Review Summary: People need to get over Images and Words
I always end up in the minority when it comes to my opinions on Dream Theater, I don't apologize for it, in fact I think it lends a... unique perspective to a band that has been passed around the "table" so many times. I could sit here and drone on about how Images and Words and Metropolis Pt. 2 are easily Dream Theater's greatest works and they have never and will never come close to matching them, but you either already know that or think they're terribly overrated. Of course they're great albums, massive pinnacles of the progressive metal scene that are still defining and influencing the genre for almost 20 years, but it would be a crime to dismiss Dream Theater's work since as inferior simply because it doesn't live up to insane standards set up by an amazingly sensitive fan base. I'm definitely not here to say that everything they've done is pure gold and they can do no wrong, but with Black Clouds and Silver Linings something clicked into place with these guys. I couldn't tell you what, but they suddenly became everything I ever wanted from them and more. As much as I loved Black Clouds and Silver Linings I admit the lyrics were downright trite rubbish for the most part with the standout lyrics actually being from "The Best of Times", which remains to this date the most emotionally convincing song they've ever written.
With A Dramatic Turn of Events however they went in a different direction, instead of a raw sometimes dark, emotional tone this album almost sounds kind of cold at times with it's near perfectly smooth production. However it still manages to sound uplifting at times and introspective at others. My personal belief is that tone is everything, in music, TV, movies, video games, etc and this album nails the tone perfectly. Coming off one of their worst lyrically written albums this is possibly their best lyric writing, definitely better than Metropolis 2 and honestly about par with Images and Words. It does this by doing what bands like Yes did in their prime way back in the 70s, making mostly nonsensical lyrics loosely based on mythologies and legends and of course the sun, Jon Anderson should be proud. You see the dirty secret about prog is that the lyrics almost don't matter at all, they're a backdrop for the pretentious musicianship that is to follow, so the seemingly "deeper" and more mystical they are the less people will worry about them and focus on the music. It's a shame that Dream Theater hadn't realized this before because it would have made a lot of their albums more interesting. I know people must think I'm out of my mind giving this album a 5, but I can't find a flaw. The closest it comes to having one is in "Build Me Up, Break Me Down", but even that song has it's place. Sure it's got those heavy elements that everyone hated, left over from Train of Thoughts, Systematic Chaos and Octavarium, but without Portnoy to muck it up it turns out they can write a pretty fun heavy romp. Everything else is pure gold, the transition from "Build Me Up, Break Me Down" into "Lost Not Forgotten" is so gorgeous I can easily forgive any faults in the former. "Lost Not Forgotten" should be remembered as that time Dream Theater wrote the greatest power metal song ever. I know it sounds awful, such a complex prog band writing something as simple as power metal? Well obviously it's still very much a prog epic, but the chorus and the build up are just so sublime, not to mention of their most stunning instrumental passages they've ever done. I don't care if Dream Theater always includes long complex instrumental passages, they're really really good at it and it shows like never before on this album, the interplay between Jordan Ruddess and Petrucci is the stuff of prog legends (which they are).
The album lets you take a break from all the mind blowing prog with a surprisingly personal, touching ballad This is the Life. I'm not usually a fan of ballads and I find Dream Theater's ballads to be mostly mediocre, but here Labrie wrote straight from the heart which is sometimes the best way to do it, the climax is quite touching, though perhaps the song could be a little shorter. "Bridges in the Sky" and "Outcry" are long, intricate and showy, but catchy and memorable at the same time. "Bridges in the Sky" is one of the best things the band has ever written, showcasing some very ethereal keyboards supplanted by some heavy riffing guitar. It offers some wonderful contrast and then when the chorus finally shows up and lifts your heart up it's a wonderful mix of sounds that just blows me away every time, especially live. "Outcry" kind of does the same thing, and yet manages to sound completely different. This song is a little more poignant, but Petrucci somehow manages to not shove the point/metaphor in your face, which surprised me a lot, but it also made me really happy. It seems as though he's finally learned how to make a point without bashing your head in. In case you're curious it's about middle eastern terrorism, but not in the typical American way. This one is about the oppression of people living in the middle east by tyrannical, extremist regimes and the song focuses more on their struggles which is a great way to explore the topic. Close to Heaven is short and inoffensive enough to barely even be worthy of note, on such a massive album it's so easy to forget about this song and really it comes across as more of an interlude than the full ballad, but it serves it's purpose to give your ears a break for a few minutes before the arrival of god.
"Breaking All Illusions" is hands down my favorite song Dream Theater has ever written. Is it the best thing they've ever written? Probably not, but it's really fantastic and easily the best thing we've seen from these guys since Metropolis Pt. 2. At 12 minutes it's the longest song on the album and it serves as the perfect climax to such a huge album. It's hard to explain what works so well about this song, the introductory interplay between Ruddess and Petrucci is perfect and it gives me the shivers. It calms down a bit after that letting Labrie set the stage with yet more great mystical lyrics before it plunges us back into the depths of progressive metal mastery. It says that the entire band worked on this song, but I have to imagine that Ruddess and Petrucci did the lions share of the work, Ruddess' especially is featured on his greatest performance ever. Just when you think it can't get any better the chorus kicks in and blows me away... again. Breaking All Illusions would have served as a fantastic ending, but then we get Beneath the Surface which turns out to be easily their most heart wrenching ballad. It's fairly simple, even compared to other ballads, but it strength lies in the way it builds up to the end and climaxes in spectacular fashion.
A Dramatic Turn of Events shows a Dream Theater recharged with new fresh ideas writing their best hooks ever along with their best production yet. It sounds so pure it seems like this was the album they were always meant to release. Is it better than Images and Words? No, but it doesn't have to be for me to enjoy this album more, that's just how personal taste works.
