(Progressive Metal) Dream Theater - Train Of Thought

[Distorted Vision]

Dream Theater - Train Of Thought

http://reaperin.de/gallerie_d/bilder/dream_theater_train_of_thought_front.jpg

Train Of Thought is the 7th studio album from prog metal kings Dream Theater. Featuring the fantastic rhythm section of Mike Portnoy (drums) and John Myung (bass), the incredible virtuosic skills of John Petrucci (guitar) and Jordan Rudess (keyboards), topped off with the searing vocals of James LaBrie.

Train Of Thought is definitely different to previous Dream Theater releases - they have moved into even heavier territory with pounding riffs and dark lyrics, and this record draws on inspiration from various heavy rock bands which have influenced the band. Dream Theater's usual technicality is present here and there are still melodies which were part and parcel of what DT fans fell in love with, but the all round heavier atmosphere has divided fans and critics alike. If you are a fan of the Dream Theater of old then you will either love this evolution or hate the change. I personally think it's a great album, and I urge you to check it out. Yes, it does seem like a different band to the one which released Images & Words 11 years ago, but this is Dream Theater as they are today, so jump on the train and enjoy the ride.

1. As I Am (7:47) - The album starts with a fade in from the final note of Dream Theater 's previous album, Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence. You may have heard the radio edit of this song, but that was a butchered version and does not do justice to the full album track, which is ten times better. After a huge intro, the song is driven by a thunderous riff. As I Am is pretty straightforward by DT's measure, with a standard ABAB(solo)B structure. Yet the band still manages to avoid musical mediocrity by throwing in time changes, unexpected minor notes, and one holy shred-fest of a solo from John Petrucci. Not the best DT track but a pretty good start to the album nonetheless.

2. This Dying Soul (11:27) - Not giving you time to breath, TDS enters with unrelenting double bass and some more heavy riffing and soon after you get a nice unison lead from Petrucci and Rudess. The verse is slowed down a bit and to me it sounds very much like Tool. The lyrics here are a continuation of 'The Glass Prison' from 6DOIT, reflecting the struggles of a recovering alcoholic. After the chorus, LaBrie goes into 'rap' mode, sounding similar to Linkin Park - make of that what you will. The song continues, becoming an ever-changing beast with switching time signatures, various solos and may references to 'The Glass Prison', but overall the song doesn't seem to be going in any set direction, and is quite difficult to get comfortable with at first listen. In my opinion this is the weakest song on the album. It does get better from this point on, though.

3. Endless Sacrifice (11:24) - This song is my favourite song on the album and is classic Dream Theater. It begins with a 'lonely' guitar melody from Petrucci, which ties it with the theme of the song - the lyrics deal with the sacrifices and strong bonds needed in long distance relationship. The sombre feel of the song continues until two minutes in when the chorus kicks in and the whole mood changes. This is the high point of the song for me - a great riff, catchy lyrics and an all round great chorus which is a good contrast to the feel of the verses. After the second chorus a new riff appears which leads into what I think is a classic DT solo section, enhanced by the mad break at 6:28. The song keeps building and building over the next 4 minutes until James LaBrie comes back in and delivers some powerful which vocals which lead to the climax of the best song on the album.

4. Honor Thy Father (10:14) - This song strikes me as the most aggressive song on the record. It is an attack from Mike Portnoy on his step-father, and a lot of pent-up anger seems to be released here. The song starts with a short Portnoy solo and short sharp staccato notes from the band follow, reminiscent of System Of A Down. The SOAD resemblance continues into the verse where a subdued sounding LaBrie sings over a dark riff from John Myung, who is sadly often unheard in the Dream Theater mix (though he does seem slightly higher in the mix on this album). Later on, LaBrie goes into more rap-like vocals (though not as bad as on This Dying Soul) and following that, another big catchy chorus. A heavier verse comes back in and when this song hits the ground running, it doesn't stop. The sublime drumming of Portnoy provides a good backbone as the song keeps building until the 5 minute mark. At this point all the instruments stop, and in his harshest voice LaBrie utters the line 'Don't cross the crooked step'. This part made me stop in shock :eek:, and from that point on the song gets darker as machine gun-like riffs and a choir-y effect from Rudess provide a backdrop to some sound samples which just add to the atmosphere of the song. There follows another typical Dream Theater solo section which allows them to show off their outstanding technical prowess. The vocals jump back in near the end and the heavy riff continues until it all comes to an abrupt stop, and the end of another very good metal song.

5. Vacant (2:58) - The shortest track on the album is also that rarest of creatures that only pops up once in a while - a Dream Theater track with nothing to do with Portnoy or Petrucci (who are undoubtedly the main men in the band), with lyrics from James LaBrie and music arranged by John Myung and Jordan Rudess. The song provides a stark contrast to the rest of the album, a depressed ballad featuring only Rudess on piano, LaBrie's heartfelt vocals and a cello played by guest musician Eugene Friessen. The lyrics are tinged with sadness and the song is in the same vain as 'Disappear' from 6DOIT. Still, the song is very emotional and as beautiful a song as DT have produced.

6. Stream Of Consciousness (11:16) - This instrumental song leads on from Vacant and after the quiet intro the pace for the song is set immediately. All 4 players are here doing what they do best, and even though the riffs seem to be being used a lot here, there are different themes introduced as the song goes along. Each player gets to show what he can do and the song ranks up there with their fine instrumentals of the past, even though it can seem that the music is recycled a bit much in parts. Nevertheless, SoC is a very powerful song which grabs you from the start and doesn't let go. It builds to a great climax with a fabulous solo from Rudess near the end, and then draws to a close as it ends the way it started, with acoustic guitar as it transcends into the next song.

