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Rating: Here we are, this is my first review on this site, I hope to do a good job and pay homage with my writings to the groups/albums that I will be reviewing.
The first album I have decided to review is "Octavarium" by Dream Theater, a challenging album for the New York band to produce, still reminiscent of the glories of their early masterpieces (among others "Images & Words" and "Metropolis Pt.2") and of the penultimate 2004 album "Train Of Thought".
Let's start with the title, "Octavarium", which is meant to signify the eighth effort, work, (masterpiece?) of the American quintet, and with the artwork, which depicts a series of Chinese balls (those used for the conservation of momentum, if you know what I mean) where the last one has the band's symbol carved into it, and it's about to hit the other balls, against a background of green hills. The interpretation of this artwork could be that Dream Theater, with this new album, intends to replicate the success they had in the past with their other albums, using precisely the "physical" expedient of the conservation of momentum.
Now I'll say a few words about the Line-Up, which hasn't changed since the previous album, and consists of the "founders" of Dream (the band was originally called Majesty, in 1985) Myung, Petrucci, Portnoy, the now well-established James Labrie (who has produced all albums except "When Day And Dream Unite" with Dream Theater) and Jordan Rudess on keyboard.
I imagine that many readers, even before reading this review, will be thinking, "Here we go, another fanboy of Dream Theater! It's just technique for its own sake!" In reality, this album, regardless of one's opinion of Dream Theater, showcases a different configuration from the previous ones, there are indeed less intricate sounds (a result of constant refinement work or an attempt to achieve greater melody?) with songs that immediately strike the listener's ear, something that couldn't be said of previous albums, and represents an innovation, a challenge Dream Theater wanted to launch, and only time will tell if it was successful (there's the risk that the greater immediacy might, in the long run, bore those who listen to the album, especially those accustomed to Dream Theater's Prog).
The album consists of 8 tracks, and echoes the predominantly more thrash style (as already seen in Train Of Thought) of the American band in recent years.
The first track is The Root Of All Evil, where we have a mix of "Classic Prog" Theater sound and synthetic sounds, alternating melodic pieces with others more aggressive, showing influences from "This Dying Soul".
With the second and fourth tracks (respectively The Answer Lies Within and I Walk Beside You) the album assumes those melodic and, forgive me the term which doesn't intend to be negative, sweetened traits, which in the past characterized songs like Space Dye Vest or Wait For Sleep, pieces that demonstrate, among other things, the unfoundedness of some perhaps too hasty comments from critics "It's technique for its own sake! they don't show passion!" [...]
Here we are at track number 3, These Walls: an explosion of pure prog and melody, arpeggios and sounds worthy of the renowned Pull Me Under.
Panic Attack reveals itself as an ambiguous piece, indeed after a beginning, in my opinion, similar to those of System Of A Down (hence to Nu Metal), it falls back into Dream's prog/thrash standards, and the impact with the track can be problematic for the most devoted fans of this group.
After tracks 6 and 7, which follow the same line as the previous ones, we reach the last piece, Octavarium: just by reading its duration you can already sense the glories of A Change Of Season, 24 minutes where calm and sweet/melodic parts alternate with others of frenzied and prog rhythm, not forgetting the "usual" (again here I don't use the term in a derogatory sense, on the contrary!) solos and virtuosities of Mr. Petrucci's band.
