This thread confuzzles me! Has much of it (e.g. the first paragraph) been re-written at all?
Anyway in its current form I think it's a well written review, as I've come to expect from you TOX.
However, two points I strongly disagree with:
1) That DT aren't great at doing metal. They've done plenty of good metal songs over the years, and even if you don't like either of the first two tracks, you brought that point up directly after lavishing praise on The Shattered Fortress, which is the heaviest song on the album!
2) That knowledge of the previous 12-step songs is mandatory for enjoyment of TSF. DT have always jumped around between riffs and ideas in some of their songs, but it has been especially prevalent in the 12-step songs. Look at the number of riffs that are crammed into TGP! Is that considered "copy/pasted", or knowledge of the riffs in advance? Of course not, and it's the same here. Obviously not one of us actually know what it'd be like to listed to the song without hearing any of the previous ones, but I actually think it'd be pretty good.