Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events

Genre: Progressive Metal
Name: Dream Theater
Album: A Dramatic Turn Of Events, 2011
Not immortal, just a man...

Well, they're back, and so am I. Before we wander through this musical landscape, let me first inform you a little of the background.

From the very inception of Dream Theater, Mike Portnoy, winner of countless "best drummer" awards, and the second youngest ever inducted into the Hall of Fame, was a constant present. In his own words "Hell, my father even named the band". He was a constant link between the band and the fans, spent hours coming up with carefully individualised setlists for each concert, and was a figurehead who lead the band lyrically and musically.
However, these days were not to last. Portnoy, during his time touring with Avenged Sevenfold, weighed down by is innumerable side projects, approached the other members of the band to ask for a five-year hiatus. They didn't share his opinion - none of them were so over-encumbered as he - and eventually they decided to continue without him. They began searching for a new drummer, and, shortly before Portnoy contacted them to ask if he could come back, they offered the place to Mike Mangini, an excellent drummer who had set five World's Fastes Drummer records. Portnoy was rejected, and thus began a new chapter in the careers of both him and Dream Theater.

As the eagle-eyed and well-read among you will have noted, I am a drummer, and thus you will no doubt have concluded that I may well have collapsed into tears at Portnoy's departure, and vowed never to listen to Dream Theater ever again, in a foolish fit of anger and passion. If that is the case, then I'm sorry to disappoint you. Whilst Portnoy will be missed, this album is a shining example of Dream Theater's musical brilliance, and I could not recommend it more.

The easiest way to analyse this album is to go through and see what changed, and what didn't, with Portnoy's departure. The most obvious place to start, therefore, would be behind the kit.
Despite having chosen Mangini as their new drummer early on, it was not possible for him to be included in the writing process. Instead, he was sent songs with pre-programmed drums, for him to learn, and "add his own stuff". These were, on the whole, written, primarily, by Petrucci. This combination created a notable difference to previous Dream Theater drums. Indeed, at times, they sound less like a drum kit and more like a percussion section - the toms at the start of "Breaking All Illusions" for instance. However, this is certainly not bad - whilst the unique drumming may jar very slightly at first, due to its novel structure, upon repeated listens, it becomes very easy to appreciate them.

However, Portnoy was not just a drummer. He was also a major lyricist. contributing half the lyrics on Black Clouds and Silver Linings. His abscence led to Petrucci writing on eight of the nine tracks, and, whilst Petrucci is often a good lyricist, he is rarely a great one. Portnoy, on the other hand, regularly wrote excellent lyrics - "Home", "Honor Thy Father", "Never Enough, and, of course, the Twelve-Step Suite. As a result, whilst the lyrics on this album are not bad, they are very rarely amazing.
There is, however, one beneficial side-effect of Portnoy's departure to be found here. He insisted that all lyrics were presented with some form of musical layout as well - that is, taking the step from poetry to song, and thus the framework of a track was already required. As a result, the already infrequent lyrics of Myung were forced to vanish - he had not written since Scenes From A Memory. However, here, he makes a brief, and much heralded reappearance in Breaking All Illusions. I personally enjoy his lyrics, and thus am very grateful for his return.

Musically, as well, Portnoy had a great influence. In this album, you can clearly hear the keys becoming far more free. This is in part due to Rudess taking a greater degree of control (although Petrucci still remains a leader), but also due to Portnoy's absence - he was far more in favour of guitar work than the piano melodies we find here.
The result of this is a wide-ranging musical style. We have the traditional, heavy, metallic sections,as found in "Build Me Up, Break Me Down", and far more mellow songs, like the album's final track "Beneath The Surface". Beyond this, you will find a blues solo ("Outcry"), some mellow jazz ("Breaking All Illusions"), choral arrangements and even a deep-Amazonian lesser-spotted throat warbler ("Bridges in the Sky"). The range in style is only mirrored by the range of instruments - there's even a harp in there - and is just one of the things that makes this such a good album.

In conclusion therefore, I would - and do - commend this album to everyone. It's a fantastically progressive album, magnificent in conception and execution, and definitely worth a listen. It promises great things for the future - the return of Myung, the contributions of Mangini, and more of Rudess' excellent keyboard work. The only downside to this brilliant work is that it took the departure of an excellent and highly esteemed musician, lyricist, producer and friend to the fans to achieve this. Mike will be missed.

Summary: An exquisite opus from the true kings of Progressive Metal, and a beacon of things to come
Lyrical Themes: varied: relationships, the Arab Spring, Lifestyles, Shaman's dreams, et al.
Rating: 9/10, recommended
Track listing:
1. On The Backs Of Angels
2. Build Me Up, Break Me Down
3. Lost Not Forgotten
4. This Is The Life
5. Bridges In The Sky
6. Outcry
7. Far From Heaven
8. Breaking All Illusions
9. Beneath The Surface

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