In short, after 75 minutes of listening, at the end of this "eighth effort" I can state with relative certainty that once again Dream Theater has achieved their goal, despite the introduction of these new sounds, the quality of the product has not changed, whether one likes them or not. Well done.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 The Root of All Evil (08:25)
Proud enough for you to call me arrogant
Greedy enough to be labeled a thief
Angry enough for me to go and hurt a man
Cruel enough for me to feel no grief
Never could have just a part of it
I always need more to get by
Getting right down to the heart of it
The root of all evil has been running my whole life
Dirty enough for me to lust
Leaving nothing left to trust
Jealous enough to still feel envious
Lazy enough to sleep all day
And let my life just waste away
Selfish enough to make you wait for me
Driven blindly by our sins
Misled so easily
Entirely ready to leave it behind
I'm begging to break free
Take all of me
The desires that keep burning deep inside
Cast them all away
And help to give me strength to face another day
I am ready
Help me be what I can be
03 These Walls (07:36)
This is so hard for me
To find the words to say
My thoughts are standing still
Captive inside of me
All emotions starts to hide
And nothing is getting through
Watch me
Fading
I'm losing
All my instincts
Falling into darkness
Tear down these walls for me
Stop me from going under
You are not the only one who knows
I'm holding back
It's not to late for me
To keep from sinking further
I'm trying to find my way out
Tear down these walls for me now
So much uncertainty
I don't like this feeling
I'm sinking like a stone
Each time I try to speak
There's a voice I'm hearing
And it changes everything
Watch me
Crawl from
The wreckage
Of my silence
Conversation
Failing
Tear down these walls for me
Stop me from going under
You are not the only one who knows
I'm holding back
It's not to late for me
To keep from sinking further
I'm trying to find my way out
Tear down these walls
Everytime you choose to turn away
Is it worth the price you pay
Is there someone who will wait for you
One more time
One more time
Watch me
Fading
I'm losing
All my instincts
Falling into darkness
Tear down these walls for me
Stop me from going under
You are not the only one who knows
I'm holding back
It's not to late for me
To keep from sinking further
I'm trying to find my way out
Tear down these walls for me now
Tear down these walls for me
It's not too late for me
Tear down these walls for me
04 I Walk Beside You (04:29)
There's a story in your eyes
I can see the hurt behind your smile
For every sign I recognize
Another one escapes me
Let me know what plagues your mind
Let me be the one to know you best
Be the one to hold you up
When you feel like you're sinking
Tell me once again
What's beneath the pain you're feeling
Don't abandon me
Or think you can't be saved
I walk beside you
Wherever you are
Whatever it takes
No matter how far
Through all the may come
And all that may go
I walk beside you
I walk beside you
Summon up your ghosts from me
Rest your tired thoughts upon my hands
Step inside this sacred place
When all your dreams seem broken
Resonate inside this temple
Let me be the one who understands
Be the one to carry you
When you can walk no further
Tell me once again
What's below the surface bleeding
If you've lost your way
I will take you in
I walk beside you
Wherever you are
Whatever it takes
No matter how far
Through all the may come
And all that may go
I walk beside you
I walk beside you
Oh when everything is wrong
Oh when hopelessness surrounds you
Oh the sun will rise again
The tide you swim against will carry you back home
So don't give up
Don't give in
I walk beside you
Wherever you are
Whatever it takes
No matter how far
Through all that may come
And all that may go
I walk beside you
I walk beside you
05 Panic Attack (08:13)
All wound up
On the edge
Terrified
Sleep disturbed
Restless mind
Petrified
Bouts of fear
Permeate
All I see
Heightening
Nervousness
Threatens me
I am paralyzed
So afraid to die
Caught off guard
Warning signs
Never show
Tension strikes
Choking me
Worries grow
Why do I feel so numb
Is it something to do with where I come from
Should this be fight or flight
I don't know why I'm constantly so uptight
Rapid heartbeat pounding through my chest
Agitated body in distress
I feel like I'm in danger
Daily life is strangled by my stress
A stifling surge
Shooting through all my veins
Extreme apprehension
Suddenly I'm insane
Lost all hope for redemption
A grave situation desperate at best
Why do I feel so numb
Is it something to do with where I come from
Should this be fight or flight
I don't know why I'm constantly reeling
Helpless hysteria
A false sense of urgency
Trapped in my phobia
Possessed by anxiety
Run
Try to hide
Overwhelmed by this complex delirium
Helpless hysteria
A false sense of urgency
Trapped in my phobia
Possessed by anxiety
Run
Try to hide
Overwhelmed by this complex delirium
06 Never Enough (06:46)
Cut myself open wide
Reach inside
Help yourself
To all I have to give
And then you help yourself again
And then complain that
You didn't like the way
I put the knife in wrong
You didn't like the way
My blood spilled on your brand new floor
What would you say
If I walked away
Would you appreciate
But then it'd be too late
Because I can only take so much of your ungrateful ways
Everything is never enough
Sacrifice my life
Neglect my kids and wife
All for you to be happy
All those sleepless nights
And countless fights to give you more
And then you say how dare that
I didn't write you back
I must be too good for you
I only care about myself
What would you say
If I walked away
Would you appreciate
But then it'd be too late
Because I can only take so much of your ungrateful ways
Everything is never enough
07 Sacrificed Sons (10:42)
''[Audio samples from 9/11]
This has all the appearances of an extraordinarily well-coordinated and devastating terrorist attack.
Terrorism against our nation will not stand. The government will hunt down those responsible.