7. In The Name Of God (14:16) - This song deals with a potentially controversial subject matter which has been present in the world especially since September 11th - that is, the taking of life from others in the name of the Almighty. It's a brilliant song which after repeated listens is becoming my joint favourite (with Endless Sacrifice). It begins with more acoustic guitar which quickly leads into a powerful Metallica-style riff that pumps and sets another dark mood, then quiets down for the vocals of LaBrie, who sounds awesome on this track. The chorus is gripping and LaBrie continues with soaring vocals as he tells you to 'Listen when the prophet speaks'. At 5:45 the mood becomes even darker at the bridge, with Myung and Portnoy laying down an intimidating foundation to LaBrie's story-telling vocal style, and as the guitar enters, this section keeps building up with Portnoy almost soloing behind the riffing. Then, at 7:13, comes something quite unexpected - a very short techno section! After that curious little break the song resumes with as much power as it had before. It drives on with Petrucci soloing until the whole style changes, as Myung and Portnoy lay down a really catchy samba groove at 8:36. This is fantastic in itself, but John Petrucci's guitar soloing in this section is nothing less than incredible - prepare to be amazed. The bassline changes slightly at 9:22 but the latino feel continues with more shredding which at first seems like more Petrucci but is in fact Jordan Rudess making his keyboard sound uncannily like a guitar. Suddenly the samba vibe drops and the main riff comes in followed by a slower breakdown. The chorus comes back in and then the music keeps repeating as the song draws to a close. James LaBrie continues to sing his *** off and near the end a famous war song, 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic' is chanted underneath the music. Finally it fades out to only solo piano and with a final chord the album fades into nothing - the end of a fabulous record.


And so ends Train Of Thought. In my opinion it is up there with their best work and is satisfying for how long I've waited for this album to come out. I think everyone who has heard and liked Dream Theater before should get this CD, and metal fans who want something maybe a little more thought out may also like to try this album. It'll make a good addition to any CD collection and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.


Rating: 4/5




''Sorry about the short set''

[Double Bass Jim]

Great Review!

I'll Pick it up Next Pay Check.

[Double Bass Jim]

Originally posted by Distorted Vision
Dream Theater - Train Of Thought
''Sorry about the short set''
:lol:

Nice DVD Refference

:thumb:

[sensitiveorgan00]

Great review you did. :thumb: Excellent work. I'll have to pick up some older DT albums before I get this though. (I only have Awake :upset: )

[Mr. Squeegee]

Great review, man :thumb:

I'm just going to chip in and give a positive review for This Dying Soul, which is my second-favorite on the album after In The Name of God:

The song is divided into two parts, labeled "IV. Reflections of Reality (Revisited)" and "V. Release." These correspond to the fourth and fifth steps in AA's twelve-step recovery program. (http://www.aa.org/default/en_about_aa_sub.cfm?subpageid=17&pageid=24) After the pounding intro, the song launches into two mini-solos by Petrucci and Rudess before flowing seamlessly into an Eastern-sounding melodic structure. The song quiets down as LaBrie sings a haunting melody with a reference to The Mirror. While LaBrie does lamentably go into Durst-like rapping, the band bookends it with a chilling chorus accompanied by a beautiful guitar harmony.

The song transitions into the second half by echoing the riff from the beginning of the second section ("Restoration") of The Glass Prison. It proceeds into a fairly straightforward but nevertheless powerful structure, again with lyrical references to "Restoration."

To be honest, I didn't find any of the solos besides the ones at the beginning to be particularly memorable, although they are technically out-of-this-world as usual. The song overall really worked for me though, in no small part due to the tie-in to The Glass Prison.

And the best part: Mike Portnoy plans to continue writing the story told in this song and The Glass Prison into songs on the next few Dream Theater albums. I can't wait for the next one :D

[Kaden]

I have to agree with Mr. Squeegee, I think This Dying Soul is the second best song on the album. I love the "rap" part in TDS, but I hate the rap part in Honor Thy Father. Altogether, an excellent album, and I too would give it a 5/5.

[FillInTheBlankHere___]

Originally posted by sensitiveorgan00
Great review you did. :thumb: Excellent work. I'll have to pick up some older DT albums before I get this though. (I only have Awake :upset: )

You need to get Images and Words, it's an absolute classic, and my personal favourite is Scenes From A Memory, though you might want to spring for the DVD, as they play the whole SFAM beginning to end, and you get extras, with emphasis on the bonus tracks, which have great songs such as Erotomania, Voices, and Dream Theater's best song, the 25 minute epic A Change of Seasons.

I really like this CD as well, though the rapping doesn't really bug me. The latin shred section in my favourite song, In The Name of God (Great lyrics in that song!) is TO DIE FOR. *drools*

People say you can't dance to shred, pfft. :p

5/5 Not my favourite album, but still good DT material.

[sensitiveorgan00]

Thanks. I was going to pick up Images and Words soon, just need some spare money. The DVD looks interesting, something I should get a hold on. A Change of Seasons, woah, *orgasm*. It's one of my favorite epics.

[Scythe404]

Just had a listen to this album. Not their best, but its still absolutely DT-fantastic. I agree with all the 5/5's

[RollerQueen]

Another excellent album, but I could care less for the lyrics. They did not impress me at all. The rhyme schemes got boring very fast, but luckily the virtuoso talent of the rest of the band covers that up. I'm not trying to downplay their sheer ability, but their strength definitely is not in their lyricism. I wrote stuff like that in early high school, to be entirely honest. Albeit, I am among the upper ranks of the upper eschelon of my college's writers, but still... It saddened me to see that their lyrics were comparable to what I wrote when I was 15.

Ahem... In any case, it's still another superb album, as expected. The little joke part in Endless Sacrifice (I think) was great, too. 4.5/5 (because I'm an English major, but the instrumental adroitness overwhelms lyrical shortcomings).

[Double Bass Jim]

Alot of Mixed Opinions Going on around about this one, Reminds me of when Falling into Infinity Came out.

[savarious]

Great review!:thumb:

Great album.

I cant wait to see them live again.

[Kaden]

Originally posted by Double Bass Jim
Alot of Mixed Opinions Going on around about this one, Reminds me of when Falling into Infinity Came out.

Falling into Infinity gets a 0/5 from me. That album is the sucks.

[Distorted Vision]

Originally posted by Kaden
Falling into Infinity gets a 0/5 from me. That album is the sucks.

I disagree, FII is nowhere near their best but it has some good moments, like Hell's Kitchen, Lines In The Sand and Trial Of Tears. Not a 0/5 though, more like a 2.5/5.

[Kaden]

Originally posted by Distorted Vision
I disagree, FII is nowhere near their best but it has some good moments, like Hell's Kitchen, Lines In The Sand and Trial Of Tears. Not a 0/5 though, more like a 2.5/5.

Eh, I don't like any song on it, except for "Peruvian Skies". Because of that song, I revise this album to a 1/5.

[TonyChoyIsGod]

I now officially hate Porthole. Some of the lyrics are so uncalled for.

"how can you ever sleep at night, pretending that everything is alright, and have the balls to blame this **** on me"

"i wish i weren't so ****ed, feels like i am stuck"

[Kaden]

Originally posted by TonyChoyIsGod
I now officially hate Porthole. Some of the lyrics are so uncalled for.

