Dream Theater draws in new fans with latest

June 29, 2009 by Travis Lohman 

Next album from metal band welcomes new listeners

Famous for intricate, mind-blowing virtuosity between members and epic, 20-minute songs, it’s easy to see why Dream Theater isn’t as easily accessible as other bands. Today the group released their tenth studio album titled “Black Clouds and Silver Linings.”

While not as ground-breaking as their previous endeavors, the album is still filled with a contrast of blazing progressive riffs and melodic musical interludes.

With only six tracks on the album, Dream Theater still managed to have a varied song selection, mixing 16-minute epics with five-minute ballads.

The standout tracks include “A Nightmare to Remember,” “A Rite of Passage” and “The Count of Tuscany.” Die-hard Dream Theater fans might not appreciate this album much due to its lack of quirks and awe-inspiring solos, but “Black Clouds and Silver Linings” may appeal more to the non-progressive metal crowd and possibly the non-metal community.

At about sixteen minutes in length, the first track kicks off with possibly the darkest tone the band has ever had. Chugging electric guitar riffs and hooks provided by John Petrucci are accompanied by occasional bursts of distorted organ, piano and synth leads.

The band is backed by blast beats and growling chants by Mike Portnoy. The highlight of the track is about five minutes in where the band really shows they can smoothly transition from the heaviest riffs to the cleanest, melodic interludes with ease.

The second track, “Rite of Passage” was the first single off the album to be leaked. About eight minutes in length, “A Rite of Passage” is your typical metal song with heavy guitar riffs and power chords. There are occasional synth riffs scattered throughout and a lot more chanting and growling. Fans of Opeth might enjoy this track.

If there’s any fault to the track, listeners might notice how repetitive the guitar and gets after about four minutes. Even Petrucci’s solo near the five-minute mark seems like a traditional all-out shred-fest. While it’s not the best cut on the album, it still shows excellent musicianship between the players.

Finally, the big one, “The Count of Tuscany.” This track clocks in at just over 19 minutes. It’s the gem of the album.

Opening with a clean intro reminiscent of their past albums, “The Count of Tuscany” shows off Dream Theater’s instrumental prowess in every possible way. From blazing guitar/synth harmonies to an exorbitant number of time changes, Dream Theater goes full throttle with their final track.

Fortunately, the track isn’t completely overloaded with typical progressive showoff-ness. The ending of the song also features one of the most melodic, clean guitar outros Petrucci has ever done.

So what exactly is “Black Clouds and Silver Linings?” Is it full-on progressive rock? Not even. Is it full-on metal? Not entirely. “Black Clouds and Silver Linings” is an amalgamation of the two genres.

While Dream Theater may be leaning toward more mainstream metal, all the quirks and virtuosic musicianship are still present.

Die-hard Dream Theater fans may not immediately appreciate the album, but it will surely attract new listeners.