aerosiphon

Sorry ... but even though I don't agree with the title, I have to say that the review is very good, except for the 5 stars you gave to the album, which for the reasons I've stated above seem excessive to me ... anyway, the 2 on your review was a mistake, I meant to give you 4 ... sorry.

I disagree with the premise and with many other rather immature judgments expressed in this review starting from the sentence "Art has always exposed itself in the same way, its contents have changed, but the purpose has always been the same; to amaze" ... however, without sparking a controversy, the album is very interesting and perhaps less varied than its predecessors, more intimate and monochromatic in certain aspects ... it practically has nothing to do with neo-prog and the complexity-simplicity of execution and many other nonsense ... it’s not an album that "amazes."
However, as I have already said elsewhere, Oceansize is a band with "guts" truly capable of weaving intricate compositions made of nuances, rhythmic inventions, and excellent sound as well as performance mixing ... this album, apart from a few excellent moments, remains "underwhelming" and does not express the vitality and inventive genius of this band ... nonetheless, it is a passage towards other destinations; it often happens in many bands to seek something different by experimenting with different directions compared to their previous discography, but it's not certain that the result is always achieved with flying colors.

Well, the album has divided Prog Metal listeners as well as fans of Dream Theater... it's normal! ... and you can see it in the comments to your review.
The album is, in my opinion, quite beautiful (excluding the opening track and the last one, which is a bit too trashy in some parts), but it's heavy to digest... I consider it the last truly valid work of Dream Theater... after that, their decline has been evident... I hope they return to creating masterpieces like "Images & Words," "Awake," "Scenes from a Memory"... who knows... a decrease in creativity is physiological and affects all bands and musicians, even the best!

The album is much more organized and structured compared to "Amputechture," which, while having good ideas, was disordered and interspersed with lengthy and boring parts. The difference is noticeable compared to the past; I see much less psychedelia than before, and it comes across as a work that leans more towards punk, hard rock, and jazz than its predecessor. The ethnic influences are very strong, and one thing that ties it to "Amputechture" is the massive presence of electronic effects, which, however, tend to become nauseating over time. The melodies and rhythmic ideas are very interesting, but allow me to say they have too much of a tendency to repeat themselves... I would expect much better from Mars Volta because they have the capabilities.
PS: You could have written a couple more lines about the album instead of racing to be the first to write a review!

The cover... is horrible... it looks like someone who just woke up from a coma.

Sure I listened to the album... it’s horrible... I have no prejudice against pop... I really can’t stand Miguel Bosè... maybe he did something nice once, but now it’s better if he retires!

But how can you listen to Miguel Bosè??? .... I'm astonished!

I have always listened with great pleasure to the albums of Dream Theater... "Images & Words" is a masterpiece with that Metropolis pt.1 and the other breathtaking tracks! ... "Awake" is a nice album, but it has never captured me too much ... "Falling into Infinity" has wonderful pieces often blended with jazz and, apart from a few tracks, it still demonstrates the great talent of DT.
I consider "Scenes from a Memory" to be the most beautiful album by DT because it’s captivating, varied, and contains (perhaps) the most beautiful piece this band has written: "The spirit carries on."
"Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" particularly intrigued me regarding the 1st CD, the entire post-production part is exceptional and the tracks are well composed... the 2nd CD is pretty weak; "Train of Thought" is a work not to be underestimated and even if it's disconcerting, heavy, prolix... I consider it one of their best albums... then comes the decline with "Octavarium" and this "Systematic Chaos," two albums one worse than the other, but saved by the concluding suites... okay... I've said my piece.
Regards.

If that's the album cover ... then it's a shooting offense! ... honestly an ugly record, with a few moments that go a bit beyond semi-mediocrity, and anyway there's no trace of a cut to the past at all ... rather an evolution (or involution?) ... the melodies are always the same, a "subsonica" trademark ... an unconvincing album: at the beginning of their career they were much more "cool" !!

... and 3 ... Hello!