This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

Dream Theater: James LaBrie (vocals); John Petrucci (guitar); Jordan Rudess (keyboards); John Myung (bass); Mike Portnoy (drums, percussion).

Recorded at Cove City Sound, Pie Studios, Glen Cove, New York and Beat Street, New York, New York between April & September 2003.

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

Personnel: James LaBrie (vocals); John Petrucci (guitar); Eugene Friesen (cello); Jordan Rudess (keyboards); Mike Portnoy (drums).

Audio Mixer: Kevin Shirley.

Recording information: Beat Street Studios, New York, NY (04/2003-09/2003); Cove City Sound Studios, Glen Cove, NY (04/2003-09/2003).

Unknown Contributor Roles: Derek Kemp; Steve Martin.

Three years after Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, it's great to hear that Dream Theater hadn't lost their berheavy edge. John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy, Jordan Rudess, and bassist John Myung effectively peeled back the pretentious excesses of Six Degrees, turned them in on themselves, and came up with a leaner, meaner but no less ambitious outing. The centerpiece track, despite the fact that it is second on the disc, is "This Dying Soul: IV. Reflections of Reality (Revisited)." A tome about alcoholism and recovery, it's strident riff opens out onto vast sonic panoramas where pianos and rhythm section offer Petrucci the space he needs to take his guitar playing into overdrive. Also, lyrically this is an evolutionary track on the set; it opens doors for the rest of the narratives here. Whereas the opener, "As I Am," is an anthem of resistance and independence, from "This Dying Soul" onward, themes of acceptance, surrender, and willingness become the M.O. for transcendent transformation. Struggles with the past, new encounters, and near despair are common themes, as on the brilliantly textured and detailed "Train of Though." Note the beautiful interplay between the guitars and keyboards on "Endless Sacrifice," the insane drums and buzz saw attack on the intro to "Honor Thy Father," or the brilliant play on the intro to "Seasons of Whither" in the intro to "In the Name of God," before the almighty riffing takes it into crunchland with a deep, poignant reflection on spiritual and religious hypocrisy. This is hard, heavy progressive metal at its very best lyrically and musically. ~ Thom Jurek

TRAIN OF THOUGHT continues the legacy of the progressive metal legends, with all the requisite superhuman metallic musicianship that their fans have come to expect. This outing continues in the heavier mode that began with 2002's SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE, reaching even further into darker, personal lyrical themes.

Guitars are the dominant expressive voice here, with keyboards scaled considerably back from the signature Dream Theater sound. Band members Mike Portnoy (drums) and John Petrucci (guitar) continue their do-it-yourself production approach, opting for recording venues on their native Long Island (much of the band's album work has taken place in upstate New York at Bear Tracks and Little Bear Studios). "As I Am" and "This Dying Soul" at times borrow generously from Metallica, featuring that band's well-known use of tri-tones, and vocalist James LaBrie even tries his hat at some Hetfield-isms. Possibly due to Petrucci's tenure on the G3 Tour (with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai), TRAIN finds him returning to Dream Theater wielding an even more lethal guitar soloing style. Of all the new tracks, the instrumental "Stream of Consciousness" sounds in closest proximity to the band's earlier material, and, for longtime fans, this bodes well for their future efforts.

Q (3/04, p.102) - 3 stars out of 5 - "DREAM THEATER were playing pompous, highbrow conceptual metal before nu-metal had a name....[This album] has them gilding the lily like never before."