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Rating:
THE REVIEW
I can't understand, reading several other reviews on other sites, how after years there can still be some diehard fans who persist in trying to justify a band's transformation into something that necessarily has to be positive. Let's be honest, the Dream are NO longer the ultra-tech metal-prog-band they wanted to appear to be during the times of Images and Words or A Change of Seasons.
The songs on this work seem taken from the leftovers of the penultimate T.O.T. Actually, to be honest, the good album previously produced by the New Yorkers is by far more beautiful than this latest one, lacking technical-prog moments except for the usual five-minute piece in the album's final track, which lasts 24 minutes but 12 are a slow intro and 4 an outro... let's not confuse it with pieces like Instrumedley from Live at Budokan... that is prog! The usual old melodic phrases taken from the penultimate work return as usual, and perhaps by listening to other bands, I might find other similarities just like with a track taken from "Burn The Sun" by ARK, practically turned around by Dream with a nice copy-paste on their T.O.T. 2-3 of their pieces seem taken from purely rock works... low pronounced bass, a steady 4/4 walking drum, background guitar, long keyboard notes with a Rudess who occasionally throws in effects that would fit better in a disco rather than in a metal piece... and again with a LaBrie who gives you a nice 5-6 refrain text to
make a 7-8 minute song that always looks good, right? (not just 4 minutes of rock, huh!)
Honestly, I can't understand how people persist in wanting to see Dream still as that band with tracks like Under A Glass Moon, Pull Me Under, Metropolis, or Take The Time... those indeed were and are the pillars of Prog-metal. For me, that group since Scenes From A Memory has started a declining phase; yes, okay, the songs are pretty... yes, yes Petrucci does the usual huge solos at 220 bpm, Portnoy hits like a blacksmith between snare and double bass, but that's not how you do prog. Maybe Dream, after reaching a good level worldwide, want to relax and enjoy fame and money, but I don't think music, in general, can benefit from this; if people began to look for new names, they'd notice the competition is fierce, and in the rock-prog and metal-prog field, there are very, very talented bands, be careful!
p.s. I state that I have been playing rock guitar for 15 years, and Dream are (are they still?... who knows) my favorite band along with some other dozens among guitar heroes and prog and heavy bands and honestly I'm sorry to write things like this, but I prefer a thousand times to say what I think rather than skirt the issue and keep saying things like:
"no you know... this is their... transition album..."
"no but you see... now they have found new sounds..."
bullshit...
P.P.S. sorry for the rant but I hope it might help open someone’s eyes a bit, thank you.
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Summary by Bot
The reviewer expresses disappointment with Dream Theater's Octavarium, marking it as a departure from the band's classic technical prog-metal style. They criticize the album for lacking genuine prog moments and relying on recycled melodic ideas. The album is seen as less impressive than previous works, signaling a decline in creativity. The reviewer urges fans to reconsider and explore other talented prog and metal bands.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Dream Theater
American progressive metal band formed in 1985, known for virtuosic musicianship and landmark albums such as Images And Words and Metropolis Pt. 2.160 Reviews
Other reviews
By Stratocontact
"This album showcases a different configuration from the previous ones, with less intricate sounds aiming for greater melody."
"After 75 minutes of listening, Dream Theater has achieved their goal; the quality of the product has not changed, whether one likes them or not."
By AndJusticeForAll
A disappointment? Yes. From Dream Theater, one expects something entirely different.
"Panic Attack" is literally a masterpiece, the song that makes the album worth it.
By Vinpe75
DT’s prog is back, listen to believe.
Notably, each song ends with the intro of the next.
By Metropolis79
Octavarium is the epitome of this, especially for the precise use of the real orchestra behind the New York quintet.
DT 'demonstrates they don’t need to prove' to anyone their technical prowess.
By raziel054911
Octavarium is truly a masterpiece... a tribute to Pink Floyd, not just a simple cover inserted into the song.
This Octavarium seems to collect a bit of all the sounds heard so far, perhaps in a more catchy version, and ends with this 24-minute monument which frankly clashes a bit.
