It's my least favorite of theirs. I'm sure my opinion of the album will be considered controversial, but that's okay. I'm glad some fans really enjoy it. Let me provide a backstory, which may help to make more sense.
By the time MP left DT, I had already kinda lost interest in the band's direction, as I was very disappointed with SC and BC&SL - and, to clarify, both those albums had brilliant
moments, but as a whole, were very disappointing. So, when they announced Mangini as the new drummer, it kinda got my attention again (having been a fan of his since his work with Steve Vai). Then, they put out ADTOE - I was blown away. It was the first Roadrunner era album that felt fresh and inspired to me, and there seemed to be a much better balance between heaviness and prog. The instrumental sections made a lot more sense, flowed naturally, and didn't feel like they were randomly inserted into the songs. So, ultimately, that album was a breath of fresh air, and sparked my interest in the band again. I started paying attention to their social media posts, overall band news, tour dates, etc. This means I was also, for the first time in a long time, eagerly awaiting the next album.
When "The Enemy Inside" was released (I believe they released it as a single?), I remember sitting there and just really being annoyed. Now, I've never considered DT a "metal" band, even though many others do. To me, they've always been progressive rock, and at times, progressive hard rock. I don't equate "heavy" with automatically being "metal". So, listening to "The Enemy Inside", it just annoyed the hell out of me. It was, once again, everything I couldn't stand from SC and BC&SL. It was that very forced, overly commercial-sounding metal track, as if trying to appeal to Hot Topic teenagers.
When they joined Roadrunner - so much changed, from one album to the next. I mean, just the band promo pics themselves...ugh. All of the sudden we had music videos again (after the stand they took against it back in the FII era, and then proceeded to put out four of the most amazing, creative albums I've ever heard). It was like they drastically changed course, and instead of truly being
progressive, they were writing almost as if to meet a pre-established criteria that fans were expecting. Kinda like, "Hey, long songs with lots of odd time-signatures is kinda our thing, so we need to do that. Also, we need to make sure to include lots of trading solos and unisons." I can't remember which forumite said it, but recently someone posted - in the early years, it seemed like they didn't have rules for themselves when it came to their writing sessions - it was sort of "anything goes", or something to that effect. That is what made them so captivating, and set them apart. That's what stood out to me - every album was different from the previous, and from the next. THAT, to me, is the essence of being
progressive. To me, it was never about long songs, or odd time-signatures, or super technical soloing - that's all well and good, but to me, it was about trying new things every album.
After Octavarium, in my humble opinion, that stopped. The first eight albums all sound drastically different from one another, but moving forward, not so much. SC was very much a mixture of "everything we're known for". It was very "been there, done that, a thousand times". Same with BC&SL. So, ADTOE was a VERY welcome album. But, after that, hearing "The Enemy Inside"....I was just like...what the deuce? My mind just went "oh well...so much for that awesome course-correcting album, I guess it was a fluke."
The self-titled album, to me, feels like a direct result of having been nominated for a Grammy on the previous record. All of the sudden, we have an album full of shorter, more concise songs (most that have a cringe-worthy, sappy chorus). You've got your album's worth of short, commercial sounding tunes - but, wait - we've got to include the obligatory long epic track, and of course, the "betcha can't play this" instrumental track! No, no, no, and more no. Again, you're no longer writing freely - you're writing within these set parameters that you've established for yourselves, and that the fans have come to know you by. But, hey - fuck the fans! You are Dream Theater, for god's sake! You are already legends! Just write what you want to write, and who cares about the fans? There will always be an audience out there who likes what you do.
I know some people would argue that they
did write what they wanted to write on that album, and that's fine. I can respect that. To me, it doesn't feel that way, but that's okay. If they really were trying to write more commercially, to see if they could win a grammy that time around, that's okay. It's not something I would've done, but that's alright.
Enigma Machine is probably their worst instrumental track. Obviously they're all virtuosos, and obviously they can all play, so of course it's not going to be done poorly. Musically, however - compositionally - it's incredibly boring. The whole track screams of "the rest of the album is short, hopefully radio-friendly tunes, so we need to include this balls-to-the-wall instrumental track, to remind everyone - HEY - it's still Dream Theater!". It's obvious that the track was included to showcase their playing ability, and honestly, this far along into their career - we all know they can play. I would've rather had something that was musically sound, and interesting to listen to (like Hell's Kitchen, or Erotomania - both those tracks showcase playing ability, but they are also beautiful to listen to, and very mature sounding). Enigma Machine just feels like something a band would write for Guitar Hero.
