Perhaps if it hadn't had followed a rut the band got stuck in for so long I would have paid more attention to it initially and got past superficial similarities to their earlier power pop ballads. Spurred by the quality of the new compositions I am returning to Astonishing and surprisingly I find this often dismissed and ridiculed set really worthwhile. This new one is another step in the right direction.
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Distance Over Time had a few quality compositions and was a promising rejuvenation of the tired formula. One worn out DT cliche after another I am afraid revisiting Black Clouds & Silver Lining would not do it any favour.Ĭompared to all that misery "A View from the Top of the World" (and other standouts on the album) seem like a breath of fresh air in Dream Theater's world, even if there is nothing exactly ground-breaking happening there. However, other than that there was little musical substance in the composition, fittingly representing the inoffensive blandness of the whole Dramatic Turn of Events.Īnd finally I refreshed "Count of Tuscany" and it was unexpectedly worse than "Breaking All Illusions", with no memorable melodies or solos to speak of. Thankfully shorter "Breaking All Illusions" seemed better to me, due to Petrucci's lovely guitar solo (and tone). That self-titled album was a real nadir in their career, comparable only to the equally appalling Systematic Chaos.
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"Illumination Theory" reapperared as uninspired and disjointed (that orchestral intrusion, ugh!) as I remembered it. Click to expand.Blowing off "Octavarium" is actually easy because it is such a lacklustre piece (and album), but being in a good mood after a couple of repeated listens to the new material I gave a fresh try to some other epics from their relatively recent past.