Dream Theater
Train of Thought

THE REVIEW

Here we are with a Dream Theater album, "Train of Thought", which has created quite a stir, both negative and positive. My intention is not to provide inconclusive opinions that end up being nothing but childish. I am here to analyze an album that impressed me a lot. Having said this, let's start with the actual review.

First, let's analyze the album as a whole, starting with the cover. It certainly conveys a lot of what we will hear, with its colors ranging from black to gray and a very enigmatic image, let's just say very Dream Theater. When moving on to the music, you immediately notice the dark tones, already after the initial note of "As I Am" picked up from Six Degrees, Myung starts marking the time for a somewhat overshadowed Rudess. Then the song kicks off with a hit that wakes us from that calm beginning, and here all the instruments start with Petrucci making his guitar scream a few times before launching into a song with a very sustained rhythm, and a LaBrie that doesn't stand out too much. A fairly catchy refrain with a hard singing style, not typical of James, and even a spoken part. The song flows without overly joyful bursts of musicality when at one point you hear Petrucci's battle cry, launching into a solo that almost defies the laws of our dear Albert. Not appreciated by everyone, for those who lack musicality, for those being too fixated on technique, but the fact is that the solo is there, and it's terrifying. And as soon as Petrucci finishes, Portnoy reminds us he's there and has no intention of staying quiet, firing off bursts that would make a jackhammer envious. Shortly after, the song closes with a not-so-pleasant whistle that I honestly didn't appreciate much.

Then the second track "This Dying Soul" kicks in, more melodic than the previous one with a small guitar/keyboard "solo" shortly after the start. After this, the waters calm, and out emerges a LaBrie who phrases with a spoken voice and launches into the chorus. Very melodic as well, it recites the song's name several times. In the end, this track is quite anonymous in my opinion, you can hardly remember any riffs after the first listen, LaBrie trying to scratch his voice which isn't very suitable for this role. Many spoken parts and a dark mix of instruments that are sometimes hard to distinguish. The song closes in a frenetic way that intensifies especially in the last 3 minutes and the usual essential solo, at hyper speed I appreciated less than the one in "As I Am".

On to the third track, "Endless Sacrifice", it starts calmly but after a few minutes it shows us that when DT wants to be tough, they do it with a very heavy riff and a more beautiful, less strained singing this time. Then calm returns even if just for a moment to prepare, and then the refrain comes back and as soon as it's over, it throws us into the hands of Rudess (one of the few times he's seen) who delights us with those piano bursts that are really nice. Now, guess who's next?... the inevitable Petrucci starts a fast but also quite melodic solo, a middle ground. After this long instrumental section, LaBrie is heard again, shouting "Endless sacrifice!!!" several times. The whole ends with a small outburst from Portnoy, always there to remind us who's behind the drums.

After Mike's previous outburst, did you think it was over? You were mistaken. Here comes Portnoy in "Honor Thy Father" with something that feels monstrous like only he can do. After a somewhat anonymous riff of the song, here comes a surprising calm that allows LaBrie to slip in and say half a word and then again a small instrumental exploit that soon after makes way for a rap-like spoken part. Now it’s the chorus's turn, maybe a bit anonymous, nothing special. It's time for a long instrumental part that precedes a nice, almost epic piece. Here comes the instrumental part again that will last until the end of the song, leaving just enough time for LaBrie to speak and then close everything.

And now? What to expect?? The beauty of DT is also this, the surprise. Here we are in front of an unexpected "Vacant" that leaves LaBrie and Rudess with maximum expression in a really very beautiful, deep piece. The violin parts are beautiful too.

Not even the time to lull ourselves with the previous song and here comes "Stream Of Consciousness", a purely instrumental piece just to let LaBrie rest. The beginning is calm with a very inspired Rudess here, and then the start of a song that can teach many more acclaimed compositions. A continuous exchange of instruments, parts, harmony. A song that expresses DT for what they are, great masters. In the first section, Rudess lets loose everything he had to hold back previously and delights us with unique melodies. At a certain point, Petrucci is not having it and wants the scene for himself, starting a solo among the most beautiful/fast/difficult he ever thought of. After him, here’s "the DT orchestra" together again to give us new harmony. At some point, the song stops, and gradually emerges again, until it flows into another section, this time darker, with the bass launching a beautiful solo melody. Here comes Rudess again delighting us with his keyboard and Petrucci defining a catchy tune. The song, in crescendo, takes us into a vortex of truly unique notes and emotions until the end where Petrucci closes in a very beautiful way and the song towards the end feels much like the "swan song." We'd like more, but eleven minutes are enough to leave that desire to hear the dream theater again.

Without almost realizing it, Rudess introduces the last track with a beautiful melody: "In The Name Of God". After the introduction, the song reveals itself with a very hard guitar riff but retains its melody. Then LaBrie starts, accompanied by the bass at first to then reveal all the instruments. After this, a very evocative melody comes to us from Rudess' magical hands, introducing a chorus sung very well by LaBrie. The song then resumes its vigor and starts again with a slightly more aggressive LaBrie but not strained, very pleasant to listen to. Chorus again, a nice sung piece and then... bass, the song "fizzles out" and Myung with his usual sweetness accompanies LaBrie who delights us with a voice almost whispered at the start. Having said this LaBrie rises and lets out quite a few high notes that wake us up and start the chorus. Then a beautiful instrumental section starts very different from the rest of the song, almost disengaged, created for the pure enjoyment of our musicians. At some point, they almost play a joke on us by retuning the chorus and abruptly cutting it off. A hard riff returns, with Petrucci charging in to introduce the motif that Rudess has brilliantly invented and that Portnoy accompanies with various toms passages. Chorus, Labrie and the rest of the crew are preparing to say see you next time, it can be felt in the notes but the moment has not yet arrived. James shouts the song's title several times and then various very beautiful high notes, which manage to remain sweet. The farewell arrives, the very epic/evocative instrumental section makes us understand that the ears will have to wait to be delighted again like this, Rudess moves us with perhaps the most beautiful motif of the album which Myung closes in an almost mysterious way with a final hit on his bass.

In summary, many emotions, at the beginning of the album DT reminds us that they are playing prog metal, and then delight us with melodies and whirlwind of notes as only they can do. Petrucci perhaps in the first part seemingly little inspired also because the album was intended to be harder, in the second part full inspiration. Same story for Rudess, almost total absence in the first part of the CD, then majestic awakening. Myung always attentive, sweet, accompanies us in the deepest meanders of music without ever overdoing it. Portnoy lets loose more and more times, he gives his best in terms of technique in the first part of the CD, in the second he equals the general greatness. LaBrie, in the first songs, struggles to sing dirty, too forced and unnatural, but then in the second part of the CD gives us the emotions only he can give also alternating some harder but unstrained parts. Thus the first four tracks, perhaps less inspired for LaBrie and Rudess, more Heavy (in which DT, perhaps attempting it SEEM diminished), the last three, Pearls of Dream Theater.