DT's "Octavarium"

[Drew]

Listening to this on the drive to work today. You know, I gotta say... this is a really good album.

 

[Makelele]

I agree. In my opinion it's one of their best albums.

 

[distressed_romeo]

Yeah, it's a real grower...wasn't sure at first, but now I listen to it all the time.

 

[Drew]

The middle section of the title track, like at the 9-minute mark, is fuckin' awesome. I love that melody.

 

[BCrowell]

Yes, it is a FANTASTIC album. I can't recal the name of my favorite tune on it, but it starts out with a WICKED keyboard part, and then John joins with the same lines on guitar...so freakin' brilliant.

One of the better albums in a long while!!

 

[SevenatoR]

Best overall since Awake, IMHO. Falling Into Infinity had some moments, though....

 

[Tubbs Mcgee]

This is a little ironic... Octavarium is their worst, IMO. The only songs I thought were good were Sacrificed Sons, and Octavarium. Since I own 10 of DT's albums, I've had a lot of experience listening to them and I must say, this is quite below my expectation level from them.

John Petrucci really has no "shining" part in the entire album...

My favorite DT album is Awake, followed by Scenes From A Memory.

Falling Into Infinity was really cheesy but Hell's Kitchen is one of my favorite instrumentals...

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Drew]

Actually, I think his solo on "The Root of all Evil," what there is of it, lol, anyway, is pretty badass - some awesome exotic phrasing in there. Sure, it's not Petrucci in the forefront, but to me it's really Rudess's album to shine, and the first I've heard from him where he steps up and contributes to the "songs" with his parts on par with Kevin Moore's playing. It's not balls to the wall petrucci so if you're looking for guitar go elsewhere, but as a band offering it's their best in years, at least since Metropolis II and possibly since Awake.

Now, how is it "ironic" that we disagree?

 

[Dormant]

I like tracks off it but hearing the Linkin Park/Muse plagiarism has ruined every album by all 3 artists (not that Linkin Park hadn't done well enough to ruin their own material by themselves).

There are great riffs all over Octavarium but as an entire album I end up skipping too many songs ... Sorry.

 

[Nick1]

this is a great album. I love the entire thing. I feel the same way about everyone of their albums. Sure there are songs I like better than others but there isnt one song that I hate by them.

 

[Dormant]

this is a great album. I love the entire thing. I feel the same way about everyone of their albums. Sure there are songs I like better than others but there isnt one song that I hate by them.

I don't hate them but 'Innocence Faded' or 'Through Her Eyes' ain't winning no greatest Dream Theater song awards.

 

[Tubbs Mcgee]

Now, how is it "ironic" that we disagree?

Actually, I thought the ironic part was how so many people gave it a positive comment. Oh well, I still like all of the songs on the album, just not nearly as much as any of their other albums. I definitely thought Train Of Thought And Six Degrees were better, too...

Oh well.

 

[Makelele]

I definitely thought Train Of Thought And Six Degrees were better, too...

I actually think TOT is terrible, and easily their worst CD. Petrucci hasn't got a single good solo on the entire disc, and that kind of heaviness doesn't suit Dream Theater (IMO).

 

[Tubbs Mcgee]

Not a single good solo? (I definitely disagree about that first of all) Now what about Octavarium? That cd barely even HAS any solos!

Dream Theater is a heavy band and I think that cd (TOT) fits them perfectly.

Anyway, I don't feel like commenting on it anymore.

 

[Drew]

He's got plenty of blisteringly fast solos, but it's hardly his most melodic work.

And there's like a solid 3 minutes of badass pedal steel on the opening of the title track - sure it's Rudess (playing an actual steel, not keys) not JP, but there's plenty of solos there.

 

[Makelele]

In my opinion, no solos is better than only crappy solos. Octavarium does have some good solos, though. Like the end of the title song, for example.

 

[Papa Shank]

Octavarium is an awesome cd, even if it's low-profile compared to older DT albums it still has some awesome songs. Octavarium in paticular is amazing, especially live D).

 

[Tubbs Mcgee]

In my opinion, no solos is better than only crappy solos. Octavarium does have some good solos, though. Like the end of the title song, for example.

I don't know... I'm just thinking, since I've heard so much of their stuff and been a fan of them for several years, that Octavarium was just poor work.

And I definitely don't think those solos are crap.

(I don't like disagreeing with people but since I've been on the Ultimate Metal Forums so much, I'm kind of used to it.)

So... yeah...

 

[jacksonplayer]

Octavarium has some good parts, but overall it has remained a disappointment since the day I first heard it.

I was kinda reminded of what I used to love about DT when I got the "enigmatic:calling" album by Pagan's Mind.

 

[Drew]

I don't know... I'm just thinking, since I've heard so much of their stuff and been a fan of them for several years, that Octavarium was just poor work.

I think the way you're rubbing people the wrong way here, bro, is the "I've been a fan for a long time and own X number of CD's, so I'm right." I've been listing to DT for ages too - not as long as some here, but at least five or six years. Does this mean my opinion has more weight than someone who's been a fan for six weeks? Of course not.

If you don't like the album, that's fine. But I don't care if you've been a fan since the day "When Dream and Day Unite" was released, your opinion is no more "objective" than anyone else's.


EDIT - just checked your profile. You weren't even born when "When Dream and Day Unite" was released. Nevermind.