Dream Theater
Having fully adjusted to life A.P. (After Portnoy), Dream Theater have afforded rhythmic juggernaut Mike Mangini greater opportunity to add his distinctive flavours. He still shares the spotlight, obviously. On their 12th LP, the US prog-metallers place greater emphasis on the latter facet; its heavier crunch recalling 2003's Train Of Thought. There's the anticipated melange of soaring, cinematic melodies (Behind The Veil, The Bigger Picture), dizzying arpeggios and time signature changes (The Enemy Inside) and some filler. Their expansive, orchestration-laden side hasn't been neglected, and multi-part, 22-minute Illumination Theory is a suitably grandiose finale. Musical masturbation for aficionados only, though.
