Stoney

A good review if it weren't for the spelling mistakes that should be punishable by law, which unfortunately don't seem to be mere typos at all...

"The music of Dream Theater sounds very much like it exists for its own sake, very contrived to impress and please, using a series of tested elements borrowed from other musicians to create something that is difficult to criticize deeply." Let me express my admiration: you have stated an undeniable truth and for this, I will always hold you in high regard.

Hold on a moment! "the total absence of bass sound"? Reviewer, what the hell record did you listen to???? The production is practically PERFECT. Bah...

You make the same arguments that those who loved the Black Album made for Load, and the same ones that those who loved And Justice made for the Black Album, and the same ones that those who loved Master of Puppets made for And Justice... and so on, all the way back to the origins not just of Metallica but of rock itself. Thrash, non-thrash, nonsensical comparisons, absurd criteria... I think the only ones getting played for fools are you, all by yourselves, forever.

I would also like to know why you make comparisons with Kill 'em All, Master, and And Justice in your reviews. Between those who say it's good because it reminds them of the old Metallica and those who say it sucks precisely for that reason, you are really ridiculous. I mean, why should a piece be good or bad based solely on how similar it is to what was done in the past? Can't you find some more valid arguments? No? You're just the usual metalheads...

I really want to know why the hell everyone writes HeAtfield with an A.

How can one disagree with the first sentence of the review?

I don't think I'm wrong in saying that I've heard very few ugly pieces like this in my life. However, I believe that the pretentious metalhead has little to be picky about, given that the crap that is trendy today in this genre isn't worth even a spit compared to what Hetfield and his companions have released from the '80s to today. Moreover, I would think carefully about the fact that the metal community is quick to label Metallica as "ridiculous" (who, if I'm not mistaken, have been quiet for quite a while) but on the other hand, they bend over backwards for every new Maiden album which, almost annually, tears our nerves apart in a torment that has now lasted for almost 15 years.

Guys, you really don’t get it. ENOUGH with these discussions, ENOUGH with these lists of '70s bands, ENOUGH with these empty definitions of music genres: we’re not here to talk about music but to support those poor defenseless beings who happened to fall into the Dream Theater tunnel. Let’s help them. Someone, sooner or later, will have to confront them with the hard truth that these 5 zappaterra ARE NOT the best musicians in the world and that one of their albums can very well suck. It’s a bit like telling a child that Santa Claus doesn’t exist; at first, they'll be a bit upset, but it’s something that needs to be done. One day (maybe) they'll understand.

Whenever someone gives 5 stars to Rottavarium, it's always an emotion. 5 stars, just like Selling England By The Pound, The Dark Side Of The Moon, and the Koln Concert. But even more thrilling is diving into the review and discovering gems like "The only criticism that can be made of the album is perhaps the lack of personality shown by the band members in the composition of the songs, which sees them drawing melodies from the most disparate groups, but it’s not a glaring flaw on the album. It's like a record with a slightly scratched surface but that still sounds perfect." It’s like saying "I wrote a book that copied a bit from I Promessi Sposi and a bit from La Divina Commedia, but I didn’t make a single spelling mistake, so I did well." Every idiot with a slight passion for music would give zero for something like this, while the DT fan is capable of giving it THE HIGHEST RATING. Poor thing, he doesn't realize that 5 mediocre students from any music school would be capable of doing exactly the same thing; no, he is amazed and believes he has discovered paradise. And once again, I savor the thrill of finding myself in front of an ocean of boundless ignorance that I notice is becoming increasingly vast, almost infinite, with every review of Dream Theater.