Review of Dream Theater: Train of Thought

Dream Theater has always been a band known for trying to outdo themselves on each successive album, and Train of Thought is no exception. Simply put, the band carves out new musical territory, playing with ferocity and skill that puts other metal outfits to shame.
With that said, lets get the bad out of the way, because there’s plenty of good to go around.
While this work features technically brilliant playing (including an absolutely astounding perpetual motion solo from Petrucci on the final track), it seems to lack the feeling of Dream Theater's past outings. While the album contains shades of their third record, Awake, in terms of heaviness, it lacks Awake's sense of humanity and awareness and instead gives the listener track after track of anger - anger at pop mainstream music, parents and childhood pasts, violent religious sects - and wearies with repeat listens.
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