"how can you ever sleep at night, pretending that everything is alright, and have the balls to blame this **** on me"

"i wish i weren't so ****ed, feels like i am stuck"

Actually, the lyrics for "As I Am" were written by Petrucci.

[MetalMan882]

Great review Distorted Vision :thumb:

The swearing in As I am And Honor Thy Father struck me really weird - I didn't expect that from them. I was like :eek: *looks at lyrics* :eek:

[FillInTheBlankHere___]

I feel the lyrics fit Honor Thy Father well though, he was aiming for a pissed off angry metal song, and that's the end result. :thumb:

[Distorted Vision]

Originally posted by TonyChoyIsGod
I now officially hate Porthole.


Dude, did you hear the 'rule' he made for Myung?

From a recent webchat, on the absence of Myung lyrics on Tot:

[Portnoy] starting with SFAM, we kinda layed down a new lyric rule....if you are going to present lyrics, they must be properly formed, phrased, constructed, etc. to go with the melodies

[Portnoy] JM's lyrics were always kind of presented in a more free form poetic manner and it was up to us (Kev, JP or myself) to kind of shape them to the song

[Portnoy] to be blatently honest, we wanted everybody to kind of "carry their own weight" when writing lyrics, and since then John has kind of backed off

[Portnoy] the door is always open to him to contribute again if he'd like...''


It seems that was deliberately put in place for Myung, which is annoying because he writes the best lyrics in DT (Learning To Live for example).

[JoeyJ]

Originally posted by TonyChoyIsGod
I now officially hate Porthole. Some of the lyrics are so uncalled for.
Does the "F" word offend you? You need a hug. *hug's tonychoyisgod*:D ;)

[papashaft]

Personally, I think that the rapping part of TDS fits very well...it is reminiscent of Limp Bizkit or Linkin Park, but it fits seamlessly with the rhythm of that part.

Actually, the lyrics for "As I Am" were written by Petrucci

The lyrics he was talkin about were from Honor Thy Father, written by Portnoy.

Someone said that none of petrucci's solos are very memorably, and I agree. Most of them are shredfests, with not a lot of melody. Not all are like this, but the main portion of his solos are just as fast as possible. Granted, most of the songs call for fast solos and slow melodic ones would sound akward in their place, i still feel he could have done a better job on making the solos more memorable.

On the whole I enjoy the album very much and am glad to see a heavy DT album. Also, Portnoy said that this heavy stuff is not the direction that DT will take for all of their upcoming albums, they just wanted to make it heavy for this one.

[TonyChoyIsGod]

Originally posted by JoeyJ
Does the "F" word offend you? You need a hug. *hug's tonychoyisgod*:D ;)
Yeah, it so hardcore to say **** over and over again.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[savarious]

I'm a hardcore DT fan, but IMO Portnoy should have put the pen down after he wrote ACOS. All his songs since then have been crap. I give huge, insane amounts of props to LaBrie for making them sound decent.

[Kaden]

Originally posted by papashaft
The lyrics he was talkin about were from Honor Thy Father, written by Portnoy.

Originally posted by TonyChoyIsGod
I now officially hate Porthole. Some of the lyrics are so uncalled for.

"i wish i weren't so ****ed, feels like i am stuck"

:thumb:

[JoeyJ]

Originally posted by TonyChoyIsGod
Yeah, it so hardcore to say **** over and over again.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
He says it like 2 times throughout the whole album.:rolleyes:

I was kidding in the the first place (note: :D ;) ), so lighten up.

[artificial infection]

that was a great review, and i loved the album! :thumb:

[sting-ray]

i bought the album yesterday and i must say, its a little "different" than the older DT stuff. It is still very interesting though.

[Gorego85]

What this album proves is that DT are a musicians band. I am a musician, and I love them. In my opinion, they are the most gifted band on the planet in terms of individual skill, especially Petrucci and Portnoy.

Top review. It is a lot heavier than other DT stuff and not my favourite of theirs (Scenes from a Memory and Images and Words will hold those). That being said, i've always liked their heavier stuff, with The Glass Prison actually by my fav of theirs (that riff is bad***) When I initially heard this album, I was a little shocked at how heavy and dark it was, but soon realised that they would have made the album like that on purpose. Kudos

[Squirrel]

Great album, great review. More metal than lots of their other stuff, but thats not bad at all in my book; its new and different; something you'd expect from DT. I disagree with you saying This Dying Soul is the worst; i love it, the solo is godly and the verses are just very very weird :)

[el doctor]

Great review. I've been listening to this album more in anticipation for seeing them live. :D The album really extremely good, and it is nice to hear another side of Dream Theater. I really love just about every song on this album. After a while, the rap section in This Dying Soul didn't bother me. I especially like how Dream Theater isn't afraid to touch upon older songs in their newer albums. It really gives a flow from album to album. :)

To add to my previous comments, the full essence of the album is captured when played live. As I Am is just a rocking song and Petrucci's solo is a real crowd pleaser. Honor Thy Father is also such a high energy song. I was surprised how nice Vacant was, especially with the cello player. The cello also added some depth to SoC, which I now think is even more amazing. As time has passed since the albums release, ITNOG has quickly become one of my favorite Dream Theater songs. The intensity and energy in it when played live is incredible and the song is just classic Dream Theater.

[BigBadBooDooDady]

I got this album two weeks ago and just today was the first time another CD was put in to the CD player in my truck.

Love it.

[The JoZ]

I just got this today, and I must say...This Dying Soul kicks all sorts of ***...I didn't need but one listen to 'get comfortable' with it :thumb:

I actually liked the rap bit from LaBrie...I also like Linkin Park, so that might have helped...but still

I think it's interesting how they recycled parts of The Glass Prison for This Dying Soul...I mean, normally, reusing parts of your own songs would probably be seen as lazy or uncreative, but I liked it here

[Kaden]

I think it's interesting how they recycled parts of The Glass Prison for This Dying Soul...I mean, normally, reusing parts of your own songs would probably be seen as lazy or uncreative, but I liked it here
It's actually a continuation of the same song, which will continue on their next album.

[The JoZ]

Yeah I know it's a continuation, that's why I liked it...they picked good riffs to reuse :thumb:

[Jaydo]

ToT is a good album but really don't think it lives up to Dream Theater's standards, some of the heavier tracks weren't very fascinating to me...

But then again, I think it would be very hard to top their last album, Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence, (6DOIT). I believe that is their best album yet.

