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Rating:
THE REVIEW
If "6DOIT" and "SFAM" were masterpieces (especially the latter), with "Train of Thought," Dream Theater unfortunately fall into the "trap" of metal. For a long time, I had the feeling that sooner or later they would release an overly energetic CD like this, and it is absolutely not their style.
Accustomed to sweet and prog melodies like "Finally Free" or "Losing Time," the American quintet hits us with some tracks that are truly soulless with too many Petrucci solos and high rhythms... but in the end, not everything is to be discarded... let's proceed in order...
"As I Am" is the first track... nothing... it says nothing... unfortunately, I can't find any emotion in this piece... it's the typical track that opens a CD... an intro taken from the end of 6 degrees and then it starts with a pressing rhythm devoid of great melodies. Following is "This Dying Soul": dark... but not entirely... a good chorus and a beautiful change of rhythm in the middle give an extra touch to this track. With "Endless Sacrifice" we finally stop yawning and hear some decent sound from real Dream... it's calmer than the previous ones and in the end, it can be appreciated, although without much emotion. By the time we reach "Honor Thy Father," unfortunately, we fall back into the hardest metal... a soulless opening... it picks up in the central instrumental piece where Portnoy and Petrucci are truly in shape but it remains at low levels.... after a truly disappointing first part, the CD changes face: finally, a bit of progressive and catchy melodies surface that give us hope.
With "Vacant" I feel the real Dream Theater: truly beautiful and touching... melancholic and even heartbreaking, with La Brie excelling in interpretation (with his voice almost "tired" that pairs beautifully with the underlying melody..) and the addition of the cello (which gives that extra touch that a prog fan like me loves...) creates a truly beautiful and at times dark track. It's a pity it was poorly recorded.. at the start, if you listen closely, you can hear some "noises" in the background that spoil the atmosphere created by the piano.. (do only I hear them???? Nobody has ever mentioned them...). Now it's time for "Stream Of Consciousness", which I consider one of the most beautiful instrumental pieces made by Dream and it resumes the melody of "Vacant", though it's a shame for some excessive "virtuosity"... that is, all 4 members take their solo.. one after the other: Portnoy starts and is followed in sequence by Petrucci, Rudess, and Myung... truly over-the-top in this case... stylistically perfect but I find them too detached from the dominant melody.. aside from this, I find "Stream Of Consciousness" a truly well-made piece that has a very engaging ending and Myung's performance is definitely applause-worthy, I consider him the soul of this track (finally!! after being "invisible" for a long time....). And finally "In The Name Of God".. the chorus is appreciable but the rest remains boring and, above all, heavy... too long.
This is how "Train of Thought" closes, I expected much more.. too much metal and too energetic.. it is not in their style.. they undoubtedly wanted to please some disappointed metalheads to create a higher number of fans.. but I believe they don't need it.. Dream Theater's PROG-metal is light years away from all the junk you hear... speaking of the individuals: Myung and Rudess are truly to be appreciated, very good in the last tracks, and a wild Petrucci (even too much...) throughout the CD. This work may be liked, but they definitely can do MUCH better.
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Summary by Bot
The review critiques Dream Theater's Train of Thought for its heavier metal direction, which feels out of character compared to their usual melodic prog style. While some tracks like 'Vacant' and 'Stream of Consciousness' stand out positively, much of the album is seen as overly energetic and lacking emotional depth. Individual performances by Myung and Rudess receive praise, but Petrucci's excessive solos are noted as detracting. Ultimately, the album is considered satisfactory but not their best work.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 KiccoLSD1
Stream of Consciousness: 11 minutes of pure music that enter forcibly into Dream Theater’s history.
The album closes with 'In the Name of God,' probably the most beautiful song on the album, where indeed all the members give their best.
By TheSilentMan
The musicians' exhibitionism has become something abstract on the album; in fact, Petrucci's solos are indeed very fast but lack pathos.
Despite the usual mammoth durations typical of DT, the songs are the right length and contain some well-structured moments, but the ideas are now exhausted.
By cameli11
It's simply fantastic, it mesmerized the audience upon its release, they have once again shown themselves to be out-of-this-world!
DT are superior to everyone and Train of Thought is one of the many demonstrations they have presented and will hopefully continue to do for years and years to come.
By petrucci
Everyone’s entitled to their tastes—but veteran fans disowning the band baffles me.
'Stream Of Consciousness' is the most beautiful track on the entire album.
By Josh
If the New York band had distinguished itself for originality and versatility, we now face blurred imitations of Tool and Korn.
The album, while showcasing some valid episodes, proves to be a low blow for longtime fans but could attract a new audience.
