Roadrunner "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" - Dream Theater

What can I say? Dream Theater has advanced into new highs and with the Black Clouds & Silver Linings album; they show a new stunning sound that is magnificent! Surely this is one of DT's best albums ever, even if I feel that they've somewhat dropped the soothe style preformed for example in Octavarium, and instead traversed into a more heavy style, and there, ofcourse they succeeded once more! Congrats to Dream Theater for a new success and I hope everyone else also enjoyed the album as much as I did!

Great album honestly. More of a hard metal feel to it as opposed to previous albums, A Nightmare to Remember is the first track and it clearly is a song to remember. If you've heard it, it was probably in your head for a while. Very catchy and very dramatic a good way to start an album. Next is a Rite of Passage, which is probably the low point in Black Clouds and Silver Linings. It isn't a very exciting song but it does have an interesting meaning and sounds good live. This song was released first as a single before BCSL and was very popular. Though for original DT fans it didn't have the same emphasis as the other songs. Following is Wither. An interesting song about writers block, even so this song needs no help improving because it is an instant classic. There is already a Wither Single album, which I influence all DT fans to buy, this is something you do not want to miss out on. A music video has also been shot. Following is The Shattered Fortress and the end of the AA Suite (Alcoholics Anonymous) written by drummer, Mike Portnoy. This song is very exciting, very metal and because it ties in so well with previous songs from the AA Suite, it sounds like Dream Theater just completed another album on the side. I also encourage fans to purchase all of the AA songs because it makes it much better. Next is track 5, The Best of Times. This song is well written and honestly quite emotional. The first time I heard this song I was amazed by it but coming around to listening it again, it's just too sad. This song was also written by Mike Portnoy about the passing of his beloved father. He contributed a lot to DT including naming it after a theater in Monterey Bay, Ca. This song is still a landmark in Dream Theater's history and should not be passed by. Finally, the monster, The Count of Tuscany. Written by John Petrucci, this is the longest song on a recorded album so far and lives up to its nickname. An amazing intro, tons of metal and perfect harmonies through out the refrain. The instruments are in true unity and this is by far the most memorable song on the album, more than A Nightmare to Remember.Plus the ending is phenomenal with JP's guitar solo and with James coming to match the beauty of the guitar. The outro in mesmerizing and one of the most awesome endings of all time. Keep it up Dream Theater! Based on these opinions I'd say Black Clouds and Silver Linings will be hard to beat. The bar is set high, so to speak, for the next album to reach. As a suggestion, for the next album (pray there will be one) I think it would be cool to do more of classic prog typed album. This satisfied our, the fans, metal needs but I am interested in a back to basics album. Like Endless Sacrifice or Instrumedley type music like Frank Zappa does. I would honor an album like that from DT all the way. But that is just a thought.

Dream Theater has Progressed through the years, im only 16 but i have every album, and the band is perfect, this album just took my respect for them to new heights! They are always trying the newer sounds and different ways. And each time a new album comes out or something its different. Im in Brasil now, for exchange stuff, and im going to the live concert. And cant wait for it. Dream Theater has and always will kick ass. No matter what, 20+ years together is massive! not a lot of bands can say that one. And the fans they get keep on growing. The fathers who listened to there music when there younger is showing this to there kids, and the kids are liking it. This album Kicks ass hands down. It deserved to be #1 but Youve got jonas brothers, Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana and all those shitty bands that in this day and age are "rock" bands. Dream Theater is keeping rock alive along with Metalica and all the older bands that have come and gone or still here.

Black Clouds & Silver Linings is a great album... It is one of the rare albums I liked from the first listen! Every single song on the album is truly awesome.

For sure there are some songs that are better than others on this album... I'd say A Rite Of Passage is probably my favourite on this album... I knew it will gonna be a fantastic song only when i heard the riff at the beginning... Damn I love Dream Theater choruses, like for the songs The Dark Eternal Night and Panic Attack, this song has an awesome powerful and melodic chorus...

DT is one of the biggest Progressive Metal bands out there... And it's very understandable... With five talented members like this... You gotta be awesome! And that's what this album is.

I give it a 5/5...

i prefer Train of Thought,. but DT still awesome..,.,. o_O\m/

My god, this album was great! I just bought it today and I'm -happy- I did. I only had the chance to listen to it once and I was stunned. I kept mumbling to myself: "They're back!"

I felt like Octavarium and Systematic Chaos weren't the best these guys could do and I somewhat feared they lost their touch, but they've proven once more they've still got plenty left.

My favorite track on this album is difficult to pick after only listening to it once, but right now I prefer Shattered Fortress, because it's got those aludations to some of their old songs, which I always love in a Dream Theater-song.

I'm going to see them live in November here in Belgium, and after buying this album I'm even more hyped up about it!

Not their best... SC was loads better.
Although, I do love The Count of Tuscany.

in indonesia the album is dificulty to get, please sent me free

Really good album, one of my fav. DT rules!!

Definitely under DT's average. I have the feeling this record was written with little inspiration: wither is quite repetitive, and a very commercial unlike-DT song.
The shattered fortress is just a remix of the glass prison series... boring... The other songs are ok. Rite of passagge is a mix of old DT, prog sounds and pop songs... not the best but quite good all the same