Tuesday 4 June 2013

Octavarium (Dream Theater, 2005)

Many progfans found this suite - the titke track of 2005 Dream Theater album - a little too much derivative song. I think this is a wonderful tribute to progressive rock legacy. The band quote so many different sources and artists it's impossible to list them here, but they succeed in being themselves as usual. It's a much sweeter song than the average DT's production (that's why I like it), but in its 24 minutes many good surprises are waiting for the listener. Here's some of the finest moments: the floydian, atmospheric intro, the flute section, the second LaBrie's vocal theme (really, what a pure and mighty voice this guy has!), followed by Jordan Rudess' Wakeman-esque solo, then here comes a syncopated passage where Myung and Petrucci prove they came across Foxtrot in their youth.

And this music comes with a great cover art...

After this, the best section starts, in which all lnstruments accelerate and the song becomes a fast-forward festival, a ruthless war between guitars, keys, bass guitars, vocals and drums. They all win, of course. The final section seals the peace with a grand, fluid, melodic wall of sound, a flight above the oceans of sound, towards some far progressive sky. Well... something like that, I mean.

No comments:

Post a Comment