Dream Theater - Octavarium

Just been checking out the new DT album (a leaked copy as it's not due out until June 7th)..

Track Review post first listen:

1.The Root Of All Evil - Solid track to open with, sounds like they are continuing from where they left off in Train Of Thought.. Borrows from "This Dying Soul" just before the solo, which was pleasant and annoying to hear (if that makes sense :P)

2.The answer lies within - Mellow ballady track that I kept waiting in vain to pick up.. ugh

3.These Walls - Stereotypical DT track, nothing to see here.. move along people..

4.I walk beside you - Catchy track with a rather Eurythmicky riff, and a decent chorus. LaBrie's vocals have begun to get pretty monotonously tiring by this point..

5.Panic Attack - Good fast paced rocking track..

6.Never Enough - Excellent Track and probably the catchiest track on the album. It starts off like Panic Attack Part II, but subsequently branches off into its own..

Both Panic attack and Never Enough remind me of "The Muse" (excellent band), both in terms of melody and rhythm..

7.Sacrificed Sons - Average track with odds and ends that stand out..

8.Octavarium - a 24 minute behemoth ala Symphony X's Odyssey that if played will whack off more than a quarter of their 90 minute setlist on Gigantour.. has a lot of different themes running through out the song, and will probably require some exploring to truly appreciate.. Very intricate and melodious solos..

All in all, an album that will probably take a few listens to truly get into.. so I won't pass judgement on it yet.. but very much on the has-not-bowled-me-over side atleast on first listen..

And I still don't know wtf Octavarium means..

-K