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List Price: $18.98 | | Label: Atlantic / Wea
Salesrank: 3401
Released: June 7, 2005 |
| Our Price: $7.49 |
| Used Price: $5.99 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Octavarium Track Listing:
1. Root Of All Evil
2. Answer Lies Within
3. These Walls
4. I Walk Beside You
5. Panic Attack
6. Never Enough
7. Sacrificed Sons
8. Octavarium
Editorial Review:
Dream Theater has maintained a rare combination of stellar musicianship and unwavering passion for over a decade, selling millions of albums and filling concert venues worldwide. The band once again confirms its status as progressive hard rock's standard-bearers on their latest studio epic, Octavarium.
Description of Octavarium:
Octavarium opens with a lean and enthusiastic-sounding Dream Theater, one that continues to move forward without compromising its classic sound or its classic progressive metal appeal. Bassist John Myung propels album opener "The Root Of All Evil" with a weight equal to that of Mike Portnoy's forceful but finessed drumming and guitarist John Petrucci's masterful riffing which seems once more to widen the realm of possibilities available on the instrument. Keyboardist Jordan Rudess lends subtle and deft touches throughout helping further solidify the outfit's equally strong footing in the worlds of heavy and progressive rock. But the best evidence that Dream Theater remains alive and well rests perhaps in the final 34 minutes of the album. The 10-minute 9/11 meditation "Sacrificed Sons" finds vocalist James LaBrie giving one of his most convincing performances to date. The closing, 24-minute title track serves as the sound of a progressive rock orchestra delivering one more classic epic symphony, one more that lengthens this unit's ever-long prime. Both tracks stand as testament to the quintet's virtuosity, integrity and ingenuity and will fast become favorites. Further evidence of the group's diversity also exists here in the form of the unapologetically commercial (and U2-inflected) "I Walk Beside You," a song that seems destined to connect with a crossover audience--at least one up for an unforgettable adventure. --Jedd Beaudoin
Octavarium Reviews:
"As far as I could tell, there's nothing more I need." 
2008-06-17 - For some odd reason, I had 'Octavarium' for two years before I even bothered to listen to the title track. I often find it difficult to get into the more Yes/King Crimson/Floyd-ish 70s-style prog-rock so I figured I wouldn't enjoy it too much, and....well, lemme cover the rest of the album first. The whole disc revolves around the theme of numbers (particularly 8 and 3) and various other themes (terrorism in 'Sacrificed Sons', ungrateful people in 'Never Enough', and a return to Portnoy's AA saga in the killer 'The Root of All Evil'). All of them are brought together in the mammoth title track at the end.
1. The Root of All Evil 9/10 (solid crunching heavy opener which brings in old motifs from 'This Dying Soul' since this is the 3rd part of the AA saga; heavy riffs, great melodies, and great lyrics. A winner).
2. The Answer Lies Within 7.5/10 (a more mellow track that would be at home on 'Falling Into Infinity' but by no means a weak track, but DT's done better. Still, enjoyabe).
3. These Walls 9.5/10 (DT takes a cue from riffs from the likes of Korn and Linkin Park in the intro, in builds it into an absolutely killer track with a hell of a chorus. Amazing).
4. I Walk Beside You 9/10 (probably the poppiest track DT's ever done, and one of the best on the album! More of the U2 influence shows here and it makes for a pop/metal song with DT's unique spin. The shift-up of key on the final chorus is heavenly).
5. Panic Attack 8/10 (heavy track with a bass-driven intro and some of the more techncial guitar work from Petrucci on the album. Very good but one of my least favorite on the album).
6. Never Enough 8/10 (people say this track takes a nod from Muse; I haven't really listened to them so I can't say for certain, but it's another enjoyable track, heavy but retaining a poppy flavor. Portnoy's lyrics here touch on the arrogance of some music fans who are exceedingly rude toward the bands they "love")
7. Sacrificed Sons 9.5/10 (here's where things get good. This epic about the 9/11 attacks begins with a haunting barrage of mass media clips from that day and segueways brilliantly (via channel changing tracking noise) into a haunting 6/8 little piano part. The whole song builds and builds into leading into a killer solo duel between Rudess and Petrucci, climaxing (after Petrucci's solo) in a haunting, sad, but hopeful melodic lead. A powerful epic which brilliantly builds up the emotion for......)
