 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Dream Theater
A Dramatic Turn Of Events
(Roadrunner Records)
I’ll be the first to admit that when I was initially approached about worshipping at the First United Church Of Dream Theater via an ex-co-worker (circa 2005), I initially didn’t know what to expect. This was, after all, a bona fide Progressive Metal band and I, not knowing any better, had spent most of my adult life deeply immersed amid the Glam-inflected strains of Guns ‘n’ Roses, L.A. Guns, Motley Crüe and Quiet Riot, to name only a few. Despite this (or perhaps in part because of it), I was able to set my more than considerable misgivings aside and wholeheartedly embraced the group with a previously unparalleled enthusiasm. Needless to say, the end result--as I’m sure you’ve already guessed--was a musical experience unlike almost any other that would eventually lead to the start of what has thus far been a remarkably long and truly intense relationship.
On the brilliant A Dramatic Turn Of events (2011), an expertly assembled nine song collection of genre-defining Progressive Heavy Metal, each track, beginning with the maddeningly infectious first single “On The Backs Of Angels” and the impossibly hook-laden “Build Me Up, Break Me Down”, instantly commands the rapt and undivided attention of even the most jaded and unimaginative of listeners, myself most definitely included. Wasting little--if any--time unleashing a seamless blend of soaring vocals, searing fretwork and imaginatively punishing rhythms, the group once again proves themselves worthy of the highest of critical and commercial accolades without bogging down amid their own virtuosic tendencies. The resulting auditory excursions, while not necessarily groundbreaking and/or revolutionary, are guaranteed to satisfy early and often.
Continuing with the emotionally-charged lament “This Is The Life” and the relentlessly pummeling “Outcry”, the newly-rejuvenated combination of vocalist James LaBrie, guitarist John Petrucci (Explorers Club, Liquid Tension Experiment, Nightmare Cinema) keyboardist Jordan Rudess (Dixie Dregs, Liquid Tension Experiment, Vinnie Moore), bassist John Myung and drummer Mike Mangini (Annihilator, Extreme, Tribe Of Judah) steamrolls ahead like the well-oiled machine they so obviously have become. Effectively capitalizing on the veritable tidal wave of momentum initiated with the releases of the undeniably-ingenious Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009) and their Roadrunner Records debut Systematic Chaos (2007), the group pounds their few would-be oppressors into submission with a near-lethal precision that has become a trademark.
Produced, Mixed and Engineered by Petrucci, Paul Northfield (Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, Suicidal Tendencies) and Andy Wallace (Avenged Sevenfold, Faith No More, Sepultura) at the acclaimed Long Island, New York-based Cove City Sound Studios, other standouts, including the soaring, multi-dimensional “Breaking All Illusions” and the equally impressive, acoustic-tinged closer “Beneath The Surface”, offering a staggering wealth of further sonic evidence in support of the group’s undeniable compositional prowess. An absolute must-have for anyone with a genuine and sincere appreciation for all things Heavy Metal and Heavy Metal-related (or, for that matter, all things intensely-complex or outright intricate), the group ultimately succeeds by focusing on the oft-breathtaking tonalities that initially propelled them to the zenith of international prominence.
So what, exactly, are you waiting for? The ‘triumphant return’ of Mike Portnoy? Even if you somehow find yourself less than enthralled with the majority--if not all--of the occasionally exhaustive wares contained herein, one must, at the very least, sincerely admire the long-running group’s seemingly ceaseless dedication to perfecting their proverbial craft, a much-welcomed and increasingly rare characteristic that will undoubtedly continue to separate them from their few legitimate contemporaries. Love ‘em or loathe ‘em, this is quite possibly as good as it gets. Accordingly, if you’ve once again found yourself in search of a thought-provoking alternative to the endless array of puréed, Pop and Hip-Hop-infused frivolity that is so often the mainstream, then this, my friends, might just be the high octane cure for what ails you. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Select Discography
A Dramatic Turn Of Events (2011) **
Wither (EP) (2009) **
Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009) **
Chaos In Motion 2007 - 2008 (DVD) **
Greatest Hit…And 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs (2008) **
Systematic Chaos (2007) **
Score (DVD) (2006) **
Score (2006) **
Octavarium (2005) **
Live At Budokan (DVD) (2004) **
Live At Budokan (2004) **
Images And Words: Live In Tokyo/5 Years In A Livetime (DVD) (2004) **
The Majesty Demos 1985 - 1986 (2003) ***
Train Of Thought (2003) **
Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence (2002) **
Metropolis 2000: Live Scenes From New York (DVD) (2001) **
Live Scenes From New York (2001) **
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory (1999) **
Once In A LIVEtime (1998) **
Falling Into Infinity (1997) **
A Change Of Seasons (EP) (1995) **
Awake (1994) **
Images And Words: Live In Tokyo (DVD) (1993) **
Live At The Marquee (EP) (1993) **
Images And Words (1992) **
When Dream And Day Unite (1989) *
* features vocalist Charlie Dominici
** features vocalist James LaBrie
*** features vocalist Chris Collins