Here is my highly subjective view of this album. I'm using the following scale:
1: Not good
2: Alright
3: Good
4: Great
5: Amazing
False awakening Suite: It starts off very dramatically and Symphony X-ish, and I can see how it will serve a purpose as a show opener. However, listening to it on the album doesn't do much for me. 2/5
The enemy inside: Standard modern DT rocker with loads of energy and some nice melodies. I like it, but it doesn't bring anything to the table that I haven't heard before. For me, a typically average DT song (which does not mean an average song, since DT is pretty much always a level or two above almost everyone else). 2/5
The looking glass: Here is where the album becomes really interesting for me. A very "Rushy" opening riff, and some nice "synth carpets" as we say in Sweden, to provide a strong atmosphere. The first part of the verse sounds kind of bland, but the transition to the opening riff is great although the following transition to the acoustic part is a bit too sudden for my taste. I love how the chorus builds up though and the "you live without shame..." part is great! The solo section is really cool with some great chord progressions and I LOVE how audible JM is. All in all, a really good song that sets the tone for the rest of the album, but with probably the most unimaginative ending ever. 4/5
The enigma machine: The opening notes really give me that spy theme that the band has mentioned. I picture a dark and rainy night in a big city filled with people in trenchcoats. Could have been a part of the soundtrack to "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy". The short "DT-craziness" section feels a little out of place, but the riff-o-mania that follows is great, and i like the key changes during the solo battle. It's a fun song to listen to, almost like having a drink and a laugh with your buddies, but it doesn't stick out in any way. 3/5
The bigger picture: This is a very interesting song. At first, I found it beautiful but not cohesive. However, this has changed the more I listen to it. Mood-wise, I think it sounds like something from JLB:s solo albums. I love the dark ballady feel of it. The first verse is beautifully sung, and the subtle guitar work in the back (which I just discovered after hearing it multiple times) before the acoustic kicks in is very nice. GREAT chorus. I like that the guitar solo is more of a melody than a solo, and it's very nicely harmonized. Sounds like something from FII. The piano break with the heartbeat is amazing, and the long ending is unexpected but brilliant. 4/5
Behind the veil: Intro is fantastic, and what JR plays from around 00:48 is very moving and epic as well as the bombastic band entrance. I'm really disappointed though that they don't build the song around that part, and it makes the song less enjoyable for me. It feels as if they opened the door to something that could be the best thing they've ever done, but then closed it for something much more average. The climactic ending to the guitar solo and the following chorus almost brings that mood back, but not all the way. 3/5
Surrender to reason: Again, a very Rushy intro, but again, I wished that they would have come back to it more in order for the song to be more cohesive. I think it would almost fit better into TLG. It's not as disappointing as in BTV though, since the rest of the song is very emotional, especially JP's guitar melody. Cool solo. As with TBP, I find it to be a very interesting song that is a bit overwhelming the first couple of times you hear it because of its density. I like how the song ends with the intro. 4/5
Along for the ride: I really loved this song when I first heard it, and that hasn't changed. It's as if TITL and BTS had a child together. The melodies are very strong, and JP's arpeggios are tasty as hell. I usually don't pay that much attention to the lyrics, but this chorus really gets to me. The words, how they are delivered, and what surrounds them makes it one of the best ever from DT. The song itself also sits very well between the incredibly dense song that precedes it and the epic that follows. It gives the album some much needed breathing room, much like FFH on ADTOE. Can't wait to see this live. 4/5
Illumination theory: Now this is what I have been waiting for since Octavarium. I expected something along the lines of maybe ITPOE, but I was not prepared for the riff-factory that this song is. The song feels like an album itself, with the epic intro, groovy riffing, intense verse/chorus section, hypnotizing soundscape/string section, and what comes after that is probably the greatest thing ever recorded by DT. When the final sweep of the guitar fades out, it feels like my mind has left my body. There are so many highlights in this song, but what sticks out the most is the part right after the strings. That swirling sound just tells you that something drastic is about to happen, and then a god-like performance from JLB. I can't listen to it without giggling out of sheer amazement. A great solo section, thanks to the straight feel of it (makes me think of TTT or Home), and then a really epic ending with the climax being JP's solo. The easter egg then tells you "go home, the show is over". 5/5
Conclusion: For me, this is possibly the most interesting album DT has made in a long time, and the transition BC&SL --> ADTOE --> DT12 is really promising for the future of this band. It feels as if they have really focused on the songwriting, and polished what could have been long and stretched out songs (like TCOT or ANTR) into songs in the 6-7 minute range. This makes it harder to take in at first, as there are many things to digest in each song, but I find that these albums are the ones who stand the test of time best. The album sounds very mature, and they have cut down on the more youthful metal/"really complex unisons/harmonies" in favor for melodies and chord progressions, which I personally like much more.
Something else that I have thought about is the timing of the release in relation to the overall feel of the songs. If this album would have been released in the spring, I'm not sure if I would have liked it as much as I do. The songs have a heavy, melancholy feel that really goes hand in hand with the change from summer to fall, when it gets colder and darker outside, the leaves fall from the trees, and life in general feels a little more grey and melancholy. Personally, I love this time of year, as it gives me time for reflection and "soul searching". I love the feeling of sitting inside my warm apartment curled up in the corner of my couch under a blanket with a good book and a cup of tea while it's cold and rainy outside, and this album highlights these emotions perfectly.
All in all, I find the album to be more than the sum of it's parts, and therefore, it gets a 5/5.
Thank you Dream Theater.
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Topic: What are your thoughts on DT12? (Read 155503 times)