Dream Theater
Black Clouds And Silver Linings

By now, when news of an upcoming new Dream Theater album arrives, the things I tell myself are always the same, namely: "it will be another technical masterpiece, but many will say it's just another piece of crap labeled Dream Theater". I already said this when I was waiting, two years ago, for the release of "Systematic Chaos", and so it was, and I said it again while waiting for the new "Black Clouds And Silver Linings", the tenth of their career, and I think it will be like that! I am one of the many clever people who couldn’t resist waiting for that long-awaited June 23rd and preferred to download it from the network more than a month before its release... and now I'm here to review it.

I can say that once again the guys did not miss the mark. The album doesn't sound particularly new to the listener's ears; it seems that while up to "Octavarium" DT was intent on changing approach practically with every album, now, from "Systematic Chaos" onwards, they seem intent on maintaining a fairly evident standard. Nothing particularly different then from the previous album, but it confirms how much greatness these 5 musicians can give us: Petrucci and Rudess are always impeccable in their solos, atmospheres always well cared for, sometimes sunnier, sometimes darker, harder moments and more delicate moments, occasionally unleashing thrash turns in the style of Metallica as they have for the past four albums. But I must say that once again the band uses what is good in their repertoire to thrill us as always; that the album has to reckon with the fabulous '90s of the band is another story, but if we continue to cling to the past, we will never get to the bottom of things and will do nothing but argue like little children...

6 songs and 75 minutes of progressive metal that open with "A Nightmare To Remember" a long 16-minute track with epic and dark tones. A very dark keyboard followed by masterful orchestrations opens the track, then here comes Petrucci entering with a barrage of one of the thrashy riffs he often wields lately; later on, we let ourselves be caressed by a semi-acoustic part very much in Opeth style and then here’s Petrucci and Rudess launching into the usual instrumental escapes that, however repetitive and predictable some might call them, can instead transport us far away through a great vortex: first a great guitar solo, then a great keyboard solo, again a guitar solo and then Rudess delights us with his inimitable continuum to close with a nice guitar-keyboard unison; the last few minutes reserve us another thrash turn, other orchestrations that are lost in an end once again marked by sad keyboard notes like at the beginning.

And so... track number 2, "A Rite Of Passage" an apparently more catchy song but then comes to show its more technical side; the first few minutes of the song flow quite easily to the listener’s ears: starts with deep notes of bass and guitar, somewhat reminiscent of "Home", as someone will surely notice, then a strong but not exaggerated guitar and a Rudess always very attentive to atmospheres create a sunny and rather linear and easy-to-listen melody, but just when everyone is thinking of a frivolous top-of-the-charts song... hehe, did you think life was simple, huh? the pace speeds up and once again turns to thrash-tinged rhythms as the background to another delightful instrumental part: spine-chilling Petrucci's guitar solo and then a great keyboard solo, as well as the strange electronic effects that close the instrumental part before everything comes back as before. Appearance is deceiving, is the saying that fits this song perfectly, how many will think that after hearing it! But now it is the time for "Wither" a sad and dark ballad, a true relaxation aid carried forward by Petrucci with his arpeggios and by Rudess always solid even on the atmospheric side.

