Invisible Monster by Dream Theater is the second single off the new album A View From The Top Of The World slated for release later this year on October 22. The song is live on all digital platforms since September 22 2021 and here, in what I call a progressive review, I’ll be journaling about my listens of this brand new track by my all-time favourite band.
After the quite decent Distance Over Time (2019), I am once again keeping my expectations low. I just hope that the new album will add another 2-3 memorable songs to my personal collection, and that it will keep cringey moments to the absolute bare minimum. That would be a great scenario, actually. So, let’s hope the Angry Metal Guy’s Law of Diminishing Recordings will not be in full effect on A View From The Top Of The World.
Here we go with the second single, Invisible Monster.
Listen 1
- System: PC with USB DAC, tube headphone amp, Sennheiser HD650
- Source: Spotify
For whatever reason I figured they’d go for a melting start with this one too after The Alien, but instead they surprise me with a gentle guitar intro that harks back a bit to Misunderstood, one of my favorite songs by the way. The first impact is good and I get caught up in listening. The opening riff brings me back to Overture 1928, which is always a pleasure. I also like James LaBrie’s entrance, and the melodies on the verses are good. This song is fun to listen to. Even more so on the first acceleration. Not a bad anthemic chorus, but I was expecting something more uplifting, it ends a bit dramatic and not liberating. I hope it grows with listening. Here’s the instrumental break: nice synth by Rudess, kinda “Halloween music” sounding, and given the time of year it fits! Nice guitar solo.
The 6:30 duration flies by. What can I say, I’m positively impressed by the first listening of Invisible Monster: straight to the point, effective writing, pleasant melodies, funny rhythms, nice synth sounds and James LaBrie’s voice, in good shape, treated with care and finally listenable without bad distortions. Voice mixing to be listened again, it seemed to me sometimes too far back. I was afraid it would be another mediocre modernized metal attempt like Paralyzed or, worse, Build Me up, Burn Me Down, instead here is a more authentic Dream Theater sounding piece. Approved!
Listen 2+
Coming soon…
