Review Summary: A strong excursion whose hiccups aren’t enough to derail the experience
Heavy metal has always been a core component of the Dream Theater formula, but 2003’s Train of Thought marks their first conscious attempt to make an explicitly *metal* album. The guitar tone is thicker than it’d been before or since, the drums feel even more powerful than they already were, and there’s a lot of Metallica influence heard in how the dynamics are mostly here to make the chugs and driving speeds even more impactful. The album’s title perfectly sums up its intent, the latest in their line of cerebral phrases yet also tapping into the caveman brain that declares IT HEAVY LIKE TRAIN.
While the results still feel like a world away from anything resembling classic metal, there are highlights right at the start. The angsty vocals and heavy/soft contrasts on the opening “As I Am” may border on Linkin Park territory, but the catchy chugs and strong chorus are enough to make it a staple. “This Dying Soul” and “Endless Sacrifice” see the band’s personal quirks more naturally integrated into the style, the former upping the ante of “The Glass Prison” with harsher vocals and borderline thrash chugs while the latter slips an extended instrumental tangent in the midst of its supercharged ballad structure and cathartic chorus.
However, the drawbacks of this heavier attitude hit at the halfway point with the hate-filled “Honor Thy Father.” You can feel the venom right off the bat in the intro’s hard-hitting riffs but the vocals severely cripple it. The opening cleans are solid enough, if rather Tooly, but LaBrie is woefully ill-suited to the rapped bits with forced anger on top of the clumsiest flow this side of Fred Durst. The chorus has the potential to save it but ultimately encapsulates the issue; each iteration’s increasing profanity should highlight the song’s escalating rage but the childish execution just makes one chuckle at James’s naughty potty mouth.
Fortunately, the remaining songs put things back on track nicely though seemingly opting to return to more familiar prog structuring. “Vacant” and “Stream of Consciousness” may be dramatic contrasts as a respective three-minute breather and eleven-minute instrumental workout yet both serve as emotional high points; the former’s emotional vocals, gentle piano, and stirring cello are beautiful and the latter plays like the Dream Theater equivalent to “Orion.” I must admit to not being as sold on the closing “In The Name of God” as some but I really can’t deny its sweeping chorus and grandiose layout.
Overall, Train of Thought is a strong excursion whose hiccups aren’t enough to derail the experience. With how high concept the last couple albums were getting to be, the “let’s just write a metal record” attitude here is a welcome change of pace, still feeling grand without being crushed under its own weight. The band’s personality also still manages to shine through, not afraid to try out some weird ideas but ultimately understanding the best ways to make the heavier methods work for them. I wouldn’t call it a guilty pleasure but my rating would be considerably higher if “Honor Thy Father” wasn’t included…
