Wiki
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Length
7:16
The Root of All Evil is the opening track to Dream theater's eighth studio album Octavarium and is the 3rd song in Mike Portnoy's 12 steps suite.
It contains what are arguably the heaviest riffs of the 5 songs which compile the suite and is the most face paced.
Like the other parts of the suite the lyrics describe the struggle of an unnamed character with his likewise unnamed addiction. In the first part of the song (VI. Ready) the protagonist describes all the attributes that he has had in his life which he believes he needs to purge. After describing these attributes he then speaks to someone, possibly God, telling them that he is ready to let go of all his past evil. Finally he expresses his desire to become a better person.
The second segment (VII. Remove) has a similar lyrical formula only this time the main character speaks with a higher sense of urgency to whomever it is that he is speaking to. He asks for help freeing himself of the addiction and seems to be willingly giving himself up to whatever purpose the person being spoken to may have in store.
Another notable point of the song is that it begins where the last song of the previous album (Train of Thought) ended. That is to say, it begins on the very same note that the final track of train of thought (In the Name of God) ended on.
The song also ends with the melody of the title track of the album which it is featured on (Octavarium).
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