And now, it is the time for "The Shattered Fortress" the song that finally closes the Alcoholics Anonymous saga started 7 years ago with "The Glass Prison". Here we are faced with a kind of revisitation of what has been said in the past: indeed the song is a continuous succession of déjà vu, so much so that throughout the song we hear phrases or riffs being pronounced or played that were already present in the previous tracks of the saga, although here they are evidently rearranged; to these are obviously added new melodies. A song with a heavy and thrash-like pace with aggressive and distorted riffs, the heaviest track on the record, almost replicating the harsh and dizzying sounds of "Train Of Thought". The volume gradually rises from silence with a hammering riff and fine keyboard touches, and shortly after a solo that reprises "This Dying Soul"... a sudden change of pace and a reprise of one of the final riffs of "The Glass Prison" almost the same as the original and LaBrie sings over it with a voice never before so desperate and angry; the hammering riff of "This Dying Soul" is also reprised as well as the lyrics sung in "Repentance"; then Rudess launches into a really long and incredible solo... and who can stop him anymore... always supported by extreme and powerful guitars the genius overwhelms us for almost two minutes with a cascade of notes making us think with an open mind "he is Rudess!"; and what about the slow part that follows; honestly one of the best moments of the record! Rudess rests his hands, avoiding arthritis, and gifts us a lulling and deep keyboard background accompanied by the acoustic guitar; this slow part is splendid, LaBrie sings a verse from "This Dying Soul" over it and shortly after... a faithful reprise of the chorus and guitar riff from "The Root Of All Evil" and then... this time it is Petrucci who delights us with a solo nothing short of splendid; in the finale, after a decidedly lighter part here comes the song concludes with the initial part of "The Glass Prison" once again played quite faithfully to the original and in the very last few seconds... the rearranged beginning of "The Root Of All Evil" is played back. What a ride guys, so much sweat on the forehead going through all these memories but luckily there is something new in between to rest the memory!

And here we are at the penultimate track, "The Best Of Times": this time no dark riffs and distorted guitars as the frame; here it’s the melody that prevails, and what a melody! After the intro entrusted to the piano, Petrucci enters with a well-measured guitar loop and for the first few minutes of the track, the sound of the guitar this time more sweetened and lively and far from heavy sounds combined with the clean and clear voice of LaBrie this time seem to bring DT back to melodies very close to those of the origins; and indeed there maybe tears could come to many nostalgic eyes! then towards the middle of the song, the pace slows, and the song enhances the more introspective and melodic side with emphasis on acoustic guitar, piano, and more relaxing and less epic keyboard backgrounds. The final solo by Petrucci is also spine-tingling, this time wanting to show he's not only an ultra-technical guitarist but also a bearer of emotions!

And beware! The album closes with a suite that is obligatory to define as a masterpiece. If many might think, after hearing the other songs, that DT no longer has that ability to make the songs homogeneous and to give a valid framework to the themes dealt with (this is not my case) I think they won’t say the same thing with this track, where it really seems that everything is really in the right place at the right time! "The Count Of Tuscany" will very likely please even the most ardent detractors! Perhaps the quality level of this song is so remarkable that it can make the other songs seem inferior, it’s true, but the epicness of this suite makes the listener, after enjoying the previous 5 tracks moderately well, eagerly await the final suite to delight the ears! If only one could always have songs like this... but in life, one must change! The track opens with a delicate guitar arpeggio joined by electric guitar effects to fully exalt Petrucci's melodic vein and then immediately an instrumental part with guitars and keyboards always well-connected, to then arrive at catchy and lively choruses and new technical refinements before the pace slows down and introduces us to a splendid slow part where a light and "nocturnal" keyboard background provides the backdrop to Petrucci's effected guitar; after a nice acoustic part, the song closes with an always melodic and dreamy part with Rudess's melodic keyboards in the lead. Note how in this suite it seems the old dear Dream Theater, which some had given for dead, has returned; indeed here they renounce excessively heavy riffs and derived if anything from more classic metal, and the instrumental parts, although technical, do not exalt only speed... A new "A Change Of Seasons", I would say. It seems too well-done and is less hurried and rushed than the other tracks. I think this (but I would also say the penultimate) is the track Dream Theater should start from if they want to win back longtime fans.

Considerations (useless or useful as they are) aside, I believe that Dream Theater really can’t miss a beat; once again they have given us a technical masterpiece; that my cousin talks about disappointment, I don't care at all. I will cover my ears so as not to hear what the usual unlucky detractors will say, or at least I will put a filter on my ears to not hear them and hear only the music. Of course, the unattainable records remain always the same, "Images And Words" and "Scenes From A Memory" but I think Dream Theater, despite their advancing age, always prove to be coolheaded, always skilled composers, always able to tell fantastic stories! Certainly, a return to the origins wouldn’t displease me either, but now there’s no time for chatter and one must just listen to the umpteenth jewel from the group! The dream goes on! Thank you guys!

I a d o r e you!