Dream Theater
Systematic Chaos

THE REVIEW

And I had to close my circle of reviews on Dream Theater's studio albums, and the only one left was the latest fantastic "Systematic Chaos," another album that, it seems, has received another string of slaps in the face that in my opinion it doesn't deserve, as no Dream Theater album would deserve. Systematic Chaos, I find an album of excellent craftsmanship, indeed it should be considered the album that brings DT back to their best sound, if there was indeed a slip in the last period (and we need to verify if this slip really occurred!). If in Octavarium a more melodic sound based on more accessible structures was favored, here we return to a harder sound with very complex instrumental parts (which the band never abandoned).

That Dream Theater have truly returned in style becomes evident from the start with the first part of the suite "In The Presence Of Enemies," which begins with a remarkable instrumental part that truly puts Petrucci and Rudess in the spotlight (notable Petrucci's solo) and then flows into a more regular part with distorted guitars in the foreground and keyboards accompanying LaBrie's voice. After the final guitar-keyboard unison, the rustle of wind makes us understand that the story will continue with the last track. For the moment, it leads us to a pleasant "Forsaken" based on a fairly basic verse-chorus structure and a melody that harks back to gothic metal and Evanescence thanks to the piano notes and the background of the keyboards. "Constant Motion" introduces us to the heaviest part of the album: a track with thrash inflections, and a highly technical Petrucci, especially at the beginning (nice initial riffs); in the chorus, the keyboards add a melodic touch; the instrumental part offers us a great solo from Petrucci and a pretty decent solo from Rudess. And what about "The Dark Eternal Night"? Almost a new Metropolis if it only had a bit more theatricality; perhaps the track that best adheres to the typical structures of Dream Theater songs. Extreme and heavy track crowned by a long instrumental part that amidst complex guitar and keyboard loops and music in horror and comedy style reveals itself truly a masterpiece! The finale is also beautiful, where Petrucci's heavy guitars are accompanied by Jordan Rudess's continuum. "Repentance" (4th part of the "Alcoholics Anonymous" saga) beyond those who refer to it as a dull track is in reality an authentic stroke of genius: no one, after reading its 10:43 duration, would have expected an entirely slow piece, yet... indeed it turns out to be an extremely psychedelic track with melancholic guitars supported by piano and some keyboard background (evident references to Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, Opeth). Beautiful the central solo, then after the series of voices anticipating the last part, we slide right into the final part where piano and acoustic guitar guide the choirs. All very beautiful but now we move on to a more immediate "Prophets Of War": nice intro with Jordan Rudess's synth, then the track proceeds with powerful guitars and a bright and effective melody. "The Ministry Of Lost Souls" is another rather atypical track for the band: 14 minutes in which melody prevails, however; the first 7 minutes are melancholic, orchestral, with pleasant piano and acoustic guitar parts, but after 7 minutes we enter an excellent instrumental part where the sound becomes harder and we witness the usual complex virtuosity of guitar and keyboard to then return around the 11-minute mark to a softer melody that concludes with a long and harmonious solo... The rustle of wind leads us to the second part of "In The Presence Of Enemies": a slow and suggestive start, a melody that grows until the sixth minute and then gives way to aggressive riffs and the same choruses heard in "Prophets Of War" and culminates, around the ninth minute, in yet another long instrumental part in typical Dream style; a theatrical and suggestive finale (with decisive keyboards) closes a true masterpiece.

Perhaps slightly a step below the military stones that the group has bestowed in the '90s, but I think this album truly deserves these blessed 5 stars!