A dramatic twist or maybe just a change of the times? Anyway in reality, this is the most discussed album ever released by the leaders of the progressive metal, Dream Theater. After a series of events that have been fully explained, first presented without their natural leader, drummer Mike Portnoy Mike Mangini to take the heavy burden of his replacement. For those closely following the progress of the band's new job is a great enigma, as the final word on that hitherto had by Portnoy and many think it is a prime challenge for others to prove that they are doing without him . I really thought that musicians like Petrucci, a Myung, Rudess, or the even the Labrie have reason to prove their worth or their ability?
At this point is the big winner of this album. The album is gaining substance and impressions, not as a result of sophistication demonstration or sensationalism, but as a natural consequence of the quality of the work of musicians who make up the band. The "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" is an excellent album with continued hearings do not leave room for doubt on this, as the playing and compositions contained therein breaks every disbelief. What we find in the new album? Dense and robustness, many inspired ideas, regardless of length compositions hold their consistency as well as some small-but significant-enough differences from the recent past and recent recordings of the band.
Initially, the production seems ideal, but will not miss anyone absence of (growl) voice of Portnoy, as well, just as positive can be characterized by the abandonment of sci-fi themes in the lyrics with a shift to a more human-centered issues. In addition, you will not hear in the songs Metallica, Tool, Muse signs or any other influence adhere, only Dream Theater, while the Rudess seems to have stopped the experiments with the keytar solo or iphone and has regained full range sounds that will remind many fans cheering because the statement of membership in the band. But not crazy, there is no great return of Dream Theater that many will try to sell, and never left the limelight to return, never did discount vision and their quality, just the new album aside the information puzzled a significant portion of their followers, focusing on those for which loved more.
On the other hand, this involves a large trap that may work slightly inhibitory, and the album feels like the safe choice on some levels, and many structures are embedded in older songs, not too long or unattractive, but marked as an approach not characterized them as a band ever. Possibly the fact that from the most commercially successful album of their career to be an important and substantial justification, but the course of Dream Theater has always been full of risks, surprises and records whether liked or not ultimately give them a separate identity. Remember how every few risks taken from the "Scenes From A Memory" in "Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence", in "Train Of Thought" and "Octavarium". Here you will find a special surprise, a novel or a risk to the 9 songs and 77 minutes duration of the album, but you will find lots of music, ie a lot of stuff.
The "On The Back Of Angels" has been quite some time now, without anything particularly impressive, beautifully opens the disc, being partly characteristic of the style of the album, with the theme played by Petrucci to the bridge apart. The "Bring Me Up, Break Me Down" is "commercial" song of the album with an introduction reminiscent of Linkin Park (!) Bringing to mind a more heavy and prog version of "These Walls" and featuring the most catchy refrain on the album and probably will and choice of company for a possible video. The "Lost, Not Forgotten" is probably the most heavy song, pressing between "Train Of Thought" and "Scenes From A Memory", dynamic, with a straight character and the first orgies. The "This Is The Life" is the first ballad, with lyrics dealing with several personal choices that make everyone's life, while referring to the slight sound of "Sacrified Sons", with plenty of piano and emotional solos do Petrucci difference. The "Bridges In The Sky" and "Outcry" below are two 11lepta prog epics, which will find all the elements that have made the great Theater. Amazing harmonies, great instrumental parts, oriental scales, very beautiful chorus in the first and second transitions, and very concise interpretations by Labrie.
Of course, the pioneers are the Petrucci and near his Rudess, in kresenta inspiration that will bring even Liquid Tension Experiment oases in the eyes of most observational. The second ballad of the album, the "Far From Heaven" is a four-minute song with piano and voice in which the personal lyrics, written in first person, perhaps sent to Portnoy. Music is not as simplistic as Vacant, nor the logic of "Answer Lies Within" or "Wither", presenting a more prog logic and a very expressive interpretation. The "Breaking All Illusions" is the song that will stand out rather easily among fans, being provocative prog, inspiring and lasting changes, and stamped Myung, who mobilized to contribute to the alliance. Maybe some points "clicked" a little more to the logic of "Learning To Live", but ultimately to 12 minutes of standing as a prominent self-luminous composition. The album closes with the third in a series of ballad, which is a relaxed easy listening song, which the Petrucci is primarily intended for personal use, but eventually was used to close the album with a tendency to melancholy, while quite beautiful, and not sensational.
Every heard of the disk can be approached from a different side of focusing on what is offered unilaterally by each member, as Dream Theater had never superficial crisis than anyone, which is a blessing and curse them. In this logic, that Petrucci is once again gripping in many ways, the Rudess doing better overall appearance for many years, Myung shows more active than the recent past and Labrie show really concise explanations, avoiding the contortions voice. Finally, Mangini is flawless in performance, blends very well with others, highlights the instrumental parts and makes his absence to Portnoy seems as painless as possible, filling the gap dramatically, a vacuum of things we know will not meet never fully.
For if "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" would be quality I had great doubt, but that is so good I am delighted, as the exodus of Portnoy seemed to bring the band at a crossroads without a leader and hence no orientation . Leaving the Portnoy took with him the details of the nature of the band, namely the stubbornness, the genius, the opadismo and megalomania. This results in the disk than in the past to stand up without touching peaks, but no trace of low flying or weak points. Attention, however, to those who will speak on the level "Images And Words", "Awake" or "Scenes From A Memory", since such comparisons conceal a cheap marketing and irrelevance surrounding the history of this great band.
Finally, after what happened in "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" is seen as a great victory for Dream Theater, worthy of high status who have achieved all these years and their quality. They seem to balance again between progressive and metal and reinvested in lyricism. And if in the middle got nightmares, we did not stop everyone to love this great band to continue to dream ...
