Most problems of inclined Dream Theater listener might perhaps with the prelude, the, have rather pompously titled, three-piece False Awakening Suite. Already with their description in the run I had to think of Symphony X's Oculus Ex Inferni, one bathed in pathos and choir Progmetal intro to a tough, dark prog metal album. At first glance False Awakening seems to be pretty much the same. But what follows after that is just something else. The importance pregnant designation Suite is actually justified only because of the tripartite division, which is also called real perceives indeed. In the first part you powerful kicks, Symphony X Choir listen (ok, I admit, there are similarities), strings and solo runs, as well as a short march. The second part is something demonic, absorbs more ride before the third part then actually the circle first. I think we have really a successful opener in front of us. Not as expansive or optimistic asked as once the Overture to Six Degrees, but still pompous and sombre. This song will also open up the shows of Along For The Ride tour.
Only through this very Präludum also the following track, the pre-published single The Enemy Inside has grown a little more. When the last note of False Awakening Suite fades and immediately losbrettert one of the most powerful riffs of the album, I always feel a slight shiver on the back: Here they are again, the guys who gave me the gateway to any complex music, have opened a whole new musical world, and they have lost none of their charm. The Enemy Inside is a typical song that can stand for such intro, while a typical Dream Theater Song of the harder variety. My first thought was that Mangini his pool served very versatile and very different from Portnoy. My second was that the snare drum as of Images & Words sounds. I'll get back later. It rocked, it is gerifft it be pulled out all the stops of such songs. The verse is grooving, anthemic chorus is (see. The Root Of All Evil), the solo part dodgy and not too long. The Enemy Inside is a bodybuilder, an absolute force pigs from a song. He is very dear to me in the gallery context. Nestled between the pompous False Awakening Suite and the more optimistic successor The Looking Glass, it is a song that just stand here and be heard even in the context MUST. I am also looking forward, live to hear the thing.
The just mentioned next song The Looking Glass takes out a little ride, and leaves the listener after just heard, forceful and energetic opener double header put his thoughts briefly. It is a style similar in fact to rush, sometimes straight, but partly also intricate rock song, who knows how to convince with his very successful refrain. Furthermore Petrucci lets his guitar here again sing properly. So a solo would have played no Lifeson, large class. Mangini had here can calm a little straighter play, generally somewhat less. I think that this song will grow to lengths live. At first I thought the song rather weak, but that has now changed quite.
Enigma Machine but compensated immediately. Keyboard intro, bratz guitars, breakneck Schlagzeugfills, lightning-fast solo runs, after riffing before a Drummfill introduces the main theme. Other topics will be presented and modified already was repeated and varied. Then, without a break, solos, solos, solidarity that song all the time moved to 180. In addition, you can hear a whole lot of times Myung again. And then: Dream Theater build a homage to themselves? The quieter part sounds suspiciously like The Count Of Tuscany (Enigma Machine 3:37 and 10:17 Count). Then a funny inlay of guitar, keyboard and bass and insurance go back to the initial riffing. Mangini puts a sort of mini drum solo back when this part live not used as an entry for a long drum solo, then I do not know. I mean, a better springboard there is probably not (#edit (6.2.13): You have this place live actually used as an entry for the Drums Solo).
Me personally reminds Enigma Machine more like The Jam Ytse or even Rush YYZ (not the harmonious self, but as a unit) as example of Erotomania or The Dance Of Eternity. It is straight, it rifft and is not quite as complicated as the aforementioned. A Dance Of Eternity writes not twice, any more than a Suppers Ready, a Heart Of The Sunrise or Starless. I find it very cool and still think that the song is crashing live properly.
