Octavarium (album)

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Octavarium
Cover art by Hugh Syme
Studio album by Dream Theater
Released	June 7, 2005
Recorded	November 2004 - February 25, 2005 at The Hit Factory in New York City
Genre	Progressive metal
Length	75:45
Label	Atlantic
Producer	John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Sea of Tranquility link ProgArchives link Metal Temple Link Metal Storm (9.2/10) Link Sputnikmusic Link
Dream Theater chronology
Live at Budokan (2004) Octavarium (2005) Score (2006)

Octavarium is the eighth full-length Dream Theater studio album, released on June 7, 2005 (see 2005 in music).

It holds the distinction of being the last album ever recorded at The Hit Factory in New York City. According to the DVD Documentary in Score, John Petrucci considered this album to be the band's best work to that point.^[1]

[edit] Track Patterns

Octavarium follows a pattern started in Dream Theater's sixth studio album, Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, which had six songs (and also the word "six" in the title). The next album, Train of Thought, was the band's seventh studio album and contained 7 tracks. Octavarium, the band's eighth studio album, has eight songs (and a title related to the number eight). The pattern was discontinued with the band's ninth studio album, Systematic Chaos, which has only eight tracks (two of which are separate parts to the same song, "In the Presence of Enemies").

"Panic Attack" is featured as a playable song in Rock Band 2.^[2]

[edit] Pre-release leaking

For approximately three months prior to Octavarium's release, James LaBrie's solo album Elements of Persuasion was distributed as Octavarium in many file-sharing circles^{[citation needed]}. Because LaBrie's voice can be heard on both albums, many people were unable to tell that it was in fact a different band and it continued to be distributed as a genuine Dream Theater release until approximately a week before the official release date of the album. At that time a version of the actual album found its way onto the Internet, but it was slightly different from the final product released to stores; the ending to the track "Octavarium" was slightly modified from a lonely flute playing to the starting piano note^[3]. On an XM radio show interview with Eddie Trunk, Portnoy revealed that only approximately ten people were given a copy of that version of the album: the five band members, Portnoy's father Howard Portnoy, and a handful of people at Atlantic Records.^[3]

[edit] Panic Attack sound clip

Mike Portnoy provided a sound clip of "Panic Attack" to Gigantour website 4 weeks before the release of Octavarium.

[edit] Track listing

All music composed by Dream Theater.

[edit] Chart performance

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2009)

[edit] Personnel

• James LaBrie – lead vocals
• Jordan Rudess – keyboards, Continuum and lap steel guitar
• John Petrucci – guitars and backing vocals
• John Myung – bass
• Mike Portnoy – drums, backing vocals and percussion

[edit] Additional personnel

• Orchestra on "Sacrificed Sons" and "Octavarium"
  • Concert Master
    • Elena Barere
  • Violins
    • Katharine Fong
    • Ann Lehmann
    • Katherine Livolsi-Stern
    • Laura McGinniss
    • Catherine Ro
    • Ricky Sortomme
    • Yuri Vodovoz
  • Violas
    • Vincent Lionti
    • Karen Dreyfus
  • Cellos
    • Richard Locker
    • Jeanne LeBlanc
  • Flutes
    • Pamela Sklar
  • French Horns
    • Joe Anderer
    • Stewart Rose

• String Quartet on "The Answer Lies Within"
  • Violins
    • Elena Barere
    • Carol Webb
  • Violas
    • Vincent Lionti
  • Cello
    • Richard Locker

• Others
  • Strings arranged and conducted by Jamshied Sharifi
  • Jill Dell'Abate - Orchestral Contractor

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Octavarium Analysis