Didn't expect the pleasant piano in Awaken the Master but all the parts with vocals are so bland

Album Rating: 4.0

@Willie: Thank you. And I agree with that album combination, although I think Mike actually did a lot better on the drums here than on his previous efforts with the band. Still not enough to match Portnoy yet, but I feel as though he put more personality and ingenuity into this one

Album Rating: 3.0

I used to be so excited about a Dream Theater release, but I'm getting really tired of the typical DT formula. Impressive technical prowess, bland vocals and no emotional payoff.

Album Rating: 4.0

thing is that we're most likely never getting Portnoy back

Album Rating: 4.0

Yeah, i mean, Portnoy was awesome but his recent stuff since leaving DT hasn't exactly been groundbreaking. The drumming on this is insane and better than most of what Portnoy has done the last 10 years.



Also, it's been 11 years now, people need to just move on.

Album Rating: 4.0

Lol at Portnoy saying this is the first decent job by the new drummer.

hes a cunt so

Lol

Album Rating: 4.0

It’s such a small thing, but Portnoy’s tight snare sound makes a huge difference and is what I miss the most lmao. Mangini’s drumming totally rules here otherwise

A bit bored by this one. Sounds like an A Dramatic Turn copycat, which is an album I liked, but this one is not as good

A View of the Tip of my Cockatoo

Album Rating: 3.5

Lol at Portnoy saying this is the first decent job by the new drummer. [2] lmao.

Album Rating: 4.0

This is good. Not groundbreaking, but thoroughly enjoyable.

Album Rating: 3.5

Haven't bothered with DT in ages, so it was nice to revisit their music again for the first time since Black Clouds & Silver Linings. This was pretty much what I remembered them sounding like; the instrumental displays are complex and impressive albeit predictable at this stage in their career, and LaBrie is still a serviceable if slightly boring vocalist. I probably won't listen to this a whole lot more, but it's nice to see they haven't lost their instrumental/technical chops.

Album Rating: 3.0

I wished the tracks were a bit more focused

Album Rating: 3.0

I mean, especially the title track seems to suffer from being messy

Album Rating: 4.0

In the right state of mind it all falls into place

Album Rating: 4.0

Yep this is actually good. The weakest part is obviously Labrie, his voice is not what it used to be at all but still not "bad" either I think. Everything else sounds great and I appreciate Mangini a little more now. It's kinda refreshing to hear a DT record without feeling like you are attending a long, boring class at school. This is fun at least

Album Rating: 4.0

^ Agreed with that. The members definitely sound like they're more comfortable and having more fun here than on the last few records

Album Rating: 4.0

"Lol at Portnoy saying this is the first decent job by the new drummer. [2] lmao."



Well yeah, Mangini and LaBrie are the only members of DT he's bitter about these days. He's on good terms with the other members and has been collaborating with Petrucci and Rudess pretty regularly again. But he was never able to shake off his feelings toward the other two, especially LaBrie