Illumination Theory, ah yes, the obligatory epic. Remember when back in the day they only had ACOS? It was, a stellar track, beautifully done, perhaps my favorite track of theirs...and part of what made it so special, was that it stood alone, a giant among mere mortals. But, then we had more, and more, and more epics... so, it just kinda got MEH and BLAH. Not interested. It just got predictable. Again, yet another example of "We need to have these epics, because fans expect it from us". My biggest problem with Illumination Theory, apart from the recycled riffs from the SC writing sessions, and the very incoherent transitions, and the randomly inserted soft middle section, which had already been done in TCOT and ITPOE....oh wait, yeah, those are all the problems I have with that track. Best part of that track? The hidden easter egg nugget of truth and justice, at the end. Beautiful piano and guitar lead. That's baby makin' stuff, right there. MORE OF THAT, PLEASE.
I will say, I really, really like Surrender to Reason. Maybe it's because it sounds like Breaking All Illusions, Pt. 2, and I love Breaking All Illusions.
I like The Looking Glass okay; it's a solid Rush tribute song.
The production is, as others have pointed out, absolutely terrible. The few times I have tried to force myself to listen to it all the way thru in the car - I can't. My ears literally ache, and are left fatigued. The guitar tone is muddy. The keys are too low. The drums sound...well...just...bad...very bad...the vocals have a weird effect on them, and the bass sounds awesome, which is the only good aspect, in my opinion.
Yes, yes, I may seem nitpicky...but so are most DT fans lol.
I was very pleased with The Astonishing. Who in their right mind puts out a double-disc full-blown rock-opera concept album these days? Fuckin' Dream Theater, that's who. It was a brilliant, absolutely beautiful work of art. Cheesy story? Sure, but who gives a shit. Musically, it was TIP TOP. Can't really complain about the album. I LOVE that it's their softest album. We really needed that, after the several album span of "hey, we are a badass bunch of metal guys, and don't fuck with us" looking promo shot ridiculousness. It's a cryin' shame that so many fans hated it. Although, I have a feeling they are mostly the younger Hot Topic teenager fans who didn't like it. All the DT fans I know personally love it, and they are, for the most part, older fans like me; dinosaurs from the Cretaceous period, if you will.
So, since Mangini joined, we've had: an amazing return-to-form album, a very cringey generic "the spirit of SC and BC&SL has come back to haunt yoU!" album, and a very beautifully written, symphonic masterpiece of an album.
So, here we are folks. Eagerly awaiting for the next. If the above pattern is to continue, this next album would fall under the "generic and forced" category. Now, it's just a coincidental pattern, and it would be absurd to actually put faith in it. BUT...I am concerned, especially since they said it's heavy and aggressive, so far. I'm not into metal. I don't listen to metal. Back when I was a teenager in the 80s, I listened to metal. But, like a lot of teenagers, it was a phase. It gets old, repetitive, predictable, and the overall attitude of most metal seems very adolescent and childish. Dream Theater have always been heavy, but in a very mature, classy, sophisticated kind of way, like Steve Vai.
I am concerned. I'm okay with heavy...it just depends on how it's done, I guess. Look, these guys aren't youngsters anymore. If you ask me, it'd be a shame for them to put out something that feels like it's trying to stay relevant with the times, or be trendy, or that feels like it's them trying to be "badass metal guys". I mean, I'd like for them to age gracefully. If I were JP, for instance, I'd feel like, "look, we've already established a legacy, let's forget about what's trendy or current, and just write whatever we feel like writing! We don't owe anything to anyone, and don't have to prove anything. We've already put out a ton of critically acclaimed albums, so let's not worry about fans being disappointed." True artistic freedom, and integrity. Not to keep mentioning Steve Vai, but one of the things I love about him, music aside, is his work ethic. He does whatever he wants, on his own time, and on his own terms. He's not worried about fans disliking an album, lol, and you can clearly hear it in his music. A lot of it is perhaps a little too abstract or bizarre, but that's okay. The point is, he is satisfying his own urge to create, and finds it fulfilling! And THAT, is where it's at, and all about. True artistic freedom and integrity.
Yeah, yeah...I know...they have to pay their bills, and of course the fans matter, and blah blah blah...
There will always be plenty of folks who DO like what they put out.
Anyway, I'm excited for this new album, but I'm also cautious...I guess we'll see if they give us a heavy, super awesome, super sophisticated, classy sounding album, something that is free from rules and trends and expectations, and that fucks our minds in a good way.... or if they give us a very forced, commercial-metal album for the Hot Topic teenagers....
EDIT - I hope none of the above comes across as rude or disrespectful to the band - I have the utmost respect and admiration for these guys, but, at the same time, I don't worship them unconditionally or think that they can do no wrong. They are just guys, and we root for them, and know what they are capable of! It's like with your favorite sports team - sometimes you may feel like they haven't put out their best, and you feel they could do better - but you still love them. Anyway, controversial as my opinion on the self-titled album may be, I hope it didn't come off as disrespectful