There are a few albums that share the not to be underrated ability to awaken me from my months-long writing sleep and spark that sudden urge to write about them – or shall I say “review” them.
Such is definitely the case with Mike Portnoy-less Dream Theater‘s very recent output A Dramatic Turn of Events. Let us immediately be clear: as the band themselves stated, the title has nothing to do with the much grieved departure of Portnoy‘s; and although DT die hard fans and musical purists won’t hesitate to tell you his absence is indeed to be felt, A Dramatic Turn of Events is in every respect and in full right a 100% Dream Theater release. And a very good one at that.
Prior to actually listening to the album, I read a couple of pre-release reviews all praising it in a lot of ways (and trust me, there is actually lots to be praised). Almost all of them seemed to agree on one thing though: Dream Theater was finally back to their “original” sound, the one that made them great and is to be heard on Images and Words and Scenes from a Memory. Now, may I humbly say I don’t see a very tight bond between those two – but that might be just me. So, without getting any close to the age old debate on DT‘s “old” versus “new” ways, let’s go state the obvious: this is a very good album, and it will likely please both “categories” of fans.
What’s so special about it? It has a solid mixture of a bit of everything, and when I say solid I mean all parts fall in place in a splendid way, intertwining perfectly and leaving you wanting for nothing more. During its 77 minutes, a few different sounds and moods hit your ears, from caressing them gently to stroking them a bit. Already at my first spin, I had the feeling a perfect balance between hard and soft had been reached – which wasn’t to be taken for granted. Further listenings strenghtened this first impression, and I can’t but confirm it. Why, they even had me love the somewhat cheesy closing ballad, Beneath the Surface! That must account for quite some persuading power.
As usual, my personal favourites fall among the longer, “heavier” ones (I’m thinking Bridges in the Sky and Outcry above all); which is not to say I didn’t enjoy the quieter moments, as in This is the Life. What I used not to find very convincing about Dream Theater in the past, though loving most of their songs, was their trying a shift towards heavy. It mostly sounded artificial to me, as if they were sometimes trying too (allow me a little pun here) hard. Some choruses off the previous record and a couple of the preceding ones come to mind.
But this is not the case. Not anymore. It now feels like they’ve reached a long sought balance, and it might be silly but it could actually have to do with Portnoy‘s absence. After all it can’t be a coincidence Rudess said Petrucci and himself felt a lot more free now Portnoy wasn’t supervising the writing process. My two cents on this is: the writing sounds a bit more polished (if that was even possible), less frantic, and with a tad more attention to melody than before. Of course, echoes of albums past are still to be heard here and there (or it wouldn’t be our beloved DT); but it is somehow to hear the writers finally got free reins – and made the most of the opportunity.
As to the always difficult question (but aren’t they all, when you’re seeking for answers, not just opinions?): for whom is this album?, it can be easily dodged: it’s for everyone. Old fans, new fans, fans of the old, fans of the new, and fans of the old and new. I know it sounds a bit redundant. But that’s it: there’s enough on A Dramatic Turn of Events to please each and every “front” of DT fans (and there seem to be a lot). Some might find the ballads (three in total, and amounting to some 16 minutes altogether) are a bit too many, or at any rate a far cry from the unequalled Whither and The Answer Lies Within – but just like the rest, they’re very convincing and you’ll eventually buy into them. Longer songs and “suites” on the other hand, have a bit of all you can ask for: solid melody, alluring rhythm, almost oniric slow sections and sudden accelerations and tempo swings. From the heavy sounds of Bridges in the Sky, to the old scented prog of Breaking All Illusions, with an (again) perfectly balanced mix of these two sides on the opening On the Backs of Angels, the whole album is a great rollercoaster up and down all that make Dream Theater the band we love. There’s even room for a revolutionary anthem (Outcry), which I sure didn’t see coming! And unlike some of its predecessors, A Dramatic Turn of Events leaves no room for wishing a track was over and the album would move on to the next; everything is tantalising in its own way, and that’s a huge plus on a long record. Portnoy fans (and I’m one) will hate me for it, but this is Dream Theater at its best.
THUS SPAKE THE CENNSOR: If Black Clouds and Silver Linings earned a full eight from me, A Dramatic Turn of Events deserves atleast half a point more. There’s almost nothing standing in its way to becoming a classic, and certainly a stepping stone in your DT collection. If you enjoyed the previous, you’re gonna love this one, sort of a grown up and more ambitious, and yet (or just because of that) a lot more balanced version of it. A Dramatic Turn of Events is in all respects a brave but well-pondered big step ahead of Black Clouds and Silver Linings (and all the preceding). Everything clicked this time; you’ll hear for yourself if you decide to get the album and give it some (well deserved) 80 minutes of your time. Rest assured, not a second of it will be wasted. 8,5/10