With The Bigger Picture Dream Theater lead the line of power ballads continue (This Is The Life, Wither etc.) and go one step further. The motives and ideas are so well involved and varied that one believes in the first Hördurchgängen, just listen to the chorus for each part of a completely new topic. Already the transition from the short, quiet Pianointerludium the verse is very nicely done. It will be presented consisting of quarter note an idea, and immediately afterwards she was varied by the scale type of minor to major is changed, and used as the foundation for the first verse. And if we are talking about the first verse: The right is fantastic, not least because of great LaBries song, which blends very well with quiet piano Rudess and Petrucci's commentary, guitar here. LaBrie announces wisdom and hope in a slightly kitschy, but for me is still pretty choice of words. The chorus is then powerful and anthemic and used melodies from the verse again. The second verse is completely different from the first and keeps the tension. After the second chorus comes a really nice solo from Master Petrucci. This is again very strong on melody and little Gefrickel (see. Prelude by In The Presence Of Enemies). Shortly after the 5 minutes have brand we usually have a significant queen reminiscence with typical Brian May guitar. The coda is then written for eternity and will provide live goose bumps. Again it builds on already presented, but varied motives here. The Bigger Picture is a fantastic composition which, I repeat, will grow to lengths live.
After an optimistic song, an instrumental and a power ballad now comes a second blast within the meaning of The Enemy Inside. Behind The Veil begins with some keyboard pads Gemache and then breaks into a pretty cool riff with kicks from. Again, one has the feeling that you would be presented with any part of a new theme bekommen- which is not the case with the first Hördurchgängen. The song is very heavy, but always brings quiet places, along with an anthemic chorus halftime. The solo part reminds me personally strongly to Yes, the way of the 7/8 time and the harmonies used. The keyboard solo is a throwback to Rick Wakeman for me. Finally, coming back to the chorus and ends the song with riffing. The last two songs are very good examples of how you can pack a lot of ideas in intelligent short songs for me. The Bigger Picture and Behind The Veil follow a similar idea, even if they are totally different than song: make subjects before and vary and repeat it constantly in other contexts. Here, however, a verse-chorus scheme persists, which is not quite as simple and quite straight forward as once at Wither, but still is quite concrete.
Surrender To Reason begins, similar to The Looking Glass, some Rushig, but think about it after a short time already different. Rightly the song was chalked, he did not know quite what he really wants to be: The first minute and a half already include three completely different parts, which is initially perhaps quite confusing. This affects only conclusive when one notices that all three parts are taken up again later. The song is somewhere between semi-ballad and bombast cracker with a few moderately heavy riffs in the middle. Actually, I think that's cool, the song is of thoughts and build just a little different. The chorus is very cool, in between singing Petrucci guitar again very nice and the recapitulation of the opening theme is refined by mega fast drum fills. Certainly one would generally a little more can make this theme and the song by even further or some motive still something would vary one or the other idea. However, I must say that I would not have noticed that there is here a text by John Myung, if I had not known it before. And so he does not blow me. But LaBrie sings of restless angels and stuff like that, that's probably another rush reminiscence)
Despite the weaknesses mentioned me Surrender To Reason like not bad. And if at the end again returns the opening theme and Mangini dazwischenprügelt a murderous Fill, then I always unpack my air drums.
Before the final Long Track and highlight to blow away the listener, the album offers even a ballad Along For The Ride. This is again a typical ballad with typical Petrucci text. Manginis game I find here quite odd, especially in the verses he could relate more to grooves than fills. So it seems to me that what he plays a little brittle, little fluid and somewhat insensitive to such a sensitive ballad .. But that is perhaps the drum sound to which I as I said later come again. The Keyboard solo was gebasht from the outset because it has the same sound as that of Beneath The Surface; It was at times described as the only reason cribbed from himself. Love Dream Theater fans, you can actually still something else than find fault? That's a shit if it's the same sound. Tony Banks had a most of his best keyboard solos and the same sound! Anyway, Along For The Ride is a really nice song with a nice chorus, which probably represents the moment in the concerts in which one (which will hopefully also loves Dream Theater) takes his girlfriend in the arm and slightly revels.
Which brings us reached the climax.
Illumination Theory was accused of it would not be coherent song, but rather 5 individual songs or a collection of good ideas. I disagree so completely in agreement, even though the piece is certainly not designed as closed as once Octavarium or The Count Of Tuscany; However, I found A Change Of Seasons at least incoherent, with many more topics presented and then discarded, were sometimes even canceled. Well, we take the piece apart a little time.
