Personally one of my all time favourite albums, the boys from Berklee decided to this time return heavier than ever before. With this being the first offering where the band experimented with seven string guitars long before the rise of the now dirty word that is Djent. Comprised of seven songs, Train Of Thought was an absolutely devastating statement of intent. Speaking to the metal community that Dream Theater could of course go heavy if they so wanted and what came out has been hard to equal not just in the band’s discography but in the genre of Progressive Metal itself.

DREAM THEATER – TRAIN OF THOUGHT 

The misnomer of opening track “As I Am” picking up exactly where Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence left off alludes to the classic Dream Theater sound before that smack down riff. Featuring some of the best groove in Dream Theater’s ready arsenal. Though there are elements of classic Dream Theater performed graceful with the haiku that is “Vacant” not before the instrumental “Stream Of Consciousness“. So many different classic elements of the band were brought to the fore, from the trash talking “Honor Thy Father” or the second part of Portnoy’s 12 Step program “This Dying Soul” not forgetting the excellent trade offs of “Endless Sacrifice” though of course as predicted one of the highlights is the truly rapturous finale “In The Name Of God” once again continuing this beautiful pattern of continuity. With following album Octavarium finalising the sequence commencing with the final note of Train Of Thought.

If Metropolis PT 2 is their highly contested best album, Train Of Thought stands alone being one of the heaviest records in progressive metal. For a band that was known for its elements of cheese, Train Of Thought is was a fantastic take on the modern metal of latter day, the band’s defiant cry that they will never be pigeonholed. Able to change stylistically yet remaining Dream Theater all the same is what truly sets this phenomenal band apart leagues above any band in contention. Listening to it now still, twelve years on the sound is still fresh and will, for me, never sound outdated.  Proving naysayers that yes DT can do heavy and still outclass everyone. Essential.