[Ganondorf]

This was my first experience of DT, and I actually quite like it, but this album sounds very 'Metallica' ;)

[The JoZ]

Alright, I'm doing a bit of thread-bumping here, but I want some other opinions..

First I want to say that this is one of only two albums I own in which every song is rated five stars (in Windows Media Player, Lateralus is the other album)...it's just so good, I can't get enough of it...

...But does anyone else think that the In the Name of God guitar solo really sucks? It gets on my nerves...it feels rather emotionless and pointless...the bass below it is not exactly a killer riff, there's no keyboard, and the drumming is sub-par...and it's too long...it seems like Petrucci didn't know when to quit, at least in this song...every other solo is killer, but I just can't stand this one...anyone else who didn't like this solo as much/at all?

[el doctor]

This was my first experience of DT, and I actually quite like it, but this album sounds very 'Metallica' ;)
First time I heard As I Am, I thought it was such a Metallica ripoff. :p
Alright, I'm doing a bit of thread-bumping here, but I want some other opinions..

First I want to say that this is one of only two albums I own in which every song is rated five stars (in Windows Media Player, Lateralus is the other album)...it's just so good, I can't get enough of it...

...But does anyone else think that the In the Name of God guitar solo really sucks? It gets on my nerves...it feels rather emotionless and pointless...the bass below it is not exactly a killer riff, there's no keyboard, and the drumming is sub-par...and it's too long...it seems like Petrucci didn't know when to quit, at least in this song...every other solo is killer, but I just can't stand this one...anyone else who didn't like this solo as much/at all?
I can see where you say it drags on, but that song is just amazing in general. I personally really like the soloing. The song just comes off amazing live, definitely a classic Dream Theater song, although it may be a bit different. I think it helps to build up towards the end.
And specifically, are you talking about the spot aprox. 14 minutes in where the song changes and the bass line basically drops out to a very simple beat?

[The JoZ]

Uh...the song itself is 14:17 long...

The solo I'm talkin about runs from 8:38 to 9:16 in the song...yes the bass has a very simple beat, and even Portnoy isn't doing anything too special...

The song itself doesn't drag on...I love epic songs...it's just the solo is too monotonous to go on for almost a full minute

[el doctor]

Sorry about that, I must've been looking at the total time instead of time elapsed. :p The original review says it has a samba feel, which I really wouldn't even know that is. I agree though, it is a bit empty at that part, but it makes the guitar more dominant, although may be a good or bad thing.

[stray_d0g]

This was my first experience of DT, and I actually quite like it, but this album sounds very 'Metallica' ;)

As someone who has been a fan of DT since he found a copy of When Dream and Day Unite in 1990 I agree. Thats not to say that I don't like it, because I do. In fact, I think its good to see them coming back to a more heavier style. My only gripe is that the album was a bit too much guitar oriented for my tastes and as a result is missing some of the special guitar/keyboard trade offs that make DT special.

And to add to the who is the best DT lyricist, the answer is simple: Kevin Moore (listen to their first 3 albums and you'll know what I mean).
:thumb:

[The JoZ]

Actually, my brother thinks that "As I Am" could've been a Metallica song...if it were a bit muddier, thrashy, and with Hetfield singing...and to be honest, I think that's really cool...the selling point of this album to me was it's heavier style...because of that, I don't like alot of the lighter songs on I & W as much...but still very good stuff...

[CheeseyBread]

Nice review, Distorted Vision , do you want to write for the upcoming Everythingrock.com . If so email me At jvining@pointlessthings.com

[Metallicagivesyouheadace]

six degress of inner turblance was a great album as well.

[myungmadman]

Why doesnt John Myung get more recognition?? Everyone is always talking about Petrucci. There is no doubt in my mind that Petrucci is the best in the world, but still....listen to John Myung. He is the most incredible bass player ive ever heard. Listen to ACoS

[The JoZ]

Because on later records, Myung does alot of simply following Petrucci

No doubt, he's a hell of a bassist...but I prefer guys like Justin Chancellor or Leighton Kearns who have totally different basslines in each song they do, which includes only a little following of the guitar

[dieseldrummer018]

on in the name of god...i have never seen rudess and petrucci tear it up like that...truly amazing...rather simple drums for dream theater but great as far as suiting the song

[Space Ace]

I would have gave Train Of Thought a 5/5 also, it's one of my favorite metal albums of all time hands down.

[reli4nt]

That was a great review, maybe better than the album

[The JoZ]

Dude, what you are referring to as the guitar solo with no keyboard, is actually a guitar and keyboard unison solo, played perfectly by Petrucci and Rudess. If you listen to both earphones separately, you'll notice the guitar solo in one, and the keyboard solo in the other. A point to note is that Petrucci and Rudess have been playing this unison solo PERFECTLY in live shows consistently throughout the ToT tour this year.

Be that as it may, I still think it's insanely monotonous. At least in the studio, it is a soulless sounding solo. Now the HTF key solo? Love it. The As I Am Guitar solo? Love it. ITNOG, however, I can't stand the solos. Meh

I am a massive DT fan, and to me, without a doubt, Petrucci is the best guitar player on the planet. His alternate picking is so fluid, it cannot be surpassed by any other player. His live playing, in particular is just mindblowing.

Best guitar player? Possibly. Best guitarist? Well...see my opinion of said In the... solo to understand why I don't agree with that :)

Also, I regard Myung and Rudess to be the best bass and keyboardist players respectively. Myung just blows me away, and it's a shame he doesn't get recognition except from bass players that listen to DT, because he is a real talent. I think a reason for this could be that when they play live, the bass is usually low in the mix. Rudess, well, what can I say? He went to Juillard from the age of 9. Yes that is right, the age of 9.

The bass is actually higher in the mix this time, and it's good. SoC is probably the worst song on here for bass, because, if I remember correctly, he is always following Petrucci, or rooting *gasp*

Rudess is great. It's a shame he's not doing as much on As I Am, but it's a short (by DT standards) song, so I guess he can only do so much in 7:47

Portnoy, well I can't say he's the best drummer on the planet, since it's too difficult to separate him from Peart, or Donati and some others. But he's up there.

Again, agreed, but I think Danny Carey could take him.

They are all just virtuosos.

Well duh :rolleyes: :p

Also, if anyone went to any DT shows this year, they will notice how much of a live album ToT is. It sounds awesome just by listening to it off the CD, but the live version surpasses the studio by a mile. It was meant to be a live album!


