Project Description
DREAM THEATER
‘Distance Over Time’
Album Review
Reviewer: Chris Reid
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At this stage of their career Dream Theater need no introduction. The 5 piece are eminently responsible for creating the genre of progressive metal, and have been at the forefront of hyper virtuosic heavy music since 1989’s debut ‘When Dream and Day Unite’. The band’s fourteenth studio album, Distance Over Time, is set for release on February 22nd via leading prog metal label Inside Out.
It’s rare for a band of this stature and vintage to have anything left to prove, however I think Dream Theater would have approached their 14th release looking to reassure the sections of their fan base that they can still write cutting edge heavy progressive music. 2016’s double disk rock opera ‘The Astonishing’ was a herculean effort but it received a lukewarm reception in some circles – the knockers would say that the album was too long, and lacked the in your face heavy and progressive elements that are the hallmark of the band’s sound. I’ve seen some fans reference Disney soundtracks in their critiques, but I found the album to be a refreshing counterbalance to a string of releases which had seemed to follow a similar formula since 2007’s Systematic Chaos. Whatever the case, Dream Theater have made a concerted effort to mix things up again on this release (albeit it a different way), opting to live, write and record together for the first time in over two decades. This change of approach has had the band members speaking of a palpable comradery and energy on the album which I certainly hear when I give the album a listen.
At times throughout this review I’ll try to compare tracks to past works to try and describe the style of the different tracks on this release. This comparison isn’t intended to paint a picture of an album based on rehashed ideas. On the contrary, I’d hope this paints a picture of an album which hits on many of the elements that have served the band well over a long and distinguished career – in my eyes that is what the band have achieved with this release.
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Distance Over Time gets underway with Untethered Angel, the album’s first single. Untethered Angel is Dream Theater doing what Dream Theater have been doing for years. It’s got a heavy riff, soaring vocals, plenty of change ups and variation, and the usual high calibre guitar and keyboard solos. Untethered Angel is the archetypical modern Dream Theater track – it hits most of the sweet spots of their sound and evokes moods from previous tracks such as ‘Outcry’, ‘Home’, and ‘On the Backs of Angels’ amongst others. It was a ‘safe’ choice for the opening track and first single in my eyes – it’s a quality song and I’m sure it has quickly appeased the section of the fan base who were so against their previous release.
Up next is Paralyzed. The track gets started with a rhythmical guitar riff which is slightly reminiscent of something that Tool might write. After flirting with some drum variations it finds it’s pocket with a mid-paced heavy groove and plenty of vocal hooks. I would compare it to tracks like ‘Forsaken’ from their back catalogue – it’s a well written, cohesive and concise track.
Fall Into The Light was the second single released ahead of the album’s release. I really like the heavy riffing in this track – at times Petrucci’s rhythm guitar work wouldn’t feel out of place on a Megadeth or Metallica release. The highlight of the track is the melodic interlude in the middle of the song – staring out as a solemn acoustic passage and building up to a goosebump inducing harmonised lead guitar melody. If fans had been worried that Dream Theater had forgotten how to write heavy metal tracks they needn’t have. This is up there with the most riff-based tracks that they’ve written since Train of Thought and I enjoy it a lot.
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At this point of the release I’m really enjoying Distance Over Time. As good as the first 3 tracks are, Barstool Warrior really kicks things up a notch and really gets me excited. Maybe it’s just the fact that I’m hearing this track with fresh ears (where as I’d heard Untethered Angel and Fall Into The Light prior to receiving the full album), but I like everything about this track. The overtly progressive intro is reminiscent of Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s material or perhaps some of the more proggy moments on ‘Falling into Infinity’. The lyrical lead guitar motifs and vocals evoke the sort of uplifting grandeur of previous DT tracks such as ‘Losing time’, ‘Ministry of Lost Souls’ or ‘The Bigger Picture’. I’m sure this track will be a highlight for many fans.
Room 137 is dark and menacing for the most part. The 7 string riffing is groovy yet heavy and Petrucci’s guitar solo is a face melter. Interestingly Mike Mangini contributed the lyrics to this track for the first time since joining DT. This track has a lot of rhythmical nuance in the various riffs and various sections which I enjoy.
S2N is a really cool track. I get a Liquid Tension Experiment or ‘Lines in the Sand’ feel from the main riff which is laid down initially by John Myung on bass. The guitar solo also has a live/improvised swagger to it which adds to the overall LTE vibe. The song is rounded out by big slow outro, not dissimilar to outro on ‘Dark Eternal Night’. I think S2N will be another very well received track as it is ballsy, yet progressive – pretty much what you sign up for when you press play on a Dream Theater track. At Wit’s End is a great track too. The intro riffing is a finger twister, not dissimilar to ‘The Test That Stumped Them All’. The all out shred gives way to a solid groove with a memorable chorus. I think this will be one of the fan favourites from the album as it is varied and well composed. Out Of Reach is the ballad on the release. Here we get the signature soft vocals from LaBrie and some really heartfelt lead work from Petrucci. Dream Theater have always written really great ballads and yet again they deliver a heartfelt and uplifting track.
Pale Blue Dot is undoubtedly the track which will have fans raving when this album is released. It’s a standout track from start to finish, and the extended instrumental section is up there with similar sections from classic tracks like ‘Metropoli’s, ‘Octavarium’ and ‘A Change of Seasons’. Enough said!
Viper King is the bonus track provided on certain editions of this release. It has a bluesy swagger about it, almost like Van Halen’s ‘Hot for Teacher’ on steroids. It’s a fun way to close out the release, although I understand why it’s a bonus track and nothing more – it doesn’t really fit in with the overall mood of the track listing proper.
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All in all Distance Over Time sounds like Dream Theater doing what they do best. The irony of the matter is that jaded fans, and especially those still observing candlelight vigils over Mike Portnoy’s self-inflicted departure will lament this very fact. I can hear them now ‘This sounds just like every other Dream Theater album’! Dream Theater’s first five albums were exceptional and quite varied from a stylistic viewpoint – a hard act to follow for any band. Perhaps the variation in sound during this most vital period was aided by the fact that 3 different keyboard players contributed to the band over that period. Whilst it’s true that over the course of the most recent 9 releases the pairing of Petrucci and Rudess (& Co) have clearly found a comfortable compositional style, I prefer to view this air of familiarity as a hallmark of a truly classic musical act. Whatever the case may be it would be fair to say Dream Theater can often be held to unprecedented levels of scrutiny by their fan base.
Distance Over Time is a great album, and is more than worthy of its place in the Dream Theater discography. All of the 5 members are in fine form on this release and the production is top notch. After 14 albums I think it’s incredible that Dream Theater are still writing and playing music of this calibre and technical proficiency. As a long-time fan I have no doubt this album will be right up there with my favourite release in 2019.
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Follow DREAM THEATER
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Check out Paul Tadday’s recent interview with JORDAN RUDESS here
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