Dream Theater
Octavarium

THE REVIEW

The first thing that stands out as different about the album compared to others is the lack of a thread connecting the songs, something that also happened once in FII. Obviously, I don't expect all the songs to be connected, but... I mean, The Root Of All Evil continues the story with the 6th and 7th chapter of that theme started with The Glass Prison and This Dying Soul and is a very beautiful song, in full prog metal style that somewhat reminds us of 6.00... but then, why end it with a piano chord that we later hear pompously in Octavarium and connect it to The Answer Within? By all means, the sweet way it ends and introduces the second track is truly perfect, but... shouldn't it be a story of its own? Perhaps later, by reading the lyrics more carefully, the reason for this choice will become clearer. The second track is slow, very delicate in sound, but nothing special; it doesn't leave the desire to listen to it again like Hollow Years, or Take Away My Pain. These Walls starts with a distorted guitar, a stunning intro with a riff accompanied by Rudess who tries to emulate Kevin Moore in Take The Time, and it proceeds wonderfully. At first listen, it seemed like a track that might remain anonymous, but instead, it leaves a mark. Too bad the chorus is too confused between the vocals, guitar, and keyboard, which, in fact, makes a bit of noise, so to speak. I Walk Beside You is somewhat in the U2 style, it's not bad but from Dream, we expect more. Panic Attack finally makes us feel the Dream from the TOT album, a very driven song, with a good rhythm, but not as heavy as, for example, Honor Thy Father, or This Dying Soul. Never Enough is very beautiful, perhaps it has a somewhat melancholic chorus, but overall it is pleasing. With Sacrificed Sons, we find our Dream Theater again. The song starts off, let's say, well enough, follows slowly until the chorus, then explodes into a stunning instrumental, and then again a sung part but more aggressive. On the other hand, Octavarium is truly a masterpiece.
Don’t get me wrong: it isn't at the level of Dream Theater's gems; it's more of an embrace of different genres mixed into a single track. At first listen, the intro seems copied from Shine On You Crazy Diamond, but if we listen carefully, we can understand where Pink Floyd ends and Dream Theater begins. The piano notes heard at the end of The Root Of All Evil explode pompously, then Petrucci starts softly, first accompanying Rudess who simulates the flute from Stairway To Heaven, then launches into his unmistakable arpeggio that reminds us somewhat of Dream On (I swear) and James begins to sing: it's a true tribute to Pink Floyd, not just a simple cover inserted into the song. The track continuously increases in intensity and anger, and you can hear some similarities with Yes. Towards the end, James roughens his voice by screaming a bit, the theme of the intro returns, this time orchestral and slowly dissolves towards the end of the CD. In short, a masterpiece worth noting, but that has nothing to do with all the songs heard before.

While in all the other albums one started and ended with a style, 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, lacking that thread we mentioned earlier. This doesn't mean that the album isn't great, but certainly, it isn't the album people expected after TOT, which, as heavy as it was, I consider a masterpiece, where prog roots can still be heard. An album different from the others, but not for this reason to be discarded. Except for one or two unconvincing tracks, the album is still worth buying.

This is my first review, if I've written nonsense, don't overdo it with the stone-throwing!