[stops DT pimping]

:rock:

[Cain]

Wow. This review was so surprisingly positive to me. In my opinion, the band is suffering from a severe bout of "Satriani syndrome," and is running out of ideas fast. Now, I'm not a Dream Theater fan of old: Six Degrees was my first DT album, and it remains my favorite. But give me a break. The band is literally playing like they're terrified of losing their "edge"(Mike Portnoy said as much in a recent Modern Drummer interview) and is churning out falsely aggressive, derivative stuff like there's no tommorow.

The album is so self-consciously heavy that in the rare moments that we see a slight return to previous DT trademarks, it sounds laughably stilted. I'm not denying the heaviness or aggressiveness of the songs, and the lyrics are still top-notch, but the music the band has created has lowered the bar so much in my mind. Especially "This Dying Soul." My ****ing GOD. Sequel songs are almost invariably terrible, and this one just recycles riffs from both "The Glass Prison," AND "The Mirror" for about 12 minutes.

Petrucci's soloing? How soulless can you possibly be short of striving for it? I read a interview where Petrucci said he was striving to get to the "Next level of technique," on this album, and I got real excited. As it turns out, the next level is 128th notes that sound so much like wood in a shredder that it gives guitar solos a bad name. I spit on that interview. And what is the brilliant Jordan Rudess given to do, short of playing some merely decent, pretty piano on "Vacant?" NOTHING, except churn out wah-drenched keyboard solos that are usually indistinguishable from the guitar. Mike Portnoy really isn't doing much for me anymore, playing-wise: I almost WANT him to copy Tool so that his drums would sound enigmatic as opposed to boringly precise. The songs are too long for no reason, the time signatures are there for no reason, every bit of complication is in there for no reason except for its own sake. The point of adding those things in is to create an emotion or a positive reaction in the listener, not because "We're Dream Theater and we have to or fans will hate us." "Stream of Consciousness," contrary to the title, repeats so many sections that I literally almost fell asleep while WALKING MY DOG listening to it. "Honor thy Father," and "Vacant" are really the only spots here where anything good comes through.

Is no one else hearing what I'm hearing? Train of Thought was one of the biggest disappointments in my album-buying life. Can anybody else please see through the godlike technique to find the woefully pedestrian music? I may be in a bad mood and this may be a pretty good album by any other band's standards, but really, this cannot possibly be on a level with Dream Theater's best work. The threadstarter explains his ratings well, and I know that he's smart. I do not harbor any resentment or dislike for him liking this album. I simply challenge him or anyone else to prove me wrong.

NOTE: I'm sorry if it appeared that my intention in writing this post was to beat people who like Train of Thought into submission, like a "you're a homo if you like this" type of thing. It wasn't. I just have a strong opinion on it, and given the consistent awesomeness of Dream Theater's music, I feel that this album is, to say the least, beneath the capabilities of a band with even half of Dream Theater's talent. I can't be the only one who isn't so blinded by the music's complexity to recognize that the music itself stinks.

[el doctor]

I don't necessarily agree with it being a terrible buy, but I do understand what you're saying and agree on a number of points. This Dying Sould does annoy me and some of the solos do seem a bit soulless. I think SoC is excellent though, especially live. Saying that though, for a deliberate attempt at agressive music, I think the album is great. Whether you find the album good or bad, it at least shows that Dream Theater is capable of creating heavier music, or for others it proves that they can't.

[The JoZ]

Ripper22 - I actually agree with alot of your stuff. There are plenty of moments on this album where the soloing is ridiculously soulless. This is the reason why I prefer Tool to Dream Theater, because Tool is far better musically, than are Dream Theater

The problem with this album, for many, is the heaviness of it. Personally, this is what drew me into Dream Theater. If you ignore the soulless soloing, there are some crushing riffs in there. If you're a Dream Theater fan who was raised on stuff like Images and Words, and Scenes From a Memory, you would probably not like this album. On the contrary, I find I&W to be overrated. That's right, I said it. Alot of Dream Theater's softer stuff sounds like recycled 80's hair metal crap. Another Day, Surrounded, come to mind. Pull Me Under is a great track...Take the Time? I love the intro, and the basslines, but otherwise, not special. Metropolis? Great song, overrated by some though Learning To Live? Not bad at all....otherwise, I don't like it.

Awake, on the other hand, is a great album. I like the crunchy distortion. Song's like 6:00, Caught in a Web, The Mirror/Lie, are great. But softer stuff like Lifting Shadows... are great too. Not the same as I&W.

Then I got 6 Degrees, mainly for The Glass Prison. You could cut the solos out of the song, and it would still be great. Probably one of their best songs ever, I just love it to death. Blind Faith I love too, I think there are parts of it that sound very Toolish, especially the opening bassline. The Great Debate I like too, very good. Misunderstood and Disappear? Not as much...

I got ToT because I heard As I Am on the radio, that's right, the radio, and wanted more. And I got a great album, I think.

You talk about Jordan Rudess and his solos. Well, listen to him when he's not soloing. Listen to, This Dying Soul, which, I happen to love...I love the reuse of the 1-0-0-0 riff, but w/e...listen to the opening solo, that's not following the guitar at all. Listen to the textures with the synth strings in the background. Listen to Endless Sacrifice which has him doing fifty million things at once. Listen to Honor Thy Father, and the synth strings following guitar and bass...or the first square wave solo. Listen to In the Name of God, and all the sounds he adds to it.

I don't know, I mean, if you don't like Train of Thought, good for you. I like them, and this album, because of the heavy material, not for the crushing prog-ness of it.

I still think that, as a whole, Tool > Dream Theater

Carey owns Portnoy any day of the week. Portnoy is good at being fast, and time sig changes, but that's about it. He's all about bass / snare / bass/bassbassbass / snare. Listen to every song on here, he does that pattern in all of them. I think it works pretty well in As I Am, but after that, it gets old. Carey's drumming changes in every song, and I love it

Chancellor owns Myung, not in technicality or speed, but because he does more than follow the guitar at an octave down. Justin is a bassist, while Myung, more or less on this album, is a bass player

Adam and Petrucci are equal to me...alot of Petrucci's riffs are harder than stuff Adam has written...however, Adam's solos get to me more than Petrucci's do. See Third Eye, Parabola, Lateralus, Reflection, Aenema. The only Petrucci solo I really 'feel' is As I Am.

Maynard owns LaBrie because LaBrie is a big tool (no pun intended) stuck in the 80's. Maynard is one of the best frontmen ever. Labrie is a primadonna tenor who steps off stage when the rest of the boys go instrumental

Rudess is left alone, because Tool doesn't have a keys player. Go him.

