Dream Theater returns with their umpteenth effort, The Bleakest Future. Mike Portnoy plays the drums mega fast and destroys your eardrums with gut-fucking brutal vocals. Everyone else in the band is fucking nutz. They constantly attack with stunning musical imagery coupled with overwhelming technicality. When I heard the first track, called “Overcome With Nightmarish Chug,” I rushed to the kitchen where my mom was making the macaroni and cheese I had ordered her to make twenty minutes earlier, snatched the pot of boiling water from the stainless-steel stove, and threw it into the dining room. My mom said that I needed to respect her more and I told her I wouldn’t until she could shred harder than John Petrucci, which will never happen, because NO ONE can. The most novel aspect of the Dream Theaters music is the subtle flourishes of soca and rhythm and blues that they have adopted. John Myung plays the bass guitar much like a soulful black man would strum on a box outside on a porch in those grand plantation days. He doesn’t sound like that awkward Asian person you see playing the bass. The most progressive musical outfit since Rush, the most aggressive since Nile, the wisest since Slayer, Dream Theater will come at you like a crazy train and run you over and make smush out of your fucking soul.

Makes palaceofwisdom look smart

Album Rating: 4.0

such a good album, count of tuscany is easily the best thing theyve written in years, best of times has some wicked riffs too



great review

I like that riff in The Shattered Fortress that is the same as the one played behind the first keyboard solo but slower.

Album Rating: 3.5

WILL MAKE MUSH OUT OF YOUR FUCKING SOUL

Album Rating: 3.5

First song rules, the solo in A Rite of Passage is godly, and The Count of Tuscany is pretty cool.



The entire album, while containing a lot of interesting parts, seriously drags though. Especially that

middle section... ugh. The sheer length of these songs is pretty unbearable, even for Prog.

Album Rating: 3.5

This is album flows surprisingly well, especially for a newer era Dream Theater album. Portnoy went out on a strong note (Yes, even including the 'growls' lol).

Album Rating: 3.5

The spectacular moments like the end solo of Best of Times definitely make up for the growls. This album beats the crap out of their new one.

Album Rating: 4.0

Great to see some love for this album, probably my favorite from them in the 2000s era, although Octavarium comes real close.

Album Rating: 3.5

a solid 4.

Album Rating: 3.5

Saying that it "Flows well" is the one compliment I can't give it... not from start to finish at least.



"The Shattered Fortress" has to be the most structurally disjointed song they've ever written... which is a shame because the opening riff is incredible.



"The Best of Times" is at least 6 minutes longer than it deserves to be, which is also a shame because the guitar solo is quite nice. The 13-Minute length makes it almost impossible to, it just doesn't have enough musical meat and substance to stay interesting all the way through.



The first and last tracks feel complete, however. Those two could have made an entire album by themselves.

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

The Shattered Fortress is definitely my favorite song of the album. Everyone here seems to bash on it. Maybe I should listen to the other tracks mentioned here. I hope it isn't that much plagiarism 😂

Album Rating: 2.5

it's pretty much just clips from the other parts of the suite put together

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

Damn, The Shattered Fortress is just basically copy and paste from the previous AA-saga songs. It's still my favorite of the album though. That intro gives me the chills every time I listen to it.



Also, Austin. Since you're also an Alter Bridge fanboy like me, who do you prefer: Petrucci or Tremonti?

Album Rating: 4.0

Really? How does the best of times not give you chills?

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

It also does, but not as much as The Shattered Fortress, which is one of my favorite dream theater songs ever. The Best Of Times is just another great song in their catalog to me.

Album Rating: 4.0

The shattered fortress is a little cringe worthy imo as the sum of its parts aren't anywhere near as solid as the individual songs

Album Rating: 4.0

I really enjoy this review series, good job man!