Ever since Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy left in December of 2010, i can't exactly say the band has been their best. This is evident in A Dramatic Turn Of Events and their most recent album. Their self titled album is better but still is back to the original style of Dream Theater that many of us know and love. Mike Mangini, their new drummer, might be part of the case. Mangini has a different style to Portnoy, which is to keep up with the guitar and bass tracks instead of having them keep up with him. It isn't bad, but this is where Dream Theater is starting to slip up with their song writing. Much like the previous album, this has nine tracks and was released just last year in 2013. The Metal Voice, gave this album their #1 spot on their best of 2013 list which is fine but I don't agree with them in the slightest. Let's find a way to disect this album step by step.

1, False Awakening Suite, this 3-minute track is about as perfect as perfect as your get as a starting track for this album. It is split into three different parts and no vocals. One of my favorites off of the album.

2, The Enemy Inside, this is about someone who suffers trauma after a hard days of battling in a war. The guy portrayed is insecure and can't seem to get things together with his family. OK, that's what the music video says but even with that it is a great song and a fair weather single that might get some of you into Dream Theater.

3, The Looking Glass, now they've done it! They decided to take a brief Opeth move and go Prog Rock, but i said briefly. This isn't really very good of a song unless you like bands like Rush or Jethro Tull. The music video sucks too.

4, The Enigma Machine, yet another one with a music video. This song makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, and the music video doesn't do much to help either. It is more like a watered down version of The Dance Of Eternity from Metropolis Part 2, but unlike The Looking Glass, it is pretty decent. Not much in terms of innovation or change though.

5, The Bigger Picture, the saddest song I've heard in my life. This 7 minute roller coster is very enjoyable to listen to, and rightfully so. There can be many interpretations for this one song but all lead to some emotional topic. :'(, is the face you would use to describe this song. I have nothing more to say here.

6, Behind The Veil, almost in the same light as the last one, this is a little bit more heavier and a little harder to get. Nonetheless, I do like this song alot, and is my favorite off of the album right now. Give it a listen, you may like it.

7 Surrender To Reason, this song is OK at best. I can't exactly say it isn't bad though. It could have been much, much better, but you can't have everything so I can't do anything about it. This is one of the weaker Dream Theater songs I know ths far.

8 Along For The Ride, Garbage, enough said.

9, Illumination Theory, if you've seen my top 25 Dream Theater songs you would know this is really high on the list. It is a great epic and is worth the listen, that is if you can stand to sit down for 22 minutes and listen to it fully. It does have multiple parts much like False Awakening Suite with my favorites been the first two. It combines all elimants Dream Theater tried so far and puts it into one song. A great way to end off an album, even one that is kind of sucky in places.

This has been the Grim Reaper, and My next reveiw will be Imagine Dragons's Night Visions.

Score: 6.9999/10