*Shrug* I don't think this is as bad as you make it out to be, but I can totally agree with parts of what you're saying.

[Cain]

Ripper22 - I actually agree with alot of your stuff. There are plenty of moments on this album where the soloing is ridiculously soulless. This is the reason why I prefer Tool to Dream Theater, because Tool is far better musically, than are Dream Theater

The problem with this album, for many, is the heaviness of it. Personally, this is what drew me into Dream Theater. If you ignore the soulless soloing, there are some crushing riffs in there. If you're a Dream Theater fan who was raised on stuff like Images and Words, and Scenes From a Memory, you would probably not like this album. On the contrary, I find I&W to be overrated. That's right, I said it. Alot of Dream Theater's softer stuff sounds like recycled 80's hair metal crap. Another Day, Surrounded, come to mind. Pull Me Under is a great track...Take the Time? I love the intro, and the basslines, but otherwise, not special. Metropolis? Great song, overrated by some though Learning To Live? Not bad at all....otherwise, I don't like it.

Awake, on the other hand, is a great album. I like the crunchy distortion. Song's like 6:00, Caught in a Web, The Mirror/Lie, are great. But softer stuff like Lifting Shadows... are great too. Not the same as I&W.

Then I got 6 Degrees, mainly for The Glass Prison. You could cut the solos out of the song, and it would still be great. Probably one of their best songs ever, I just love it to death. Blind Faith I love too, I think there are parts of it that sound very Toolish, especially the opening bassline. The Great Debate I like too, very good. Misunderstood and Disappear? Not as much...

I got ToT because I heard As I Am on the radio, that's right, the radio, and wanted more. And I got a great album, I think.

You talk about Jordan Rudess and his solos. Well, listen to him when he's not soloing. Listen to, This Dying Soul, which, I happen to love...I love the reuse of the 1-0-0-0 riff, but w/e...listen to the opening solo, that's not following the guitar at all. Listen to the textures with the synth strings in the background. Listen to Endless Sacrifice which has him doing fifty million things at once. Listen to Honor Thy Father, and the synth strings following guitar and bass...or the first square wave solo. Listen to In the Name of God, and all the sounds he adds to it.

I don't know, I mean, if you don't like Train of Thought, good for you. I like them, and this album, because of the heavy material, not for the crushing prog-ness of it.

*Shrug* I don't think this is as bad as you make it out to be, but I can totally agree with parts of what you're saying.

Okay, I've slept on it, and I will concede that it isn't as bad as I made it out to be. What bothers me is not the heaviness, as "The Glass Prison" is probably in the top five list for my favorite Dream Theater song, but...I don't know, all the pieces are there for an album that I should theoretically like...but I just get this sense of the band trying too hard, consciously, workmanly trying to make a heavy album, and ending up with an album that sounds false in some way. I feel like the band members have gone from effortless brilliance, which is the feeling I got from Six Degrees and all the harmonic sophistication in that song, and then said, "hey, lets wring everything we POSSIBLY can out of the Phrygian scale, and Mike, just slam on your double-bass all the time, Petrucci, you shred so fast we can't even hear the notes you're playing, and that equals a heavy album." Do you know what I mean? It sounds like they don't MEAN it. They sound like they MEAN it on the Glass Prison, but here they seem to be tuning down the guitars and stringing flat 2nds and flat 5s together like if they do enough of it they'll suddenly have a "heavy album with crushing riffs" without even trying. I don't know...maybe it's just one of those arbitrary things, and I was simply destined to be the only person to strongly dislike this album while everybody else likes it. Okay, the Joz, help me out here. Why exactly do I dislike this more than anyone in the thread? Because I can't really pin it down anymore.

[Iai]

Ripper22 - I agree with the vast majority of what you are saying. What I feel with this album is that, it gets better the less you think about it. Whereas with previous Dream Theater albums, the brain needs to be engaged for the listener to enjoy it to it's full potential. This one, when you start thinking about it, you start realising all these things that are wrong with it; things you don't realise when you're just casually listening to it.

That's my take on it anyway.

[The JoZ]

Okay, the Joz, help me out here. Why exactly do I dislike this more than anyone in the thread? Because I can't really pin it down anymore.

Well, I don't know. Let's go through this.

What exactly makes you think they are trying too hard? What exactly makes you think it's falsely agressive? Just because it's heavy? You said you felt like they 'meant it' in The Glass Prison....well, why don't you feel that in This Dying Soul or any of their other songs on this album? Is it simply the solos you dislike? Is it Portnoy's seemingly inability to do anything new with his drumming? What is it exactly that you don't like about this album? You said it sounds like they are trying too hard...well, where do you get that from?

[Cain]

Well, I don't know. Let's go through this.

What exactly makes you think they are trying too hard? What exactly makes you think it's falsely agressive? Just because it's heavy? You said you felt like they 'meant it' in The Glass Prison....well, why don't you feel that in This Dying Soul or any of their other songs on this album? Is it simply the solos you dislike? Is it Portnoy's seemingly inability to do anything new with his drumming? What is it exactly that you don't like about this album? You said it sounds like they are trying too hard...well, where do you get that from?
Well, I think my opinion evolved from one of mere dissatisfaction to disgust when I read that aforementioned "Modern Drummer" interview with Mike Portnoy. In the interview, he said(and this is as verbatim as my memory allows), "We were listening to all the bands we liked...Rush, Yes, Genesis, Metallica...and we felt that they all lost their edge as they grew older. All of us are in our 40s, if not there then we're almost there, and it's around that time where our favorite bands started sounding wimpy. We didn't want to lose our edge as we got older, so we set out to make a classic, heavy metal album that was as aggressive as possible."

When I read that, I believe it lowered my estimation of the resulting album by one hell of a lot, because I already didn't like it too much, and something in Portnoy's words just struck me as wrong. I realize that it sounds like I'm being ridiculously hypocritical, like "So you're bashing them for being heavy on purpose?" Maybe this is just my idealistic view of music talking, but those words combined with that music easily made it sound like a band writing music to avoid sounding like old farts, as opposed to music that they all actually liked and thought was up to their usual quality.(I believe the album was written and recorded very quickly, too, which may or may not contribute to this.) I will believe that perhaps the interview was the turning point from where it was "not that great of a Dream Theater album," to "What a pitifully contrived piece of ****." Is my opinion still somewhat justified, or would I just be talking out of my *** to continue voicing it?