Paradoxes Of The Luminiere Noire starts completely typical, with a theme, bombastic, epic hymn: okay, the basic theme, similar to Octavarium (except for the keyboard intro). First digression, this issue reminds me very strongly of Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto. Whether this (I'll call it) Following is intentional or not, I do not know because Jordan knows this piano concerto certainly. Shortly thereafter, followed by a guitar riff, played by Petrucci by telephone (Cf.. Endless Sacrifice), which initiates speak the Prelude and forms its foundation. It is complicated, but little gefrickelt, played more with rhythms and shifts. A Bratz end Keyboardriff and quite a long drum fill lead into the next part a, Live, The. Kill. This is somewhat reminiscent of pieces as As I Am and The Root Of All Evil. The first chorus includes here, interestingly, a few time changes, which are then straightened in the second. Interesting idea.
Direct it follows the first solo part. The likes me then also really good! Here is pretty set DT completely atypical in Baroque Bach harmonies and melodies. You can hear properly out how versed Rudess and co. seem to be having such music: melodies wrap around each other, a voice from the other triggers, etc. Yes, some approaches of typical stream composition strategies later on. The little baroque is the DT-sound actually pretty good.
Anyway, the whole thing is just less than a minute before the song comes to a point of rest. For a moment, we find ourselves in I Get Up, I Get Down again, the resting place of masterpiece Yes Close To The Edge; precisely that which had just then made that work perfectly. However, it is not so easy, so easy to beat one of the great works of the 70 bridges and bring today to work, what then worked in this plant. That's why this inserted resting point affects not completely out of place, but he still makes a small tear in the river of Illumination Theory. Anyway, you will soon compensated by the actual quintessence of The Embracing Circle, because it follows a beautiful string part. Remembers anyone on the short studio clips that appeared before the publication at YouTube? Since Jordan Rudess once said, mutatis mutandis, his job would (also) to play right away, the saddest melody that he can imagine. That here they seem to be, and it's really wonderful.
Right after we find a recapitulation of the opening theme and a brief continuation before a Pink Floyd-like sound effect in initiating an aggressive drums bass staccato. Here the song for me begins to have a couple of small weaknesses: The problem of Illumination Theory is in fact not that it is too distracted, or that the resting place is much too large hole pulls no in the song, for me is just the problem that there are not enough cross-references to the other parts, which would make the song uniform in which you realize that you can still hear the same song.
How easy it would have been, according to the following verse (Mothers For their children, [...]) once more to live, The, Kill chorus (We seek [...]) to use modified? How easy it would have been, the Tchaikovsky-like main theme at the very end, to play again before the gong? That would have made the song perfectly.
Of course, I think the song is still for extraordinary because purely structurally he is also well thought out. Only what leitmotifs, recurring hooks etc. As he is weakening slightly. Seriously though, in the context also weakened A Change Of Seasons because was the only recurring theme Guitar theme at the beginning and end.
Illumination Theory is brought still befitting and with a flourish at the end. We only hear a very hot solo part where Rudess demonstrates that he likes Keith Emerson (the Quartarpeggien). That he even Jon Lord is cool, he has already shown in the rock shuffle with the pig organ. It is this part now returns, and of course is fierce solos and gefrickelt about.
If Dream Theater but what have it, then it is, should lead to a final. While Petrucci solos, Rudess lays underneath a few chords that lead inevitably to salvation. And here we find ourselves in a grand finale again, one of those moments for which I love Dream Theater so. LaBrie announced a few important wisdom before Petrucci guitar again really nice singing and triumphing in a high note at the end. The harmony connection is awesome and is at the end, even tinged classic again in Petrucci's trill. That's great cinema.
So. this song is for me to end here, and I can not understand how all this Easter Egg can be described as belonging to the song. This is actually unnecessary, but quite nice, it leaves the listener to come down again. However, it has nothing to do with Illumination Theory, so this is after 19:17 min for me to end. The hidden track suits for me but very good at the end of the album.
After this detailed (and quite long geratenen;)) analysis, I would like to say a few general words.
