“Hey Kathleen, have you ever played D&D?” “Hell yeah! Why, you wanna start a campaign?” “Um, Kathleen, are you kinda dressed in Gryffindor colors at work?” “Um, der, it’s the anniversary of the battle of Hogwart’s.” “Hey Kathleen, who’s your favorite X-Man?” “Why Dazzler of course.”
“Hey Kathleen, are you a Dream Theater fan?” “Um, well, er, I mean like, I’ve seen them four times and I own most of their records and like some DVDs but they’re no Deerhoof AMIRITE?!!?”
Yea tho’ I am old enough to know better, I still hide the glory of all that is my Dream Theater love. Maybe it’s because my social circle has an infinitely hipper taste in music than I, maybe it’s because of years of snickering judgement. But now I write for an awesome geeky website, and Dream Theater has released a new single… So I hereby cast off my cloak of prog shame and shout to the skies: I. Love. Dream Theater.
While it’s true that their recent releases have been less than magical, I still look forward to the records that seem to come like clockwork every two years. And even when original drummer Mike Portnoy left I didn’t lose hope. Dream Theater has zero false pretenses about it’s reason to be, and that is virtuosity. Kevin Moore’s departure early in the band’s history left a giant mark in lyrical quality, but I don’t listen to them for cryptic tributes to Shakespeare (even though that was kind of awesome) or any kind of moral fortitude. I listen to them because John Myung is such an amazing bass player it almost makes me pee my pants.
“The Enemy Inside” is the first single from their 12th studio album, simply titled “Dream Theater.” And while Portnoy’s replacement tracked on the band’s last record, this is the first that involved Mike Mangini in the creative process. I’m frankly dying to hear the differences. Dream Theater seemed to be heading towards a rut of contrived messages and 20 minute songs. And don’t get me wrong, I freakin’ LOVE those things, but only when they feel organic and emotional, not as fan service.
So far? So damn good. I grimaced a bit before I listened, but by 1:30 had cocked an eyebrow. By 2:45 it was metal face all the way, baby. And here’s the best part: While the song features all the things we need from a Dream Theater song (virtuoso musicianship, some serious riffage and unisons tighter than a heart attack, son) it doesn’t feature what we expect. It’s not quite a radio friendly length but it’s definitely one of the band’s shorter songs clocking in at 6:17. One of Petrucci’s solos has a wild crystal tone that’s a nice standout in such a dirty riff, and LeBrie does exactly zero acrobatics, which he has never needed to do. He’s an astounding vocalist no matter how high above the staff he soars.
And I might be an album too late to mention it, but I’ll say it anyway. I thought I would miss Mike Portnoy’s signature “pap” of a drum sound, but I do not. Here’s to another quarter century of Dream Theater, and fingers crossed for a steady increase in awesomeness.
Dream Theater premiered their single with USA Today, and you can listen to it here. If you like prog, if you like metal, and if you have six-ish minutes, give it a listen.