The Metal Thread

I would agree that Dream Theater has started to decline starting with Octavarium. They just sort of went about things wrong with that album, they tried to appeal to all of the various fans they've had throughout the years instead of just writing music that is them; you should know that you've messed up a little when you try and write some "accessible" tracks and only one clocks in under 5 minutes. Although I have to give them credit for putting their genius for that album in a place besides the music that time, that is in all the subtleties and references with constant themes of 5 and 8 as well as musical progression.
http://dt.spatang.com/octavarium.php

As for Systematic Chaos, I don't think it necessarily sounds like the other members of Roadrunner (they recorded the whole thing before finding a new label to sell it to) as much as it just sort of conforms to what progressive metal has become over the last few years, sort of following the trend instead of setting it for a change.

Sorry for all of the analysis, but I'm a music nerd in my free time as much as I am a gamer.

 

i knew that they had written it before the switch but i knew that for road runner to buy it ment it had to be just the same as all the other same sounding dros they put out and i was right.

but all bands do it. non stay with their original style and if they do then they end up sounding samey its a fine line artist have to balence but most just get swept up by the money and don't give a crap anymore