Dream Theater
's first album with new vocalist
James LaBrie
is an excellent mix of
progressive metal
stylings with heartfelt vocals and thought-provoking lyrics. Guitarist
John Petrucci
, bassist
John Myung
, and drummer
Mike Portnoy
, all of whom trained at Berklee, show impressive ability on their respective instruments.
Kevin Moore
's keyboards weave strongly through the intricately constructed songs, while operatically trained
LaBrie
shows an impressive range with his tenor. Standout tracks include the complex
"Metropolis, Pt. 1,"
the
Shakespeare
-influenced
"Pull Me Under"
(also released as a single and video), the dramatic
"Take the Time,"
and the 11-minute, thoughtful
"Learning to Live."
's musicianship and songwriting are a cut above the norm; this is a very good disc. ~ Phil Carter