It's a good album, but it's not very cohesive and is DT's most inconsistent album. I have a feeling that the album suffers from being sandwiched next to two albums that are pretty much unanimosly considered better than it and that many people who hate DT use this as 'proof' of their opinion as they will get less flak for it than if they said Awake or SfaM sucked and this has sneaked into DT's fanbase but it's also possible (and probably more likely) that people just don't like the album. Here is what I think of the songs.
In the Presence of Enemies Pt. 1 is easily the best song on the album; brilliant and dynamic instrumental into, great vocal melodies, high amount of energy, well maintained atmosphere and a satisfying ending despite being only part one. Probably one of DT's best songs and the only song on the album to fire on all cylinders.
Forsaken is alright I guess. Many of the individual aspects are pretty cool like the main riff and the verses, but the song as a whole just seems a bit meh. Maybe it's just a bit too cheesy.
Constant Motion has one of the worst DT choruses, because you think the momentum may be kept up due to the thrashy verse, but then it comes into a really passive and slightly annoying chorus which seems way too happy for the subject matter and "FOREVERMORE, INTO THE NIGHT, BLISTERING!" is just too dumb. Then it just falters from there, as the Portnoy vocals kinda suck in the next verse and the lyrics stick out way too much at that point. The instrumental section can't really save the song and the "melodies presented within the song"? Some of their worst IMO. Quite a drop from even Forsaken.
The Dark Eternal Night is actually pretty good. Yup. The lyrics attract a lot of hate, but they seem so over the top and
that it's so obvious that they weren't serious. It really is just DT having a lot of fun in the studio, and you can tell, especially with that instrumental section, which sounds like a polished up version of one of their more bizzare jams. Hell, I don't even mind the Portnoy vocals as they fit the OTT vibe. Not among their best songs, but not really a bad song if you don't take it seriously.
Repentance is great with a very melancholic atmosphere, but I'm not sure what I think about the outro taking up 5 minutes of the song. For now, I'll say the song should've ended at least two minutes earlier.
Prophets of War... meh. I don't know why DT persist in ripping of other bands' songs so frequently (Muse in this case); it's probably my least favourite thing about the band overall. Why make a song when that song already exists? There's Metallica for CM, U2 for IWBY, Muse for this and NE, Red for BMU, BMD and Rush for TLG. Cut it out DT!
I haven't listened to The Ministry of Lost Souls in a while, so I won't comment on it apart from saying that I don't remember liking it.
In the Presence of Enemies Pt. 2 is not as good as Pt. 1, but it still rules.
So yeah, good album, but too inconsistent (unless TMoLS is much better than I remember it being) and there is so much better to choose from in their discography.
Topic: Systematic Chaos is amazing. (Read 16529 times)
