Octavarium
Octavarium is the eighth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on 7 June 2005. It was their last record for Atlantic, and the final one made at The Hit Factory in New York City, where sessions ran from September 2004 to February 2005. The title points to the album's central idea, which is built around the musical octave.
The band set out to make "a classic Dream Theater album", pulling together the various styles they draw on while keeping the music less complex than before. Critics welcomed the variety, though some felt the songwriting was uneven. It reached the top five in Finland, Italy and Sweden, and the top ten in the Netherlands, Japan and Norway. A year-long world tour followed, with shows lasting close to three hours and changing set lists each night. It ended at Radio City Music Hall with an orchestra, captured on Score, and the band also co-headlined the 2005 North American Gigantour with Megadeth.
Octavarium: tracklist and credits
8 tracks · 1:15:47Tracklist
- 1The Root of All EvilDream Theater and Mike Portnoy8:26
- 2The Answer Lies WithinDream Theater and John Petrucci5:33
- 3These WallsDream Theater and John Petrucci7:36
- 4I Walk Beside YouDream Theater and John Petrucci4:29
- 5Panic AttackDream Theater and John Petrucci8:13
- 6Never EnoughDream Theater and Mike Portnoy6:47
- 7Sacrificed SonsDream Theater and James LaBrie10:43
- 8OctavariumTheater, LaBrie, Petrucci, Portnoy24:00
- Produced by
- John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy
- Recorded at
- The Hit Factory (New York City)
- Recorded
- November 2004 – February 2005
- Mixed by
- Michael Brauer
- Mixed at
- Quad Recording Studios
- Engineered by
- Doug Oberkircher
- Label
- Atlantic
- Length
- 1:15:47
Line-up
- John Myung · bass guitar
- Mike Portnoy · drums (drum set), percussion, background vocals
- Jordan Rudess · keyboard, lap steel guitar, continuum
- James LaBrie · lead vocals
- John Petrucci · background vocals, guitar
- Elena Barere · violin · guest
- Vincent Lionti · viola
- Richard Locker · cello
- Carol Webb · violin · guest
- Joseph Anderer · French horn · guest
- Karen Dreyfus · viola · guest
- Katherine Fong · violin · guest
- Jeanne LeBlanc · cello · guest
- Ann Lehmann · violin · guest
- Katherine Livolsi · violin · guest
- Laura McGinniss · violin · guest
- Catherine Ro · violin · guest
- Stewart Rose · French horn · guest
- Pamela Sklar · flute · guest
- Richard Sortomme · violin · guest
- Yuri Vodovoz · violin · guest
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
Released the same week
Also released on 7 June
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Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + wikidata; also seen: 2005-06-06 (musicbrainz)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 6 June 2005 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 7 June 2005 | |
| Wikidata | 7 June 2005 | |
| US release | 7 June 2005 | earliest US date |
9 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | AU | Atlantic | 9325583028700 | other |
| 6 June 2005 | DE | Atlantic | 075678379321 | original |
| 7 June 2005 | CA | Atlantic | 075678379321 | other |
| 7 June 2005 | XW | Warner Bros. Records | 075678379369 | other |
| 7 June 2005 | US | Atlantic | 075678379321 | other |
| July 2005 | AR | Atlantic | 075678379321 | other |
| 24 June 2009 | JP | Atlantic | 4943674090730 | other |
| 15 July 2009 | XW | Atlantic | 603497966929 | remaster |
| 2013 | XE | Atlantic | 081227965617 | other |
Cover art sources
coverartarchive · upscaled: minor: best source 1452x1452, upscaled to 1500 (x1.03)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| coverartarchive ✓ | 1452×1452 | upscaled: minor: best source 1452x1452, upscaled to 1500 (x1.03) |
| deezer | 1200×1200 | upscaled |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |