Train Of Thought  by Dream Theater

In November 2003, Dream Theater released their seventh studio album, titled Train Of Thought. The album was produced by John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy (JaM Productions), while the mixing was done by Kevin Shirley. The recording took place between April and September 2003 in various studios in New York.

The band aimed for a darker, metal sound with intense riffs, influenced by the audience's response to their heavier pieces during tours. It includes elements of thrash metal (influences from Metallica) and some nu-metal references in James LaBrie's vocals. It is considered the heaviest album of their career. The main single from the album was As I Am, which remains one of their most popular tracks in metal circles.

Train Of Thought reached No. 53 on the US Billboard 200, but caused division among fans, creating a "gap" between those who preferred the purely progressive element and those who loved the shift to the heavy metal sound.