they insist on showing off how great they are at playing", they do it because they can. Not like most of the Numetal screamer bands he listens to who couldn't play an instrument if it was rammed up their arse. Get this and play it loud!! Now Kaj, go back and listen to your Puddle of Pud CD.   Kaj (on 26/11/03) "Not a single prog act can touch ´em" says AORPOMPY and what about all this overhyped hysteria over such a grotesque instrumental masturbation??!!! Images and words is a classic album but since then,DT has only gone downslope......there are a few highlights on each album but I fxxking hate it when they insist on showing off how great they are at playing. Booooooring it is and how about the intro riff on the opening track?,haven´t any one of you guys heard Black Sabbath with Black Sabbath?-It´s the same notes.....Petrucci could have done it in a more polished way with saying it´s a tribute to Iommi,TRAIN OF THOUGHT is on it´s way to Siberia where no man lives........and there it can stay!   VaDeR (on 25/11/03) Great album, especially the music roxx. Even Labrie sounds a bit better than he normally does. ( I really don't like his voice on many albums ). Although 6 stars is a bit to high, 5 stars is what this album certainly deserves:) Now DT has to select a bette voice, and the 6 starts a on his way for the next one!   Nuclear Cowboy (on 24/11/03) This CD is awesome. John Petrucci is growing in every album as guitar master/legend as well and here's the prove. Make no mistakes, this is the best heavy rock album of the year with no doubt. A real MASTERPIECE for our ears these days. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!!   AORPOMPY (on 24/11/03) Indeed, another fantastic album by the absolute masters of progressive metal ! These guys are the very best musicians EVER in history of pop ! No doubt about that ! Not one single prog act can touch 'em ! And boy, this CD is heavy ! Some riffs remind me of Metallica ! But their are the typical Dream Theater too. Variation is, as always !, the name of the game ! Keys, guitars, bas, you have it all, and even mr. Labrie is at his peak ! So, don't hesitate and buy as soon as possibbe this MASTERPIECE ! After Pride Of Lions, the second best album of the year, and in the prog/metal genre head and shoulders above any competition ! BUY !!!!!

 

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