Throughout the pandemic, progressive metal veterans Dream Theater have been more active than ever before as they have released a massive official live record with Distant Memories - Live in London, a Christmas single named ''The Holiday Spirit Carries On'' in support of their tour crew and the first four records of their Lost Not Forgotten Archives, including three bootleg live records and one demo. The band's fifteenth studio album was prepared with the help of video conferences as James Labrie was stuck in Canada while the other four members could meet in the United States of America. Once the band members could finally reunite, they recorded A View from the Top of the World at their brand-new own studio which shows that the band is alive and kicking and still has many projects for the near future. Even though the group had to push back its tour in support of the album from fall to spring due to the pandemic, the band still decided to release the new record now. Few bands have been as consistent in their development and release strategy as the dynamic quintet and this deserves to be pointed out as an inspiring example that should be followed by their colleagues in difficult times.

As for the record itself, it qualifies as a good average Dream Theater album in the key of the even stronger predecessor Distance over Time. Make no mistake however, since a good average Dream Theater album still easily outclasses the vast majority of the material released by less experienced, gifted and inspired genre colleagues.

Several similarities can be found between the predecessor and this new output. The band continues to find the right balance between energetic, fast and technical progressive metal soundscapes and catchy, melodic and soothing progressive rock harmonies. The songwriting remains diverse as every band member was involved in the musicianship while three band members provided lyrics to the seven songs. There is even a direct connection between the two records as the predecessor ended with ''Pale Blue Dot'' asking philosophical questions about life on our planet while the opening ''The Alien'' on this output explores mankind leaving said planet behind and establishing a society on another planet.

A few differences can also be pointed out between the two records. The production might be the best Dream Theater has ever had as every instrument sounds crystal clear and the different soundscapes harmonize and complement one another perfectly. This record is overall heavier which becomes obvious in the aggressive, fast and powerful opener ''The Alien'' or the modern, sinister and technical ''Awaken the Master''. The drum play is particularly adventurous as can be witnessed in the dynamic, energetic and variable ''Sleeping Giant'' and creative, diversified and emotional album closer and title track ''A View from the Top of the World''. Another noteworthy element are the experimental soundscapes provided by keyboardist Jordan Rudess who manages to incorporate organic-sounding orchestral samples that add an elegant classical atmosphere to songs such as ''A View from the Top of the World''.

If compared to the predecessor, the material on A View from the Top of the World might need a few more spins to grow but offers much replay value for patient listeners. The melodic, smooth and thoughtful ''Invisible Monster'' with its inspiring lyrics or the harmonious, timeless and uplifting power ballad ''Transcending Time'' are perfect examples for songs that unfold their magic after multiple spins. Overall however, the songwriting is less fluid, the melodies less infectious and the choruses less catchy here than on the excellent predecessor.

At the end of the day, occasional and faithful Dream Theater fans can't go wrong with purchasing the band's fifteenth studio album A View from the Top of the World that shows a band living the dream despite difficult circumstances. If you have never or only rarely come across Dream Theater, you would however rather want to start your discovery with the band's classic progressive metal masterpieces that have stood the test of time such as Images and Words, a more recent output showcasing the full potential of the current line-up such as the fresh A Dramatic Turn of Events or one of the band's massive live record such as the entertaining Distant Memories - Live in London.

Final rating: 80%

Listen to the music right here: https://untootherspdx.bandcamp.com/album/i-believe-in-halloween

Match highlights:

Back in the early years of the millennium, progressive metal veterans Dream Theater honoured several of their favourite bands by playing their records from start to finish. These renditions include Deep Purple's Made in Japan, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and Iron Maiden's The Number of the Beast. Lost Not Forgotten Archives: Master of Puppets - Live in Barcelona, 2002 obviously features the band's homage to the legendary thrash metal quartet that might be the most commercially successful genre band ever.

It might be debatable whether one prefers Metallica's gritty originals or Dream Theater's more playful renditions of the material. Nobody can however deny that the eight songs played here are executed with technically stunning musicianship. The drum play by Mike Portnoy is dynamic, playful and tight all at once and easily outperforms Lars Ulrich's efficient but simpler style. John Myung is able to replicate Cliff Burton's style easily which is remarkable on its own but sadly fails to add his own note to the original material. John Petrucci on the other side has to vary constantly between gritty riffs and melodic soloing and accomplishes these transitions with remarkable ease that underlines the fact that he is one of the greatest guitarists in the world. James LaBrie's vocals sound surprisingly gritty as he is clearly enjoying himself while performing this unusual material. His vocals might not be as unique as James Hetfield's original performances but the vocals are nevertheless the most positive surprise on this release. Perhaps he should focus on thrash metal on his next solo album. Jordan Rudess has the difficult job to add keyboard sounds to support John Petrucci on guitar while the original material didn't have any of that. While the keyboards add new touches here and there, they are simply stated rarely employed and overall rather unnecessary. The production is raw which benefits the grittier sounds but it's slightly irritating during announcements and crowd recordings.

At the end of the day, some elements here sound better than in the original versions such as the dynamic drum play and outstanding guitar work. The vocals are on the same high level which comes as this release's most positive surprise. The bass guitar play and the keyboards could however sound slightly more adventurous. The final result is certainly worth the attention of both Dream Theater and Metallica fans. I'm a fan of both bands and didn't expect to like this bootleg as much as I do. It has a lot of replay value and it's very interesting to compare it to the original material. Check this release out on Spotify and buy the record if you end up liking it as much as I do.

Final rating: 80%

The third release in Dream Theater's new archives series is Lost Not Forgotten Archives: Train of Thought - Instrumental Demos (2003). Initially released twelve years ago, this record is only interesting for the most adamant collectors, faithful fans and musicians who appreciate Dream Theater for their instrumental skills but have issues with James LaBrie's vocals. From the latter perspective, Mike Portnoy fan boys might consider this record a dream come true.

However, James LaBrie's melodic vocals breathe life into the band's technically appealing musicianship. Without him, many performances sound like a mixture of jam sessions and endless instrumental wankery. This is why things are quickly getting boring here. The opening ''In the Name of God'' might be almost two minutes shorter than the official version but it feels much longer due to the lack of diversity, emotions and power brought by the vocals. The focused, poignant and sinister single ''As I Am'' also works only half as well without its charismatic chorus.

There are a few positive exceptions when the demo versions sound as great as the regular songs. The shorter rendition of ballad ''Vacant'' sounds refreshing as it clocks in just under three minutes and should have been kept as concise for the final version in my opinion. Instrumental tune ''Stream of Consciousness'' is slightly longer than the official version but ends on some dynamic studio banter.

At the end of the day, Dream Theater's Lost Not Forgotten Archives: Train of Thought - Instrumental Demos (2003) is only interesting for a limited number of fans. This might be a welcome release if you are either a musician eager to learn how to play these songs or if you don't like vocalist James LaBrie. Occasional and even regular fans can skip these demos without any regrets and focus on the other more interesting archives releases so far such as the energetic live rendition Lost Not Forgotten Archives: Master of Puppets - Live in Barcelona, 2002.

Final rating: 55%