On June 2 of 2008, to the great pleasure of the supporters of Dream Theater, Mike Portnoy announced that the band would be entering the studio for the recording of their new album. After almost a year the long wait comes to an end and we now have the opportunity to enjoy the new creation of one of the best progressive metal bands. The new album is called "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", it is the 10th studio album of Dream Theater and it will be officially released on  June 23.

The album consists of 6 songs with a total duration of 74 minutes, which includes all the musical elements that we loved in Dream Theater. Portnoy and Myung give once again a recital in the rhythm section, Petrucci and Rudess with their exceptional riffs and solos give lessons of music technique and effectiveness and LaBrie's voice sounds throughout the duration of the record more solid and controlled compared to their latest releases.

The album starts with the very good "A Nightmare To Remember" which refers to a car accident. The very dark and slow intro with gothic metal elements is a pleasant surprise leading to the main riff which brings us back in the familiar style of the band. Despite the big 15-minute duration of the song, it never tires with the continuous melodic alternations in the rhythm section and it is a very good opener for the album. The following songs are equally good with "A Rite Of Passage", from which an edited five-minute version is the first single of the album, capture the listener's interest with the beautiful refrain and the "killer" solo and the ballad "Wither" which is based mainly on the keyboards. "The Shattered Fortress" is the last part of  Portnoy's Twelve-step Suite which includes motifs from past songs in the saga and links all the previous parts while having its own sound and style. One of the best songs of the album is "The Best Of Times" with its beautiful slow and somehow sad intro giving its position to a real storm while continuing with uplifting and magical melodies. The album comes to an end with the epic 19 minute "The Count Of Tuscany", a typical Dream Theater song with a vast array of changes in the melody, which also leaves a positive impression.

Overall, "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" is an excellent progressive metal album, combining everything you love best in Dream Theater. In my opinion, it is one of the best releases of the band in the last 7 years, if not the best. Enjoy....!!