Tag: dream theater (Page 1 of 4)

I’m glad this album has come out again because it’s the only one I missed from the Music On Vinyl reissues. It’s a bonafide classic and the album that launched a whole movement.

With the opening track Pull Me Under and the accompanying video that went with it, the band just exploded and have never looked back. Bear in mind, that the song is 8:11 minutes long, so not the usual song length to capture your attention. Also, this was released in ‘92; prime time grunge and it still took off. Not all rock fans had jumped to the land of depression and some still wanted melody and killer playing in their lives. It was also the rebirth of the epic song with song times well above the 3 and 4 minutes. Learning To Live that closes out the album is 11:30 minutes and the birth of the Metropolis saga is 9:30 minutes.

Words can’t describe what this album did for me as it opened a whole new world and appreciation for a format I had left behind. Prog was back baby, but a lot more hard, heavy, and awesome. Take The Time is my favourite song here. It starts with a very heavy opening riff and groove, and goes through so many changes, vibes,  and grooves that I remember just bursting with joy when I heard it for the first time. That would be the DT blueprint right up until the present day as I wait with anticipation for their new release.

Absolute killer record and yes every home should have one.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

This was the first stuttering steps to Dream Theater’s ascent to Prog metal gods. Released back in ´89 and produced by Terry Date, who would go on to give Pantera, gave them huge leg up with a killer production. However, the sound he gets here is a bit thin and lightweight, and does not get the best out of the songs. This is the only album to have Charlie Dominici on vocals and although Charlie is a decent vocalist, his voice does not suit the material and it’s obvious a change was needed.

The band obviously rate a lot of the material because occasionally some of these songs are played live to this day, namely A Fortune In Lies, The YTSE Jam, and Only A Matter Of Time.  The YTSE Jam is my favourite track because it has all of the elements for future DT music, and I’m a sucker for an instrumental.

Not a classic by their standards but still a great listen.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

I guess it was inevitable that MP would rejoin Dream Theater at some point. I mean, if you are totally cynical, you can look at the last couple of DT albums and say they haven’t been up to standards, that the attendances may not of been that great, and that they needed something to boost their creative juices. A lot of the press and blurb that appeared before the album’s release mentioned that this record was a follow up to where they left off after MP’s last album with the band (2008’s Black Clouds And Silver Linings). But, I’m not sure that’s the case. This is a very slick and polished record, maybe too much so, whereas Black Clouds was quite a heavy affair, but I do get the point they are trying to make.

There is the usual awesome musical interplay between Petrucci and Rudess which, since Jordan’s arrival in the band, has been a highlight for me, but it’s Petrucci who is the star of the show here. I know all eyes and ears were on Portnoy to see what he was going to inject back into the band but I have to say, he is quite restrained for the most part, but Petrucci on the other hand is just incredible.

I know you may need a lie down here, but the “ballad” Bend The Clock is my favourite track. Petrucci’s solo starts at about five minutes in and goes to fade out, it is breathtaking. So much tension, feel, and emotion in the song, and the picking is so clean I’m just in awe. No one else can inject so much emotion into their playing and at the flick of a switch be one of the best shredders around.

I am pleased that they are “back,” and it’s their best album since Black Clouds that’s for sure, but if you’re a DT fan there is a lot of recycling of melodies and lines from past DT albums. I’m not sure if that was intentional or not but I’ll leave that as a quiz for you all. Anyhoo, I do like this album and maybe you will too.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

This was album number twelve and the second to feature Mike Mangini on drums. “The emphasis is on shorter more concise songs.” Really?! llumination Theory is twenty two minutes long! Not that I’m complaining, I’m a big lover of the DT that write songs that leave and don’t comeback for days.

Nice cinematic intro with the False Awakening Suite and the two more commercial efforts The Enemy Inside and The Looking Glass. Enigma Machine is my favourite track on the album (did they channel their inner Inspector Gadget when composing the main riff?). It’s what DT do best: lots of widdle and intricacies but in a more concise way.

Illumination Theory is the centre piece of the whole album. It’s about what things people will live, die, or kill for. It’s a well written and performed piece with a full orchestra inserted, but it does feel as though I’ve heard it before. To be honest, the latter day albums do all feel like that, apart from The Astonishing (which I didn’t like at all).

DT are a great band, they just need invigorating and hopefully the return of MP will give them a boost.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.