Dream Theater - 'Black Clouds & Silver Linings'

Progressive veterans Dream Theater are one of the definitive bands in the genre, and every release is met with anticipation and high expectations. Their latest effort Black Clouds & Silver Linings only has six songs, but a few of them are really long, clocking it at between 10 and 20 minutes, so there's plenty of bang for your buck.

Black Clouds & Silver Linings opens with the epic "A Nightmare To Remember," which has all the elements of a good Dream Theater song: intricate arrangements, numerous tempo and intensity changes and plenty of hooks. They continue the momentum with "A Rite Of Passage," my favorite song on the album, which features a lot of guitars. Things slow down with the power ballad "Wither," a straightforward song, and the shortest on the CD.

"The Shattered Fortress" is the weakest song on Black Clouds & Silver Linings. It has some corny harsh vocals, and meanders without much of a payoff. "The Best Of Times" opens with a mellow introduction featuring piano, strings and acoustic guitar before kicking into traditional DT mode. It's nearly four minutes before the vocals begin, but once they do, it's a very catchy track. Strings and brass provide a regal feel for part of the song.

The closing track is "The Count Of Tuscany," which is nearly 20 minutes long. There is some repetition and self-indulgence, but Dream Theater throws in plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting throughout. Black Clouds & Silver Linings follows the Dream Theater template pretty faithfully, and fans should be satisfied.

(released June 23, 2009 on Roadrunner Records)