Terrorism means striking terror in the hearts of people; that has been accomplished.
...looking in awe, amazement, shock, and grief and anger at what they were seeing in front of them.
There has just been a huge explosion. You can see, uh, a billowing smoke rising, there was a cascade of sparks and fire and we see this extraordinarily big, frightening scene behind us.
There is panic on the streets. There are people screaming and running.
Good Lord. There are no words.
...3000 Palestinians [unintelligible], chanting "God is good."
This is just a horrific scene and a horrific moment, but just look at that. That is about as frightening a scene as you will ever see.
But there are times in your life that are life changing, where your life can never be the same and this appears certainly to be one of them.''
Walls are closing
Anxiously
Channel surfing
Frantically
Burning City
Smoke and fire
Planes we're certain
Faith inspired
No clues
A complete suprise
Who'll be
Coming home tonight
Heads all turning
Towards the sky
Towers crumble
Heroes die
Who would wish this on
On our people
And proclaim
That His will be done
Scriptures they heed have misled them
All praise their Sacrifice Sons
Teach them
What to think and feel
Your ways
So enlightening
Words they preach
I can't relate
If God's true Love
Are acts of Hate
God on High
Our mistakes
Will mankind be extinct?
There's no time to waste
Who serves the truth
For Heavens' sake
08 Octavarium (24:00)
[I. Someone Like Him]
I never wanted to become someone like him so secure
Content to live each day just like the last
I was sure I knew that
This was not for me
And I wanted so much more
Far beyond what I could see
So I swore that I'd
Never be someone like him
So many years have passed
Since I proclaimed
My independence
My mission
My aim
And my vision
So secure
Content to live each day like it's my last
It's wonderful to know
That I could be
Something more than I dreamed
Far beyond what I could see
Still I swear that I'm
Missing out this time
As far as I could tell
There's nothing more I need
But still I ask myself
Could this be everything
Then all I swore
That I would never be was now
So suddenly
The only thing
I wanted
To become
To be someone just like him
[II. Medicate (Awakening)]
A Doctor sitting next to me
He asks me how I feel
Not sure I understand his questioning
He says I've been away a while
But thinks he has cured me
From a state of catatonic sleep
For 30 years
Where have I been
Eyes open
But not getting through to me
Medicate me
Infiltrate me
Side effects appear
As my conscience slips away
Medicate me
Science failing
Conscience fading fast
Can't you stop what's happening
A higher dosage he prescribes
But there's no guarantee
I feel it starting to take over me
I tell him not to be ashamed
There's no one who's to blame
A second shot
A brief awakening
I feel the relapse
Can't break free
Eyes open
But not getting through to me
[III. Full Circle]
Sailing on the seven seize the day tripper diem's ready
Jack the ripper owns Wilson Phillips and my supper's ready
Lucy in the sky with diamond dave's not here I come to save the
Day for nightmare cinema show me the way to get back home again
Running forward
Falling back
Spinning round and round
Looking outward
Reaching in
Scream without a sound
Leaning over
Crawling up
Stumbling all around
Losing my place
Only to find I've come full circle
Flying off the handle with careful with
That axe Eugene gene the dance machine
Messiah light my fire gabba gabba
Hey hey my my generation's home again
Running forward
Falling back
Spinning round and round
Looking outward
Reaching in
Scream without a sound
Leaning over
Crawling up
Stumbling all around
Losing my place
Only to find I've come full circle
[IV. Intervals]
[First]
Our deadly sins feel his mortal wrath
Remove all obstacles from our path
[Second]
Asking questions
Search for clues
The answer's been right in front of you
[Third]
Try to break through
Long to connect
Fall on deaf ears and fails muted breath
[Fourth]
Loyalty, trust, faith and desire
Carries love through each darkest fire
[Fifth]
Tortured Instanity
A smothering hell
Try to escape but no avail
[Sixth]
The calls of admirers
Who claim they adore
Drain all your lifeblood while begging for more
[Seventh]
Innocent victims of merciless crimes
Fall prey to some madmen's impulsive designs
[Eighth]
Step after step
We try controlling our fate
When we finally start living it has become too late
Trapped inside this Octavarium
Trapped inside this Octavarium
Trapped inside this Octavarium
Trapped inside this Octavarium
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Other reviews
By Lordsandreik
Let’s be honest, the Dream are NO longer the ultra-tech metal-prog-band they wanted to appear to be.
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.
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.
