| CD Reviews Last updated: 10.25.05 Dream Theater Train of Thought Tracklist: 1. As I Am (7:48) (Lyrics: Petrucci, Music: Dream Theater) 2. This Dying Soul (11:28) (Lyrics: Portnoy, Music: Dream Theater) IV. Reflections of Reality (Revisited) V. Release 3. Endless Sacrifice (11:24) (Lyrics: Petrucci, Music: Dream Theater) 4. Honor Thy Father (10:14) (Lyrics: Portnoy, Music: Dream Theater) 5. Vacant (2:58) (Lyrics: LaBrie, Music: Myung/Rudess) 6. Stream of Consciousness (11:16) (Music: Dream Theater) 7. In The Name of God (14:16) (Lyrics: Petrucci, Music: Dream Theater) Total: 1:09:24 Introduction: Following the release of their 2-disc monster known as Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence in 2002, Dream Theater released Train of Thought the following year. This is definitely Dream Theater's heaviest and darkest album to date. This album is also quite long; five of the seven songs are over 10 minutes long. Synopsis: Train of Thought opens with �As I Am�. This song deals with those who criticize the band and want them to change their ways. The guitar and bass riffs are really catchy, but the lyrics are straightforward and basic. Petrucci has a nice and very fast solo here, the first of many to be found on this album. �This Dying Soul� is the "sequel" to �The Glass Prison�, which was the opening track of Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. A riff and some lyrics from �The Glass Prison� make in appearance in this song, and there's a small reference to "The Mirror" (from the album Awake) as well. It�s a good song overall, but it doesn�t quite measure up to its predecessor, which is one of my favorite Dream Theater songs ever. �Endless Sacrifice� has not only excellent lyrics but the band gives a great performance on their respective instruments, and LaBrie sings very well too. The song has a slow build-up, but then gets heavy and fast as the song progresses. Petrucci has yet another kick ass guitar solo here, but this time, it�s shared with a kick ass keyboard solo by Rudess. I have mixed feelings on the fourth track, �Honor Thy Father�. This is probably Dream Theater's heaviest song to date. On one hand, the song is really heavy and definitelygets its point across, but on the other hand, the lyrics are too angst-ridden and one dimensional for my tastes. It�s an okay song that most listeners will either like or hate. �Vacant� only features LaBrie's vocals, accompanied by Rudess, Myung, and a cello. The result is yet another beautiful ballad along the lines of �Disappear" from the previous album. The lyrics are also quite similar to "Disappear" as well, which seem to describe someone in a coma. "Vacant" serves as an intro to the next track, "Stream Of Consciousness." �Stream of Consciousness� is an 11-minute monster instrumental. The tempo constantly changes, but the song flows together really well. Petrucci and Rudess both have amazing solos, and Portnoy plays really fast. Not to be left out, Myung plays great too, but he doesn�t get his own solo. This is definitely one of the highlights of the album. If you want to show one of your friends how talented the band is, this is a song to get them to listen to. Train of Thought closes with the epic track �In The Name of God�. The lyrics of this song are exceptional and thought provoking, describing terrorists and their reasons for killing innocent people. Yet again, the band plays extremely well. The chorus great too. Highlights: �Endless Sacrifice�, �Stream Of Consciousness�, and �In The Name of God� Overall: While many bands out there today put out mediocre efforts as their career goes on, Dream Theater definitely does not fall into that category. Some fans may dislike Train of Thought, but I found the album to be an enjoyable release. The main flaw with Train of Thought is that it's rather one-dimensional, with not much to offer except straight out metal with a small touch of prog influences. Some the lyrics of some of the songs are also not as intriguing or as creative as some songs from past efforts, but other than that, Dream Theater has delivered a quality album. Final Score: B Any questions, comments, submissions, or anything related to the site should be e-mailed to me: shadowdragonxx [at] hotmail [dot] com. Don't take anything from the site without permission. |
| Train of Thought Album line-up: James LaBrie - Vocals John Myung - Bass John Petrucci - Guitars Mike Portnoy - Drums Jordan Rudess - Keyboards Additional Personnel: Eugene Friesen - Cello on "Vacant" Release Year: 2003 Label: Elektra Produced by: John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy |
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