Disco de Dream Theater: “Systematic Chaos”

DT's new release is a solid disc-filled, 78-minute, journey that should please most fans and shows they still are on top of their game. Their intense musicianship and enduring passion to create great tunes and give it their all shines through on this disc, however, the lyrics still are their weakest link. Although they break no new ground in their musical styling, Portnoy's vocals, that used to make me cringe because of the sour notes he hit, have improved, or maybe I'm just getting used to them.

My least favorite tracks on "Systematic Chaos" are the last few minutes of "Repentance" with the dialog babble in the background, and I'm not a fan of the industrial-techno-disco-sounding riff on "Prophets of War". Otherwise, this disc is killer, the engineering and artwork are amazing, and this probably will be the best prog-metal release of the year.

The special edition DVD is a must and includes a behind the scenes "making of" feature and a 5.1 mix of the album. The 90-minute documentary is good and Portnoy's personality rules the film, but it's odd that John Myung didn't say anything through the entire feature. Was this how he wanted it? Some of his thoughts on the album would have been a treat. The 5.1 mix is awesome - full, thick, spacious and you can even hear the bass guitar, so get rid of the earbuds, buy a decent surround system, and crank it up!

A solid effort from DT this time around, and it's wonderful to see the support of a good record label behind them. Definitely worth getting the special edition for the documentary and packaging. The music...well, as with every album since SDOIT it's a mixed bag. Despite Portnoy's insistence that this would be a heavy, modern, ballsy album, it simply isn't.

ToT was a determined move in those directions, competing with the likes of Disturbed and Tool while maintaining the classic DT prog sound. On this disc however, The first four songs are heavy and aggressive, but not any more so than an your average track from Awake or ToT (though much more aggressive than anything on Octavarium). The album slows WAY down about mid-way through with 'Repentance', 'Prophets of Doom' (a bizzare metal/techno song??), and 'Ministry of Lost Souls.' This triple punch of slower/mellow tunes really lets the air out of the whole experience and ultimately prevents it from living up to Portnoy's promises. Don't get me wrong, they aren't bad songs, but they simply aren't as strong as they should be in light of the earlier tunes (Constant Motion and Dark Eternal Night in particular), and they seem to bog the whole album down a bit.

It's also hard to imagine most DT fans not taking issue with some of the lyrics on this album. DT has been long known for introspective, well-crafted, mature themes. I'm not sure if DT is trying to fit in with some of their new label mates, or simply got lazy, but some of the lyrics (especially on the sprawling 'In the Presence of Enemies) are plain bad if not embarrassing. Petrucci has stated that he wrote a lot of fictional lyrics for this disc, but I thought he meant something along the lines of 'Pull Me Under' or 'Metropolis'. Apparently he meant '1982 Iron Maiden B-sides'. Constant references to the 'Dark Master', vampires, ancient pharoahs are awkward and seem juvenille for a band that delivered such stunning works as the 'Scenes from a Memory' concept album, and songs such as 'Sacrificed Sons' or 'Take Away My Pain'. The usually sobering vocals of LaBrie are almost comical as he sings "Dark Master - I will not serve youuuuuahhh!!!" Cringe-worthy to say the least. It reminded me of an SNL skit where Hetfield and Dickenson duel it out for the sake of melodrama. Not sure what was going on here. I'm all for something new and different, but the lyrics are just bad. No offense to Petrucci (one of my favorite lyricists), but it just doesn't work in the context of DT.

Overall I can't complain much. DT's worst effort is still better than most swill on the market today, but they've delivered so brilliantly in the past that it seems impossible for them to improve. I'll enjoy this one just as much as the others and anticipate what they do next.