8. Octavarium 10+/10 (If one views music-making as a quest to create the greatest piece of music they are capable of producing and leaving their mark forever on the music world, this piece does it. DT decided to try their hand at a less-heavy, more composition-driven piece a la Yes and Pink Floyd (but still retaining the classic DT sound and plenty of power chords) and what results is the most breathtaking 20-minute epic I've ever heard. To me this piece is one of the greatest if not the greatest prog epics ever written, right up there with 'Close to the Edge'. The first chorus ("this was not for me....") gives me ferocious chills everytime I hear it; it's the most beautiful chorus I've ever heard, almost tear-inducing. Then after a repeat of the chorus the track builds into a part that literally makes you feel like you're soaring through the air with wings ("as far as I could tell, there's nothing more I need.....)"....the emotion to describe this part is pure EUPHORIA. The whole piece builds and builds with more euphoric brilliance with the "Trapped inside this Octavarium!" climax and the stunning "Razor's Edge" finale section. Once I got done listening to this masterpiece track for a second time, I had no doubt in my mind that this was DT's greatest achievement, one of prog's great masterpieces, and MY overall favorite song of all-time.
In short, Octavarium is an exquisite release from tracks 1-7. The title track finale makes it go from an exquisite release to a must-have. An essential piece of DT awesomeness, and once again the title track is a must-hear for all music fans.
Best Tracks: Octavarium, Sacrificed Sons, These Walls, The Root of All Evil, I Walk Beside You
Trapped Inside This Octavarium!!!
2008-06-15 - And I mean that in a very good way! This album is amazing. Most people don't realize how much thought and creativity was put into this album. From start to finish, little tricks and twists are put into the music, things that you would have to really research to understand. Lets go over some of these tricks. A lot of the album has to do with the numbers 5 and 8.
1. On the back of the album, you see piano keys off to the side, there are 8 white keys and 5 black keys...
2. The CD itself has a 5-pointed star inside an octagon on it...
3. When you open the booklet, on the first page there is a kid holding a "can-phone" (you know, a can on one side attached to a string that attaches to another can on the other side...) and you can only see 3 of his fingers. Then, on the last page, you see him holding the can on the other side and you can see 5 fingers. 5+3=8...
4. On another page, there are 2 dominoes: one that equals 5 and one that equals 8...
5. On another page, there is a spider (8 legs...) inside a maze with 8 openings (but no exit)...
6. On another page, you see an Octopus (8 legs...) chasing 5 fish...
7. Now here's the biggest and most interesting trick/twist: The lyrics for Octavarium. The song goes through all 8 songs (including itself)... Here is the excerpt:
Our deadly sins feel his mortal wrath
Remove all obstacles from our path
*(The Root of All Evil)
Asking questions
Search for clues
The answer's been right in front of you
*(The Answer Lies Within)
Try to break through
Long to connect
Fall on deaf ears and failed muted breath
*(These Walls)
Loyalty, trust, faith, and desire
Carries love through each darkest fire
*(I Walk Beside You)
Tortured insanity
A smothering hell
Try to escape but to no avail
*(Panic Attack)
The calls of Admirers
Who claim they adore
Drain all your lifeblood while begging for more
*(Never Enough)
Innocent victims of merciless crimes
Fall prey to some madmen's impulsive designs
*(Sacrificed Sons)
Step after step
We try controlling our fate
When we finally start living it has become to late
*(Octavarium)
Trapped Inside This Octavarium!
Trapped Inside This Octavarium!!
Trapped Inside This Octavarium!!!
Trapped Inside This Octavarium!!!!
(End of Excerpt)
There are probably more, but I haven't found them (or don't understand them)... But that was just the concept/packaging of the album... The music, which is what most people will be interested in is just as amazing as the concept. 8 songs that fill up the entire CD for a total of 1:15:44!!! This album is nothing less than amazing in everyway and is probably one of my favorite Dream Theater albums of all time. So I highly recommend this album to old and new DT fans! IT'S AWESOME!!!