The lyrics on DT12 are slightly different than the previous albums. On The Count Of Tuscany and The Ministry Of Lost Souls was told. Especially on Systematic Chaos there were ghost stories. On Dramatic Turn the lyrics sometimes politically (Outcry, On The Backs) were, as they were sometimes critical of religion in In The Name Of God. On Dream Theater is rather philosophizing. John Petrucci is really beautiful words to the songs to give face. In this context, I like the closing section of The Bigger Picture very well where loud paradox are enumerated. The text of Myung I find not outstanding, but unremarkable. That the whole sometimes has the kitsch me is relatively unimportant; I always plead for Kitsch fan.
The sound on Dream Theater is really very good, even if by compression sometimes a little momentum is lost. The chant is crystal clear, the sounds from Rudess Keyboard are tastefully because versatile and finally back slightly retro. The bass could do with a little less mids (see Rush Clockwork Angels:. As a bass should sound), but I'm glad to hear Myung ever. Petrucci's guitar klingt- what can I say, it should sound like a guitar in rock and metal field ..
The only thing that did not work, and I habs already mentioned several times, is the percussion! John, what did you think you were doing? That's pretty much the most disgusting, least favorable snare sound I have ever heard in Images & Words. In fact, it almost sounds like on I & W: The snare has absolutely no belly is, absolutely not, of course, and has only overtones and undertones. For Bigger Picture Mangini plays in solo gorgeous ghost notes, etc., but nothing comes over them, because every little touch of the skin almost as loud as a hit with full force. Ever any momentum is lost here, and Mangini plays dynamically! PITY! Even with the bass drum I'm not completely satisfied, which has given me too much clicking, and too little thud. If I (okay again Rush) anmache Rush Vapor Trails and horny One Little Victory Groove losbrettert- then I know how drums should sound! A snare sound must be concise, be open and he must crack. Here he sounds like as if you were cut with a pen on a pillow.
The more I am happy that a composer undoubtedly awesome new songs to hören- live with a decent drum sound! And hopefully bring Dream Theater after Along For The Ride tour another live album raus with many new songs and a decent drum sound!
On Dramatic Turn the drum sound was okay, it was just a bit too quiet and it lacks some of the bums. But Dream Theater self-titled album sounds Manginis drums, sorry, really sucks. Since he can play cool as he wants, and he does.
At least sound the pool in my opinion well. But if you already incorporates Rush reminiscences in words and music, then why not also in the Sound? And again I'm One Little Victory through your mind ..
Well. Now I got rid of my drums grief.
Nevertheless, I like Dream Theater self-titled. During a dramatic turn of events back to the Images & Words sound, this album goes up to the False Awakening Suite a little deeper into the roots. Therefore, I do not condemn the Rush also echoes; Dream Theater are and were always Rush fans and the DT Sound would not be the same without these influences. And as Rush Impacts When Dream & Day Unite are not denying, I hear also some parallels between the first and the last Dream Theater album. The songs are even shorter and more precise than on Dramatic Turn.
However DT12 is compared to its predecessor again bombastic, somewhat melancholy, not quite as abgeklärt- and considers the inclined Dream Theater fan again a few real pearls ready. The Looking Glass has grown tremendously for me with the time, The Enemy Inside works in the gallery context extremely well and the factory About Illumination Theory, despite some weaknesses in the design a great piece of music with some great moments.
Surely you would have made many approaches and ideas can still get out to get something more, if they had just carried a little further (Surrender To Reason), certainly destroyed the drums sound the odd impression (Along For The Ride) but still dream drama on her now TWELFTH album still great Progressive Metal with a lot of joy and a lot of depth. And if we are the killer argument Twelfth album again, then I must also run even further: Yes twelfth album was Big generator, Genesis twelfth album was also a self-titled, but .. well, we lose nothing about it here once ...
Dream Theater on the other hand it assets but, 24 years after the release of their debut, still sounding like themselves.
And therefore without Portnoy Dream Theater are not uninteresting, and not much else; No, they still do their thing, completely unperturbed, and always good. Since DT12 is no exception.