Oh, and as to This Dying Soul, I think it supports my claim that they're running out of ideas through the frequent repetition of riffs from their earlier, higher-quality heavy songs. Repetition can work (Scenes from a Memory) but just seems like (gasp) filler to me here. Portnoy needs to make like Neil Peart and take some drum lessons. I can live with the mediocre, unmelodic guitar solos...Petrucci has actually been heading in this direction for a while, since Scenes from a Memory.

[The JoZ]

Well, I think my opinion evolved from one of mere dissatisfaction to disgust when I read that aforementioned "Modern Drummer" interview with Mike Portnoy. In the interview, he said(and this is as verbatim as my memory allows), "We were listening to all the bands we liked...Rush, Yes, Genesis, Metallica...and we felt that they all lost their edge as they grew older. All of us are in our 40s, if not there then we're almost there, and it's around that time where our favorite bands started sounding wimpy. We didn't want to lose our edge as we got older, so we set out to make a classic, heavy metal album that was as aggressive as possible."

When I read that, I believe it lowered my estimation of the resulting album by one hell of a lot, because I already didn't like it too much, and something in Portnoy's words just struck me as wrong. I realize that it sounds like I'm being ridiculously hypocritical, like "So you're bashing them for being heavy on purpose?" Maybe this is just my idealistic view of music talking, but those words combined with that music easily made it sound like a band writing music to avoid sounding like old farts, as opposed to music that they all actually liked and thought was up to their usual quality.(I believe the album was written and recorded very quickly, too, which may or may not contribute to this.) I will believe that perhaps the interview was the turning point from where it was "not that great of a Dream Theater album," to "What a pitifully contrived piece of ****." Is my opinion still somewhat justified, or would I just be talking out of my *** to continue voicing it?

Oh, and as to This Dying Soul, I think it supports my claim that they're running out of ideas through the frequent repetition of riffs from their earlier, higher-quality heavy songs. Repetition can work (Scenes from a Memory) but just seems like (gasp) filler to me here. Portnoy needs to make like Neil Peart and take some drum lessons. I can live with the mediocre, unmelodic guitar solos...Petrucci has actually been heading in this direction for a while, since Scenes from a Memory.

Justified? Perhaps, but I don't think this is the Dream Theater's Saint Anger. I'm not sure this will ever be "Classic Heavy Metal" but it is heavy, and it is metal, and it does a good job of being that. If, however, they bring this same attitude toward their next album, then I think I would totally agree with you about their stance. If they think they have to write heavy songs to not be wimpy, they are mistaken...however, I personally would rather see another Train of Thought than Images and Words, personally.

I don't think This Dying Soul shows they are running out of ideas. The songs are all about the same thing, so for them to reuse a few riffs is not a bad thing. Honestly, the only riff I've heard them reuse is the breakdown riff; 1-0-0-0. And I like that riff alot, in spite of how simple it is.

Portnoy needs to go to a Danny Carey drum clinic as far as I am concerned. :p

[TojesDolan]

About Falling into infinity guys...I really didn't like it at all...I mean, it sounded Dream theater...but IT wasn't dream theater... i don't know, it really confused me... And I thought I was going nuts for not liking that record!... That reminds us oflks, that even great musicians have to go through a weird time in their lifes... Like cher or madonna...

[The JoZ]

...This is about Train of Thought, not about FII...

[owlandtree]

Great review, awesome album!

[el doctor]

...This is about Train of Thought, not about FII...
Did someone say they were going to review FII?

[Wanker]

Did someone say they were going to review FII?

i thought kaden said that he would do it.

[The JoZ]

Yes I'm still waiting for Kaden to do FII

*AHEM*

[Cain]

Justified? Perhaps, but I don't think this is the Dream Theater's Saint Anger. I'm not sure this will ever be "Classic Heavy Metal" but it is heavy, and it is metal, and it does a good job of being that. If, however, they bring this same attitude toward their next album, then I think I would totally agree with you about their stance. If they think they have to write heavy songs to not be wimpy, they are mistaken...however, I personally would rather see another Train of Thought than Images and Words, personally.

I don't think This Dying Soul shows they are running out of ideas. The songs are all about the same thing, so for them to reuse a few riffs is not a bad thing. Honestly, the only riff I've heard them reuse is the breakdown riff; 1-0-0-0. And I like that riff alot, in spite of how simple it is.

Portnoy needs to go to a Danny Carey drum clinic as far as I am concerned. :p

Yeah, okay. This was totally a good debate, and I greatly appreciate your listening and helping me to work this out. I guess you're right: we'll wait 'till the next album to pass judgement on this particular DT direction. You gave me a nice welcome to musicianforums.com over at the Alter Bridge review thread, and I appreciate your patience and, most of all, your politeness in dealing with such an unneccesarily fire-spitting review as my first post. I appreciate it. Thanks!
:thumb:

[Cain]

Ripper22 - I agree with the vast majority of what you are saying. What I feel with this album is that, it gets better the less you think about it. Whereas with previous Dream Theater albums, the brain needs to be engaged for the listener to enjoy it to it's full potential. This one, when you start thinking about it, you start realising all these things that are wrong with it; things you don't realise when you're just casually listening to it.

That's my take on it anyway.
Sorry I haven't replied to you yet. I think you may be right. This discussion prompted me to listen to the album in its entirety today to try and see if I was missing something crucial, and I think that once my brain was disengaged slightly, I could enjoy it more. However, I'm one of those people that when I listen to anything, my brain is analysing all different points in the mix, listening for sophistication. That's the high that I get out of music, is understanding all the different pieces and how they make the whole what it is. I guess you wouldn't call that casual :lol: and I guess it means my enjoyment of ToT will always have a monthly quota! Oh well. :rolleyes:

[Cain]

Oh, yeah, the Joz, and mad props to Danny Carey.
"Danny Carey vs. Mike Portnoy."
MIKE: Look at what I can do!
Plays massively fast, massively standard heavy prog pattern.
AUDIENCE: That's great Mike, way to go, woo hoo, win those polls.
DANNY: Can you tell what I'm doing?
Plays severely mysterious clouds of drums and cymbals that intertwine in an impossible web of percussion perfection that sound just like those hexagrams on the front of his bass drums.
AUDIENCE: (Crickets chirping)
AUDIENCE MEMBER IN BACK ROW: mike portnoy sucks my drumstick, man!
:p
MIKE: :upset:

[The JoZ]

All Danny has to do is play the Grudge outro solo, extended of course, and he beats everything Portnoy has ever done. Period :thumb:

Hit me up on a messanger if you ever want to discuss further metal :thumb:

[Iai]

Sorry I haven't replied to you yet. I think you may be right. This discussion prompted me to listen to the album in its entirety today to try and see if I was missing something crucial, and I think that once my brain was disengaged slightly, I could enjoy it more. However, I'm one of those people that when I listen to anything, my brain is analysing all different points in the mix, listening for sophistication. That's the high that I get out of music, is understanding all the different pieces and how they make the whole what it is. I guess you wouldn't call that casual :lol: and I guess it means my enjoyment of ToT will always have a monthly quota! Oh well. :rolleyes:

I'm the same way, which is why I only ever really listen to this album when I'm walking somewhere. That riff on Endless Sacrifice just gets me struttin', man.... :cool:

"It's a riff so funky, you gotsta say DAYUM thass' funkay."