I have been a DT fan since around 1998, and was familiar with Images And Words, Awake, A Change of Seasons, and Falling Into Infinity before Scenes From A Memory came out... So I know the differences in their body of work pretty well. To me all of their albums have something to offer, perhaps some a little more intense than others, but they all have a very unique tinge to them. When Scenes and 6 Degrees came out, I knew DT's career was hitting it's stride. When Train of Thought came out, it was neat to hear them try something slightly different, with more basic-structured songs while still beating you up with those head-shaking "how'd they do that?" moments... Then came the gorgeous Octavarium which hinted at a much more complex and exciting road ahead... But nothing could have prepared me for Systematic Chaos.

I am stunned at the heart and soul put into this album. It's very fast, very tight, and so well-paced that it's all over before you can even comprehend what just hit you. I must say this has got to be their most powerful statement since Scenes and 6 Degrees... That said, you'll hear past influences of DT albums (most notably the ridiculously awesome time signatures from Scenes From A Memory), along with the typical likes of Pink Floyd, Zappa, Rush, Megadeath, even a little bit of Queen-like vocal layering which fits perfectly... Except on a scale of which only DT can manage to achieve.

The main theme (In The Presence of Enemies, Pt.1) pulls you in quickly and challenges your ears while laying the backdrop for the rest of the album. The slower pieces on this album are equally as entrancing, with unpredictable chord shifts and just the right amount of emotion and ambience. The album climaxes during the unbelievable instrumental on the last track (In The Presence of Enemies, Pt. 2) with such a masterful genius of a sound, you need to hear it to believe it.

This album really does seem to have it all. They're working together awesomely, using the same formula they did back in late 1999 and I am very pleased with the result. Even non-prog fans MUST respect the insanity that is Systematic Chaos.

One word....BRILLIANT!! I counted down the days for new DT and once again...NO DISAPPOINTMENT! Just like the guys in the band say , not everyone will like as much as the others or love it the best...face it...it's Dream Theater!

I had high hopes that on this album Dream Theater would return to the amazing band that brought us the I&W through SFAM albums but I believe this has got to be their worst offering to date. Maybe I am just an old school DT apologist and can't accept the fact that those days are over but I find it hard to figure out how DT fans enjoy this effort over their early work. For one it is a lot of the same recycled riffing, soloing, over dramatic keyboards, chanting, and various other musical stylings that they have used since TOT. If DT thinks they are progressive or intersting anymore I certainly have to disagree. Just because they can throw extended instrumental sections with lighting fast guitar and keyboard solos at different time sigs does not make them progressive. It makes them boring. Enough already with John P and Jordan dueling each other on their respective instruments...PLEASE STOP!!! I can't take it anymore. In know this is cliche to say but damn do I miss Kevin Moore. Never has one keyboard player meant so much to a metal band by what he didn't play. DT is now a train out of control.

So here is my advice...1) go back and study your own catalog of music such as Metropolis, Take the Time, Voices, Scarred, New Millenium, Lines in the Sand, Trial of Tears, Overture 1928/Strange Deja Vu, Blind Faith and above all A Change Of Seasons and find out what you did to write those songs because they are what Dream Theater used to be about...great song structure, lyrics, melodies, solos. 2) Put restrictor plates on Jordan's keyboards and John's guitar. Everytime they feel like dueling it out the restrictor will kick in and make them think it out and slow it down a bit rather than running through scale excercises at 240 bpm. 3) Mix in a major key once in a while. 4) Keep Mike P from ever singing or chanting or what ever it is he does on albums these days. There was a time when James layered vocals and it sounded great; go back to that. 5) Stop with the circus music. 6) Stop copying other bands...be DT. and lastly 7) Do not produce your own albums so that you abide by 1 thru 6 above.

So, if it seems like I am being harsh it is only because I love DT but do not like their music much anymore. I find myself really only listening to pre TOT albums because I find the latter tough to enjoy except for certain moments. I could even respect TOT if they had changed gears after that but since then their songs have either been a TOT rehash or a very weak attempt at a more pop rock sound (I Walk Beside You.) It is just not my cup of tea and by a lot of the other negative reviews since TOT a lot of other people seem to feel the same way. But of course because I love DT I will continue to come back to them with every new release hoping that one day they too will return the love to me.