~cHAOS
My Favourite Dream Theater Album By Far
2008-06-12 - Dream Theater are an amazing group of musicians, and Octavarium epitomises them, in my opinion. I really liked everything in this album, from the slow "The Answer Lies Within" to the epic 24-minute title track that ends this album.
I always feel it's best to start an album with the second or third best song on the album, so as to hook the listener, but keep space for something better to come. And I must say, starting with "The Root of All Evil" really fit this. It's a great song, and one of my favourites from Dream Theater, but I think "These Walls" and "Octavarium" are better.
What I really like about this album is that each song sounds almost completely different from all the others on the album. "The Root of All Evil" is a heavy, driving piece, "The Answer Lies Within" is a slow ballad, "These Walls" is another driving piece with slightly more electronic influences, "I Walk Beside You" is probably the most uplifting-sounding of all the songs, "Panic Attack" is another driving piece with still more electronic influences, "Never Enough" sounds kind of like a Muse song, but ten times better, "Sacrificed Sons" is uplifting-sounding, but still nice and heavy, and "Octavarium" is just epic. "Octavarium" has I think four or five style changes within it, so I can't really classify it with just one sound.
Another one of my personal beliefs is that a band should end an album with their best and/or most epic piece. Now while "These Walls" is my favourite song, "Ocatvarium" is truly epic. My favourite part of the song is probably from about 16 minutes to about 20 minutes.
So yeah, this is my favourite Dream Theater album to date, and I think it's their heaviest album to date as well.
OH, OH.... DT backpedals into not so memorable ville. 
2008-05-22 - What happened?
Train was great, so was Six Degrees.
This disc is just like Falling And Metrop. II.
Long, boring,unmemorable.
Strike three, sadly this is the last DT I have bought.
I heard the new one is heavier but I'll pass.
I've been burned by three stinkers.
No more, thanks.
I can live with the four good ones.
If your new to DT go with Images and Words, Awake,Six Degrees of Inner Turbulance,or Train of Thought.
The new one may be good, I don't know.
Skip the rest.
Needs Some Editing 
2008-01-31 - Had to review this one, after just listening to it for the 300th time. Got the new one and (unintentionally) compared it to the other albums. It's about the same as this one. A few hits and a few misses. What I did was burn this CD to my computer, then burn to a blank disc (using some editing software), leaving out the boring bits. I'm left with a great album that I can listen to without skipping around. Here's a review of the entire track list, boring bits included.
The Root of All Evil - Kind of poppy, with a bit of Zack Wilde guitar in there, but not a bad song really. Like the off-tempo beats and vocals aren't bad at all.
The Answer Lies Within - completely forgot this song was on there (left it off my copy)! And that's not a good thing.
These Walls - cool intro. Sounds like a radio-friendly song. Not bad, but not great.
I Walk Beside You - forgot this was on there too! Very radio-friendly song, something you'd hear on a LiteFM station, or feel-good movie soundtrack. So un-Dream Theater.
Panic Attack - The best song on the album! No doubt about it! Worth getting the album just for this song alone! The 7-string guitar sounds great, giving us those dark, choking riffs. I especially love Portnoy's drumming here during the second verse. Great lyrics!
Never Enough - Classic Dream Theater here! A killer opening with a kick-a$$ drum-fill by Portnoy. The solos sort of remind me of classic Maiden.
Sacrificed Sons - about the soldiers in Iraq (I guess), and a bit of a sleeper. Doesn't pick up till about halfway through the song. But when it does, it's that great DT instrumental stuff we've grown to really love! Love how it blends back into the main riff.
Octavarium - as with the last song, this one starts out real, real, slow. It picks up, reminding me a bit of Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. Then tears into a keyboard etude, reminding me of the Disneyland Main Street Electric Parade (it's not bad or corny at all, honest!). Then a piece that reminds me of A Change of Seasons. Then it builds to a nice climax, as all good songs should.
Overall, not a bad album. With some editing, could be a really GREAT album, like the one I now listen to in my car.
