Baggiesfaninessex
Group: Members
Posts: 682
Joined: Mar. 2002 |
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Posted: June 14 2005, 14:25 |
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Octavarium - Dream Theater.
A return to form for Dream Theater after their ultra heavy and less progressive 'Train of Thought' from 2003.
I could write a lengthy review of the whole album but some of the tracks are standard DT fare insofar as they excel at prog metal and remain head and shoulders above the rest, especially with this latest offering.
However, 3 tracks really do stand out. And I suppose they are 3 that come across as the most heavily influenced by others. Firstly, 'I Walk Beside You' is the band's stab at writing a four-minute hit single. The track is indeed a very commercial sounding pop-rock song, which leans heavily on the sound of U2.
Secondly, 'Never Enough' is as blatant a Muse copy as you'll hear. Fast sequencers, heavy guitar riffs, a somewhat monotonous, hypnotising drum rhythm and a distorted, high-pitched, heavy breathing vocal style. It is one of the most refreshing sounding songs they have done in years (despite leaning so heavily on the sound of another band).
Finally, the masterpiece - the eponymous track 'Octavarium'. 24 minutes of bliss!!! It starts with a long Shine On-like guitar intro, though played as if by Steve Howe, rather than David Gilmour. Yes references are even more obvious when the rest of the band kicks in, though the atmosphere quickly gives way to Genesis, with the first half of the song being mainly acoustic guitars, vocals and flute. The Obligatory Moog Solo has Jordan Rudess doing his best Rick Wakeman impression, though it is done in Dream Theater style: it goes on for a good three minutes and contains more notes a second than Steve Vai on speed. The third section of the song is called Full Circle and this is literally Mike Portnoy's ode to prog as the lyrics consist of nothing but word-jokes listing his favourite songs, bands and more. If you listen closely you can make out Beatles tracks like Day Tripper, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Get Back, Genesis' Supper's Ready and Cinema Show, Floyd's Careful With That Axe Eugene and Yes' Machine Messiah, as well as My Generation (The Who), Show Me The Way (Pete Frampton), Light My Fire (The Doors) and more. Utilising a full chamber orchestra, the closing section Razor's Edge is the juiciest and meatiest of prog climaxes you can imagine. A nice little touch is that the song finishes with the opening notes of 'The Root Of All Evil' - the first track on the album, so it literally has come full circle and one is sorely tempted to play the album again...and again...and....again!
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“A dog is not intelligent. Never trust an animal that's surprised by its own farts.” - Frank Skinner
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I need to listen it once more to focus on the album as a whole, and to make my mind better. But it's a really great "Krautrock" album, very eccentric. 
