The album preceding this magnum opus of the band, was the majestic and virtuosic Scenes From A Memory. With such a killer album behind your name, anyone would ask themselves where to go from here. Any album after that would just seem like a disappointment, because Scenes could blow anything out of the water easily. Dream Theater now would have to prove they could further solidify their claim to the throne of Prog Metal Masters, and behold a spectacular double-disc release which is more than worthy of being a successor to Scenes.
This album, moreso than Scenes in my opinion, has some definite moments where the band is just really metal with prog touches. They would take that sound slightly further on the next album, but already on here some of the most intense pieces of the band can be found. The Glass Prison is, simply put, Metallica with some Rush touches thrown in, expanded, and generally making anything Metallica have put out look ridiculous next to it. The keyboard licks in the background are really funny, and the vocals, despite slightly distorted (not that it matters; LaBrie gives off a decent performance), sound just as fresh as on Scenes. And Petrucci has just stamped his signature guitar sound all over it. He riffs and riffs and riffs, until you're nearly dying with the sound of it. It is the first song DT wrote that actually was heavy from beginning to end, too.
There are more of those heavy moments on this disc, The Test That Stumped Them All and War Inside My Head are two metal monsters that just rip you out of your seat. The former is like Pantera sped up, with better vocals, and basically puts anything that band has done to shame. War Inside My Head is short, but intense, and was the first track on this record I fell in love with. However, I soon realised that both these songs were part of a bigger picture. The whole second disc is just one song split up into eight parts, but despite the track indexing it is best to be listened to as a whole, so as to gain a picture of the lyrical content, which deals with a lot of different kinds of mental illness. Whereas some are lyrically presented in a more coherent way than others (About To Crash, The Test That Stumped Them All, War Inside My Head), there nevertheless is a grand picture involved, and it all comes to a climax in the Grand Finale, which ends on a way too dull note for the rest of the album. Basically, it's forty minutes of sheer excellence (Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence), and then two minutes of ONE ***ING PIANO CHORD HELD THE ENTIRE TIME. Jeez, thanks. Way to kill an epic. However, many of the parts inside fit well, and most of them are quite pleasant to listen to. Goodnight Kiss is the only bit I don't like, bar the ending, and that's because it's just a little too much cheese and sap and too little proggy goodness. However, most of it is still excellent quality prog, although it's just not as good as A Change Of Seasons, Learning To Live, or Home.
The first set is slightly less impressive than the second disc. I already mentioned The Glass Prison, which is an excellent track, and I also love The Great Debate, while despite its political overtones convinces due to the fact that DT refrain from taking any sides and show both parties' arguments, without being biased in anyone's favour. The intro and outro are a bit dull because of the fact it's just too many spoken passages, but the chorus is excellent ("Turn to the light, don't be frightened of the shadows it creates"), and overall the song is an excellent track despite not being worthy of the "classic" mention.
However, Blind Faith, Misunderstood, and Disappear are all just a cut below the rest. Despite not being terrible in any way, and I do love Disappear for its moody and slow atmosphere, very haunting and melodic track, but all of these are just a little less impressive, shall we say. Blind Faith is the most notable thorn in my prog metal loving side, being nothing short of bland. Sure, the skill is excellent and the keyboard licks are terrific, but it just has no vibe, no sense of something that can be remembered and no bit you can say "I just LOVE that piece right there" about. Misunderstood is a decent track for the first six minutes, nicely climaxing, although the lyrics are a little too much "teenage angst" and the last three minutes can be described as masturbational excrement in musical form. Disappear has a cheese factor twenty times that of Monterey Jack, but it's well placed behind a more metal-esque track. Of course, the lyrics are ridiculously sappy, but at least it is musically solid. James LaBrie's performance still nauseates on those tracks, not that he gets a note wrong or anything, but he just sounds... iffy. Something about his voice makes me not like Dream Theater ballads, and although it's not as horrific as The Answer Lies Within, there's just something that turns me off.
James LaBrie may not have given his best performance on here, but Jordan Rudess ***ing underlines that he's a genius and skilled keyboard player. Sure, accuse him of being a wanker, all fine with me, but he definitely knows how to use his instrument. The keyboard licks in Blind Faith are ridiculous, and the ending to Misunderstood is really complicated and technical (albeit boring, yes.) Petrucci shows he can riff with the best of them on here, his rhythm guitar work really standing out for me, with The Test That Stumped Them All as the absolute peak of excellence. His solos however are a little less well-placed. Of course, he can shred perfectly well and we know it. But it's a bit emotionless and void of breath. Nevertheless, despite the fact I disapprove of the song, his solo on Goodnight Kiss is excellent and perfect for the song, and his work on the Glass Prison is just jaw-dropping.
The rhythm section is a well-oiled machine as always. Leave it to Portnoy to again exhibit some moments of drum masterclass, I maintain my statement that this guy is the best drummer that the progressive music movement has ever produced, he is just magnificent with every aspect of his kit, he knows how to play in a musical way, he never tires or gets boring...he keeps insane tempos... overall one of the best men you can find on the kit still playing all over the whole wide world. John Myung stands eternally in the shadow of all the other members, of course, his bass work is meticulous and he never ***s up, but he just simply doesn't get any spotlight time and he doesn't seem to mind, so I guess it's all fine.
Overall, this is not the best Dream Theater album we have ever heard. It's definitely a worthy successor, but it can't top Scenes at any rate. However, there are some songs on here that are classics, some of the most immortal songs DT has ever made can be found on here, The Glass Prison and the title track are definitely worthy slabs of prog-metal. The rest is up to scratch too, but just doesn't attain that majestic quality. If they had, I might have wanted to give this album a five-star rating, now I'll have to settle for half a point less. However, it's still an excellent listen despite taking much of your attention and energy. Highly recommended for Dream Theater fans and other bands that fall into this genre. It may not be the best way to get into the band, but it's still one hell of a release, and it proves DT are still up there as the prog-metal kings.
