Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
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Free Music Notes for Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Free Music Review: Part Two of a Two Part Review
Hit: 5 Stars
In honor of Dream Theater's latest 2-disc set SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE, I have divided my epic review into two parts. The first review, written on April 25th, was based solely on Disc 1. For the second review, I'm going to talk about Disc 2, which contains the band's sprawling 42-minute composition "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence." Although I'll be the first to admit that this epic isn't quite as consistent or awe-inspiring as the 77-minute SCENES FROM A MEMORY or even their previous 23-minute suite "A Change of Seasons," "Six Degrees..." is a great song in its own right. This is where Dream Theater pays tribute to their various influences. There's so much diversity here that it's impossible to describe so I'll put it this way: combine the styles of Yes, Elton John, Metallica, Pink Floyd, Genesis, and Rush and stir it up to create a potent musical stew.The eight movements are separated (kind of) into eight related songs that flow from one to the other a là DARK SIDE OF THE MOON. Each of them focus on six different people with six different forms of mental illness. They are: a so-called "perfect" woman suffering from a nervous breakdown ("About to Crash"); a tortured Vietnam veteran ("War Inside My Head"); a crazed mental patient who thinks he's a rock star ("The Test that Stumped Them All"); a mother painfully grief-stricken over the death of her little girl ("Goodnight Kiss"); a reclusive boy who grows up to be a paranoid man ("Solitary Shell"); and a woman who has a habit of dressing in black everyday ("Losing Time/Grand Finale").
Similar to what they did on SFAM, the band constantly changes throughout the opus with countless moods and rapid time signatures, knowing the balance between happiness, sadness, darkness, anger, and confusion. "Overture" kicks things off and this is where Jordan really shows his talent on the keyboard. The entire piece is played like a hair-raising film soundtrack mostly dominated by Rudess and his endlessly inventive, fluid playing. Not their best instrumental, but definitely the most creative. "About to Crash" follows and it's melodic progressive rock at its best. After the brief heavy rocker "War Inside My Head," the next three movements are the defining moments of this epic.
"The Test that Stumped Them All" rivals "Glass Prison" in terms of sheer sonic heaviness with guitar licks and snare drumming so fast it's likely to make your finger press the `repeat' button over and over again. James LaBrie switches his voice around on this part, sounding very menacing as the mental patient, donning a phony British accent as the doctor curing him, and using an extremely high pitch as the nurses. Incredible work. Must be a great live song. The ending makes me crazy.
"Goodnight Kiss" is an emotional, almost psychedelic-like ballad that is the tear-jerking high point of the suite. James sounds really into it and he makes you feel the emotion. The main theme comes back and it almost made me cry (seriously). John Petrucci delivers one of his best guitar solos ever at the end. Very blues-inspired and just heart-wrenching.
"Solitary Shell" is the closest this band has come to writing a simple, ordinary pop song. Undoubtedly the catchiest thing DT has ever done, it's highlighted by the energetic acoustic guitar of Petrucci, Jordan's standout synth solo, and James's passionate singing. The lyrics are excellent. Certainly the most intelligent pop song you'll ever hear.
"About to Crash (Reprise)" is basically a harder-rocking repeat of the second movement. I like it better than the original. Petrucci's intro is just bad-[rear]. The musicianship is really great, too. "Losing Time/Grand Finale" reprises the main theme and gets higher and higher towards a powerful conclusion which brings everything that happened before into perspective. After Portnoy crashes the gong, the notes wander for about another minute or so. Funny how both discs end with Beatles references.
So there you have it. Two discs and 96 minutes worth of some of the best music ever done. I hope you enjoyed this two-part review. If I gave away too much information let me know, but it was worth it describing this incredible two-disc set. SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE is yet another crowning achievement in Dream Theater's canon. I can't wait to see what these guys are gonna do next!
Free Music Review: Dream Theater Are Only Getting Better
Hit: 5 Stars
Dream Theater are, without a doubt, a band full of the most artistic artists out there today. Hearing their music at its finest gives you an unexplainable sense of joy, not because the music is so catchy, or so artistic, (although it is certainly these things as well) but because it is encouraging to hear that there is a band of this caliber still around today. Each member is a practical virtuoso at his respective instrument, able to do things most other musicians today could never even "dream" about. It's kind of like lumping five divas together and watching them all work their magic at the same time without leaving a single person out of the spotlight. When a band as talented as this can manage to not only make incredible and complex music like this, but to do it together, as a TEAM, well it's damn inspiring.Take, for example, the phenomenal opening track of this album, "The Glass Prison," a myriad of puzzling guitar riffs, intricate bass lines, and dynamic keyboard melodies accompanied by some truly devastating drumming. Backing it all up (or fronting, technically) is the beautiful voice of vocalist James Labrie, adding the final dimension to Dream Theater's unique sound. There is nary a dull minute (out of the 13!) to be had here, with each member recieving their own chance to shine, and I mean REALLY shine. Without a doubt, Dream Theater's heaviest song, but trust me, they make it work.
You then encounter the beautiful, ballad-ish "Blind Faith," which tends to slow things down a bit, but as a song on this album, contributes all the more to the beautiful atmosphere. "Missunderstood" is a song you may need to allow yourself some time to work with, but the effort is a rewarding one as it is just as satisfying as any other song on this album. Not only that, but it really picks up steam at the end. The final epic song, "The Great Debate," resembles the work of the band Tool in both sound and style, with emotional, intelligent, and thought-provoking lyrics. It's definitely one of the more creative songs on the album, where it gets double praise from me for being a good song AND a salute to Dream Theater for attempting something different. The final song of disk one "Disappear" is a worthy track overall and a solid closer to the first half of the album.
We are then treated to the second disk, and what I believe is one of Dream Theater's most ambitious and creative efforts: the title track to the album, Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. This is the longest song they have ever done since "A Change of Seasons", which still today remains a fan favorite (and only half as long!). And, while I can safely say that creating an engaging an enjoyable 46 minute song is something only the members of Dream Theater could do, it also must be said that, as a complete "song," 6DOIT doesn't precisely feel like the real deal. The song is broken up into 8 separate tracks and, while each is an enjoyable listen, none, save for 1 or 2, posses any common theme or link to them (musically of course, not lyrically) to qualify it as an actual full-blown 46 minute song. It seems to more closely resemble somewhat of a concept album of separate songs which happen to flow easily into and out of one another.
Do not take this as a sign that I am bashing this song in any way, for I am not, it just seems bizarre for a band to label something as a 46 minute song, where it is really in fact 8 separate, 6 minute tracks, which don't really possess any semblance of one full song, linked by the common theme of mental disease. It is, no doubt, as worthy an effort from Dream Theater as ever, and, as I said before, quite breathtaking to listen to, just simply not deserving the title of a complete song.
Nevertheless, as my title reads, I believe Dream Theater to be one of the prominent bands of this decade, and in my eyes they only seem to be getting better. While they did indeed surpass any and all expectations as artists in their 1999 offering "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory," they somehow continue to evolve as musicians and they're immeasurable talent in songwriting and depth continues to improve with each new album. In short: they won't be able to put out a new album soon enough for me.
Free Music Review: Part One of a Two Part Review
Hit: 5 Stars
Like everybody else, I thought it would be impossible for Dream Theater to top their conceptual masterpiece SCENES FROM A MEMORY. I mean, come on, it's a perfect record all the way through, and I recently bought the live DVD of SFAM in concert which just floored me to say the least. With that in mind, I'm sure every DT fan out there (including myself) was a bit curious to see how the follow-up was going to measure up. It's safe to say, in this reviewer's humble opinion, that the greatest prog. band of them all have actually done it. Although they didn't come close to topping SCENES, Dream Theater have done just fine with their monumental double-disc set SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE (wow! that's a long title!). I didn't like it all that much at first, but repeated listenings have made me realize the sheer depth, creativity, and power that runs throughout the two discs. This is one DT's finest albums. Period.Disc 1 is composed of five lengthy songs that end all too quickly. "The Glass Prison" is pure Dream Theater - a 14-minute heavy metal beast that is also their most ear-shattering song to date. DT have written really heavy songs in the past like "The Mirror" and "Beyond This Life," but those songs had little melodic breaks that allowed you to catch your breath. Not so here. "TGP" is relentlessly energetic from beginning to end. The sinister back-and-forth vocals of James LaBrie and Mike Portnoy are amazing, and the instrumental section is their best ever. The dueling guitar/keyboard solo by Petrucci and Rudess is insanely complex, John Myung's bass solo rocks, and there's Portnoy's heavy, galloping drums in the background. Overall, an outstanding epic.
"Blind Faith" follows and is equally fantastic. DT has always been known for the amount of melody they put in their songs, and it's clearly in top form on this 10-minute piece. LaBrie not only proves that he's a great singer but also a great lyricist. His lyrics are very deep and powerful. He surprised the hell out of me. This track also has one of the most hypnotic intros ever recorded, beginning with Rudess's haunting synth wash that is followed by Myung's de-tuned bass, the killer grooves of Portnoy, and one of Petrucci's best riffs. Heavy and catchy.
"Misunderstood" is both the most beautiful song they've done as well as the most bizarre. This is where DT cranks the experimental factor to a tilt. It starts out quiet and slow for the first three minutes or so with an acoustic melody that smacks of old Zeppelin. You think it's going to be a simple ballad, but then Petrucci lashes out with a heavy guitar break and Queen-esque solo that is purposely out of place. His lyrics on this track are also good. Listen to the chorus. Unbelievable. The song ends with a psychotic wah-wah pedal attack and creepy keyboards.
"The Great Debate" is the second 14-minute monster on this disc. A lot of people don't seem to like it because of the Tool influence (mostly in the first few vocals), but this epic has more in common with Rush's "Natural Science" than Tool. Petrucci's lyrics on this deal with the ever-growing cloning debate and its effects on society. Although Portnoy has said in many interviews that John was writing from both sides, it's clear he's on the pro-life side and he lets the "white coat heroes" have it. Really powerful stuff. Excellent keyboard solo by Jordan and nice double-bass work from Portnoy.
"Disappear" is the most underrated song on this disc. Some love it, others hate it. I'm in the former. It's not their best ballad (that would be "The Spirit Carries On"), but it's definitely an emotional power trip. A lot have compared this to Radiohead and Kevin Moore's earlier "Space-Dye Vest," but the backwards tape loops and weird heartbeat effects remind me of the Beatles during their SGT. PEPPER heyday. LaBrie's lyrics are also different, as the depressed character in the song finds hope at the end of the tunnel. A very nice mellow tune. LaBrie shines on this one.
So ends Disc 1 of SIX DEGREES...but wait, there's more! Tune in tomorrow when I review Disc 2 which contains the band's magnum opus title track, the 42-minute "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence." See you later!
Free Music Review: Dream Theater's exhausting magnum opus of prog
Hit: 5 Stars
This intimidating two-disc set seems to span Dream Theater's talent from low to high, from soft to hard and from straight to progressive. The 42 minute title track rests on a seperate CD that I found myself to initially play more than the first disc, which had to grow on me. It's not that much of a surprise coming from DT that their 2 disc longest studio album contains only 6 songs, keeping with an interesting theme of six degrees of inner turbulence.Degree one, "The Glass Prison" is one of DT's most experimental and heavy tracks ever. Soaring riffs and melodies showcase the insane talent of Petrucci and Portnoy, as the lyrics range from short quick growls to LaBrie's usual soaring operettics. This complex track comes in three pieces and spans 14 minutes, but is over way too soon, as it gets progressivly better as the track moves along. The time signatures in this song change quite rapidly and sometimes lead to an odd sound more apropos to Rush than Dream Theater. To make matters short Glass Prison is the best track to be found on the first disc, an epic soaring prog metal anthem that will be a future classic to all progheads.
Degree two is "Blind Faith" which despite it's 9 minute legnth and soaring choruses, would sound more at home on DT's 1997 release "Falling into Infinity" as it presents a more straight edged metal with pop sensibilities. Not bad by any means, Blind Faith is remarkable as the weakest track on the entire album, it's agnostic lyrics being the strongest stregnth. Blind Faith rambles on a bit too long, a shortened version on a different album (such as Falling Into Infinity) would have been much more apropriate)
Degree Three is "Misunderstood" a solem ode to a diminished ego that is brilliantly stoic, LaBrie's mechanical vocal approach in this song highlighted by a more subdued Guitar melody from Petrucci and some of the best Drumwork on a softer song that Portnoy has ever done. Somehow far more rousing than DT's more hard edged epics, Misunderstood is unforgettable.
Degree Four is "The Great Debate" a fence sitter of a song about Stem Cell research, which if it isn't obvious enough from a quick glance at the lyrics, is apparent in the sound bytes that appear during the intro and outro, somehow strangely musical, and even building to a crescendo in the outro. Rush inspired structure, but with far better vocals, The Great Debate comes very close to the greatness of The Glass Prison. Thought provoking and beautiful
Degree Five is probably the least listened-to track on the album, "Disapear" Which showcases writing by LaBrie, something almost unheard of from Dream Theater. This haunting track is subdued but still soars, the perfect companion to Misunderstood. The instrumental pieces create a moody atmosphere that make this song almost spooky in it's ambience.
Degree Six is the 42 minute tour de force with the theme of insanity, spanning 8 sections and 6 stories of 6 people with 6 different mental inflictions such as bipolar disorder, autism, post partem depression and such. The song starts with an orchestrated intro, the musical fireworks being an interesting segue to the more pop sensible second part with it's catchy chorus and slight subtle reprises of the intro. Then an excellent metal section and a softer one, with an excellent instrumental ending to that one. DT switches back to catchy and references several other musicians, most notably Rush and Queen. The song ends in a building crescendo and a final note that is at least 2 minutes long, leaving the listener spent and exhausted. This long title track brings you to soaring peaks and leaves you exhilarated and tired, comparisons to the sexual act are hard to avoid, this song is just plain orgasmic in just about every way.
With these five songs and one that could only be described as a progmetal symphony, DT has put together one of their most ambitious works, experimenting with new techniques and being progressive, as they should be. For anybody who has ever even HEARD of prog, this is a must own.
Free Music Review: Once again, DT impresses
Hit: 5 Stars
well... one thing that REALLY suprised me was all of the negative reviews at 2-3 stars... that is a real shocker for me. I haven't been a dream theater for 10 years like some people, only a few years, but i have listened to each disc maybe 40 times (with the exception of FII which i never bought.. but will one day) and i know personal preference yadda yadda but i don't understand how a fan could give this a 2... not because "dream theater is invincible and never writes a bad song" but because the songwriting on this disc may be their most mature yet. I still like SFAM best, but this album ranks a close second... as many have said the second disc is just awesome... there are no parts where the song drags on, the entire thing is amazing. But the one in question, disc one, seems to get the bad reviews... why would that be? I've seen people say that they haven't written good songs and it is all about flash and how fast they can play, yet turn around and say that disc 2 is a masterpiece... well shucks. That confuses me a bit because there is hardly ANY fast playing on disc 1 with the exception of most of JP's solo's or JR's, most of the real techincal odd time stuff is on the second disc, so that makes no sense to me. But anyway, yeah i could see the songs on the first disc losing 2-3 minutes each and it not affecting the song, maybe even making them better, but by no means does it feel like they were purposely going "ok, let's write ALL long songs just so that we seem complex". And the fans that say that they haven't written anything good since I&W... well i won't attack them and say they can't think that but both SFAM and 6DoIT seem miles more mature than that (I&W is my 3rd favorite BTW), both emotionally and stylistically to me. The only thing i can see that people might not enjoy is the heavier direction DT has taken since then, the songs are MUCH heavier, but don't let that fool you into thinking something silly like heavier=sellout or something like that (and yeah i've heard people say stuff like that) One thing i really liked that was different about this album was LaBrie's vocals. They have changed immensely since I&W, and to these ears for the better. I have always felt the weakest link in most prog bands was the vocalist with the silly falsetto and super wide vibrato, i never liked that but beared with it because the underlying music was so good. On this album LaBrie has toned down the vibrato and sings lower than he has in the past which really is much more pleasing to my ears to hear than the whiny vibrato he showed on Images & Words. One thing i always thought had merit in Pop and R&B music was the singers... always had smooth, subtle vibrato and very pleasing tone (Brian McKnight or Michael Jackson come to mind, or from Nu Metal Lajon of Sevendust or The guy from Finger 11) and as much as most prog fans hate that kind of music i don't think it should carry over into hating the way the singers sing although it naturally does. Those guys are mind blowing singers. I hear LaBrie slowly moving a bit into that direction, which is much more pleasing to me. The only prog singers i have really enjoyed are Daniel Gildenlow of Pain Of Salvation and Russel Allen of Symphony X... and if you count it Lawrence Mackory as the session singer for Andromeda (go buy that disc BTW... phenominal)
I am really pleased with this disc and though i've only heard each disc through about 10 times it stands high in the DT Catalogue right behind SFAM as my favorite album. I think that the people who have given it bad reviews who are fans of "old time" DT circa I&W should give it a few more listens... i am seeing all these bad reviews that surely aren't deserving. If you have any interest in Dream Theater this is one of the albums you need to own. Don't pass it up for whatever reason you might have because it is surely deserving of your attention and once again one of the best progressive metal releases ever.