It's good for when you're doing something that takes up most of your attention too, like reading or writing a song. But from a music appreciation side of things, it's probably DT's worst album (I haven't heard them all).

[The JoZ]

Actually, I've seen FII reviewed by AllMusic as their worst...hence the reason I want to see Kaden review it.

[3rdplanet]

I think this is a strong album for DT, only thing that I don't like is probably the rapping, the riff fron In the Name of God is one of my faves of all time, thanks DT.

4.5/5

[Jom]

I just picked up "Train of Thought" today... awesome album, awesome review!

[thatoneguy587]

i just bought train of thought and wow is all i can say. guys check this out it is great copy and paste this in your browser metalisgood.proboards28.com

[Five Magics]

can we stop the Danny Carey vs Mike Portnoy thing? They play in 2 very different bands. Can't we just enjoy both of them?

[Distorted Vision]

I changed my rating to a 4 rather than a five. The re-emergence of this thread made me look over it and it's obvious I was in a state of quite severe fanboy-ism at the release of the CD. Over time I've come to see more of the faults and it's definitely not what I would now consider a 5-star album, but it's still enjoyable from time to time and I think 4 is fair.

Nevertheless, I'm going to leave my review as it is, even though I don't necessarily agree with all I said when it was written. This was when I had a little too much 'Blind Faith', so to speak, in Dream Theater. I've grown out of that, so it's not the same viewpoint I hold now, but I'm quite proud of it as my first review.

[Cain]

I changed my rating to a 4 rather than a five. The re-emergence of this thread made me look over it and it's obvious I was in a state of quite severe fanboy-ism at the release of the CD. Over time I've come to see more of the faults and it's definitely not what I would now consider a 5-star album, but it's still enjoyable from time to time and I think 4 is fair.

Nevertheless, I'm going to leave my review as it is, even though I don't necessarily agree with all I said when it was written. This was when I had a little too much 'Blind Faith', so to speak, in Dream Theater. I've grown out of that, so it's not the same viewpoint I hold now, but I'm quite proud of it as my first review.

Nobly said. :thumb:

[The JoZ]

Personally I think it deserves a 4.5 rather than a 4...it's still a great album, even if you think you did it with a touch of fanboyism.

May not be a classic album, but one of the best I currently own :thumb:

[el doctor]

I changed my rating to a 4 rather than a five. The re-emergence of this thread made me look over it and it's obvious I was in a state of quite severe fanboy-ism at the release of the CD. Over time I've come to see more of the faults and it's definitely not what I would now consider a 5-star album, but it's still enjoyable from time to time and I think 4 is fair.
Over time, as I've come to see more of the faults, I've also noticed more points of excellency. I think a 5/5 was a bit generous to begin with though.

[Riffmeister9]

This album is definetly torwards the top on my list. It was definetly better than Falling Into Infinity which was crap for Dream Theater.

[Kingofdudes]

I love Stream of Consciousness and In the Name of Good. I plan on picking up this album sometime.

[Scythe404]

I changed my rating to a 4 rather than a five. The re-emergence of this thread made me look over it and it's obvious I was in a state of quite severe fanboy-ism at the release of the CD. Over time I've come to see more of the faults and it's definitely not what I would now consider a 5-star album, but it's still enjoyable from time to time and I think 4 is fair.

Nevertheless, I'm going to leave my review as it is, even though I don't necessarily agree with all I said when it was written. This was when I had a little too much 'Blind Faith', so to speak, in Dream Theater. I've grown out of that, so it's not the same viewpoint I hold now, but I'm quite proud of it as my first review.

4/5 is perfect. Dream Theater, with the sole exception of Falling into Infinity, does not know how to make a bad album.

This one is different, and lesser to their bests, but still quite good. The first 6 minutes of This Dying Soul is my favorite spot of the album. If they cut it to six or seven minutes it would be the best track on the album.

Overall, every track is good or great, and i can listen to them all again and again.

[iceman3019]

Falling into Infinity gets a 0/5 from me. That album is the sucks.
falling into infinity isn't too bad, i in fact like it. just let me breathe, take away my pain, and you not me kill it kinda, but i'd give falling into infinity 3.75/5. trial of tears is orgasmic, and is in my favorite song. train of though isn't as bad as i thought it would be since most of my friends are fans of old dream theater and said train of though sucks, well, they're wrong. endless sacrifice, in the name of god, stream of consciousness, and vacant are all killer tracks. train of though gets a solid 4/5 from me :thumb: . . .

[timbrie]

loved it

[juggalotricksta]

I just bought Train of Thought. Its my 3rd DT album (IaW and SFAM being the first two), and I havent had a chance to fully listen to it yet. I guess all I can really say at this point is that its not quite as good as the other two I have, but I do like what I hear so far.

[The JoZ]

I just bought Train of Thought. Its my 3rd DT album (IaW and SFAM being the first two), and I havent had a chance to fully listen to it yet. I guess all I can really say at this point is that its not quite as good as the other two I have, but I do like what I hear so far.

It all depends on what you like.

If you like Dream Theater for their not-quite-as-heavy, epic stuff like is found on I&W and SFAM, then you might not like ToT as much, because ToT is pretty much straightforward progressive metal. It's quite a bit heavier than almost anything they've done, save for a few tracks on Awake and Six Degrees. The rest of their stuff can still be called metal, but ToT is *more* metal than the rest.

[jamesclelland]

I like it because they think about what there writing. that fact that some bands do still care about there music that much is good to know. that's why i'm a tool fan, opeth fan, etc...