Earlier this year I mentioned the new Dream Theater album, "The Astonishing", wich is a rock opera "set in a dystopian future United States and follows the Ravenskill Rebel Militia in their efforts to defy the Great Northern Empire of the Americas using the magical power of music" [Wikipedia]. This could be either something good, or it could be very cheesy.
It is cheesy. Dream Theater are great musicians, but not very good writers of lyrics. And this is (IMO) clearly beyond their (specifically John Petrucci's) abilities. Emperor Nafaryus, anyone? Ugh!!!
As for the music - I don't like it. Which isn't necessairy a bad thing. Dream Theater fans can roughly be divided into to groups. Those that prefer the clean progressive part of their music, who consider "Images and Words" their best album (besides "Scenes From A Memory"). And those who prefer their metallic progressivity, like me. I consider their best album to be their most heavy one, "Train of Tought" (besides "Scenes From a Memory", everybody likes Scenes). And this album has very little metal in it. So this time the non-metals (not to be confused with the non-metals of the periodic table of elements) get what they want. I'm fine with that, and I could still have enjoyed the album.
But there's more. 34 songs on a (admittedly long) double CD, the longest one being a mere 7 minutes. Ouch!!! And with lots of vocals, there is little room for their instrumental creativity. I miss that.
And the ballads. Lots of them, and by that I mean
lots of them. Now a ballad or two is fine, but not 20, especially when the melodies are easily forgettable.
So for me, this album is a huge disappointment, and I rank it among their worst. But I can live with that, as lots of fans, who unlike me have been unhappy with their latest albums (after "6 Degrees of Inner Turbulence"), seem to get what they want now. One might say it's their turn. And kudos to the band for trynig something new.
What has me worried is that this could be the main interest of the band for quite some time. A computer game is in development, release date this month last I checked. And I've heard rumours of a play for theaters (hopefully a bad dream). For all I know, maybe there will even be be a movie (no doubt starring Nicholas Cage and directd by - I don't dare mention his name). So, I fear that there mightl be 5 years or so before we see something non-astonishing-related new material from DT.
Here's
pibbur who despite not being astonished, haven't lost Faythe in the band.