Every new Dream Theater record is a celebration for progressive metal fans. The American progressive metal masters are returning with their fifteenth studio album, “A View From the Top of the World”, two years since “Distance Over Time”, and every progressive metal maniac can be delighted. Nevertheless, it is true that Dream Theater have a long time to release a great album. Personally, I somehow like everything Dream Theater have released, but to be objective, the latest Dream Theater albums are generic and mediocre. Don’t get me wrong, I like every work of Dream Theater, but many years have passed since the last time I was excited with a Dream Theater release. Unfortunately, this doesn’t change with “A View From the Top of the World” … The new songs are plain and not so interesting: seven long compositions, which all have the typical sound of the American progsters, but fail to persuade us. Yes, the technique is amazing, yes, it is so nice to understand once again how intelligent Petrucci and co. are in terms of songwriting and arranging, however, the riffs, the refrains and most of the melodies are dull and I am trying to remember the songs in vain … Only “Transcending Time” managed to impress me with its beautiful melodies. I think that “A View From the Top of the World” is a progressive metal album that has no emotions, like it was composed and performed by tired musicians with no vision, no direction. To sum-up, this new album is flat and doesn’t reach the high standards of Dream Theater. Listen to it only, if you are a young fan and you would like to learn the sound of the band.
♦ 5/10
Dimitris Zacharopoulos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeOkeoXyt-4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0Wmg7Tq4Pk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V462IsOV3js
