DREAM THEATER – A Dramatic Turn Of Events

The first note rings out… a few bars later you quickly realize that it is indeed Dream Theater and you are in for something special. The skeptical, apprehensive, and frightened masses can take comfort in knowing that Dream Theater is still an impressive force. They appear to be stronger than ever and have arranged and written some of the best music that encompasses their long and rewarding career.

It is safe to say the departure of Mike Portnoy didn’t create any dissention or disarray within the band. The band’s signature sound and style hasn’t been affected. The Mangini-Portnoy switch didn’t influence the overall sound of the finished product, and if one wasn’t aware of the situation that occurred, listening to the new release surely wouldn’t give it away. Mangini didn’t try to outdo what Portnoy has done in the past, which makes him more credible in the eyes of the many Dream Theater fans dying to hear the final result. But, more importantly, the musicianship and camaraderie that has always been part of this band remains. Dream Theater answered all their critics with an eleventh studio album entitled A Dramatic Turn Of Events. This album is definitely a Dream Theater work of art, and might have some of the best material written to date on it. One should note that the chosen title has nothing to do with the departure of Portnoy, rather it is in reference to many of the worldwide problems people face today.

The album is a hair over 77 minutes in length. There are two mellow tracks: “Far From Heaven” and the closer “Beneath The Surface”, which showcases Petrucci’s acoustical talents. The other seven tracks are typical DT Rock/Prog tunes. The best track on the album is “This Is The Life.” LaBrie does a phenomenal job on the vocals and sounds his best when he performs tunes of this nature. The piano work and orchestral background brings this track to another level. The way Petrucci picks his spots to highlight short but powerful solos throughout is almost genius. The song has a strong crescendo effect to it which really makes it sparkle. Petrucci’s two main solos are done with so much feeling that it’ll make the hairs on your arm stand tall. This is one of his finest moments on the album and might be one of the top three tunes looking at the bands entire discography.

“Breaking All Illusions” just misses by a hair and comes in a very close second. It has the best guitar solo and Petrucci must be commended – it’s probably the best solo you have ever heard him perform. “On The Backs Of Angels” is great as well, and it’s the epitome of a typical Dream Theater song. It’s a classic opener and was a good choice by the band. “Build Me Up, Break Me Down” is also one of the best, and the vocals take on a Techno/Industrial influence, which makes things interesting. An orchestral effect parallels the musical portion throughout most of the track, which is fairly nice as well.

There is one track that has a downside to it unfortunately, and that is “Lost Not Forgotten.” At about the two-minute mark this excruciatingly horrific circus/jack-in-the-box cluster fuck of horrible sound comes into play. It makes you want to stick a screwdriver in both ears for some much needed relief. The only possible solution is that the guys were out one night and after a few too many thought it was a good idea the next morning. However, the rest of the album is typical Dream Theater.

Obviously, it goes without saying that any DT fan will run out and get this album no matter what — even before they read any kind of review. This album is so good that it should satisfy any music fan and not just the Progressive fanatics.