Pick up this CD only if you're in the mood for serious mood swinging
Pick up this CD only if you're in the mood for serious mood swinging
If anything can drain you out, apart from the usual noise jerking off instruments and lyrics that are music only to writer's ears, it is the duration of the tracks. With only six songs that last for 80 minutes, Dream Theatre: 
Black Clouds and Silver Lining, the band's tenth studio album is nothing but a test of your patience.
The mere effort of the band, confused at striking a balance between progressive and heavy metal, andu00a0 vocals peppered in randomly, makes for a rollercoaster ride that ends nowhere.
The opening track, 'A Nightmare To Remember,' starts with background score that builds up the tempo for a haunting night that the songwriter John Petrucci can never forget. But before the ambience can linger on, heavy strumming and an overdose of peripheral instruments like drums break the essence. The song, which tells the story of the writer's childhood car accident, has straightforward lyrics that fall flat.
The next track, 'A Rite Ofu00a0 Passage', drags on, with the same style of percussion, bass and keyboard. Members Pettruci, Mike Portnoy, John Myung and Jordan Rudess have nothing to surprise the listeners with, even though the words are catchy.
'Wither', a relatively short track, starts slow, and tells of the struggle of Pettruci's writer's block. Simple changes of chords show his state of distress well enough.
Next, 'The Shattered Fortress' leaves one shattered with the vocals of Mike Portnoy sounding nothing more than a groggy bullfrog in an empty well. The only saving grace is the voice of James Labrie and powerful composition.
The piano part in 'The Best Of Times' is, however, mesmeric. Then, the notes jump to heavy acoustic with equally strong lyrics, undoubtedly making it the only track to watch out for. The song, dedicated to Petrucci's father, who recently passed away due to cancer, relives the memories and bonding they shared. The final track, 'The Count of Tuscany' clocks 19 minutes that can either have you hooked, or leave you disappointed with its bizarre words.
The choice is yours.u00a0
Album: Dream Theater Black Clouds and Silver Lining
Artist: John Petrucci
Label: Roadrunner Records
Price: Rs 395
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