Systematic Chaos (Systematic Chaos - Dream Theater)

Name: Frankingsteins

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Product:	Systematic Chaos - Dream Theater
Date:	29/06/08 (11 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Successful combination of styles and influences.

Disadvantages: Still unoriginal, still overlong.

With their most recent album, Dream Theater seem to be taking stock of their career thus far and presenting something of a self-tribute, but one that still continues to move forwards, even if still essentially means blatantly stealing ideas from other bands. Bookended by the slow, grand, keyboard-dominated 'In the Presence of Enemies,' the progressive rock vibe is clear from the onset, and the album benefits from prog's recent resurgence in popularity thanks to bands such as Porcupine Tree, whose style is flagrantly stolen for the tedious fourth instalment of Mike Portnoy's Alcoholics Anonymous epic, 'Repentance.'

'Forsaken' is a strong vocal-centric song that harks back to the dense sound of 'Awake' and retains commercial credibility, while the follow-ups 'Constant Motion' and 'The Dark Eternal Night' disappointingly revert back to the 'Train of Thought' era where Dream Theater wanted desperately to be the thinking-man's Pantera. You couldn't get a more contrived Kerrang!-friendly single than this. The second half of the album is more long-winded to a fault, especially with the dark but drawn-out 'The Ministry of Lost Souls,' but fortunately 'Prophets of War' keeps the energy up with its electronic beat and Muse worship.

This is the best Dream Theater album in a long time, but it still shows a band lacking in a characteristic direction, all too easily influenced by whatever happens to be in their CD player during the songwriting sessions.

1. In the Presence of Enemies, Pt. 1
2. Forsaken
3. Constant Motion
4. The Dark Eternal Night
5. Repentance
6. Prophets of War
7. The Ministry of Lost Souls
8. In the Presence of Enemies, Pt. 2

Summary: Dream Theater's ninth album (2007).