Dream Theater – Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory

I would not consider myself a serious fan of DT. I have had I&W since its release and have always enjoyed it. However, it has always been one that would come out for a month or two and then get put away again for an extended period of time. A couple of years ago, I stumbled on a review of Change of Seasons and decided to pick it up. In the process, I also became curious about Scenes from a Memory. After some time finding it very difficult to put Change down (their interpretation of several pieces of familiar music is very impressive as is the title track), I decided to venture over to this disc as well.

Put simply, I have been unable to put this one away! For all the discussion around how this is great prog metal (this is prog metal at its best), this disc is so much more! This album delivers like repeat readings of a great book (Lord of the Rings, Dune, for example). Every listen brings a new feeling and a new meaning to some small portion of each and every song; a feeling or meaning that you did not hear the time before. Every time the album ends, you find yourself wondering if there was some other detail that you missed even though you swear you caught it all the last time you listened to it. Very few novels deliver like this disc does!

I have always enjoyed some of the better concept albums (PF's The Wall, QR's Operation: Mindcrime, Alan Parson's Tales of Mystery to name three). This is, overall, the best concept album I have ever experienced for the following reasons; a) the story line is clear, but not direct. It requires the listener's mind to be engaged, b) the music almost always seems to play directly into the story; the music never seems to be an "extra" outside the story, c)the songs/scenes flow together better than most plays and shows I have seen and better than any other album I have heard, and d) even the minute details bring meaning and value to the story. In short, you tend to find yourself wondering who has been hypnotised, Nickolas or you! Are those his dreams/memories or yours?

Since there are so many other reviews which go into much better detail than I will regarding technical ability and performance, I will limit my comments regarding the "orchestra" to just this one; the album is so engaging, only the best musical talent playing at the top of their game could have pulled this off this well.

This is an impressive outing for the band and is a bright reminder of just what rock is capable of when given over to the right hands with the right motivation! Of course, you will never hear this on radio, there isn't a DJ or station manager in the country with enough patience to play this one all the way through, which is really the best way to listen to it. Playing this in parts (as I tend to do while driving back and forth to work) will leave you frustrated or late to work (sitting in the parking lot listening to the rest of it)!

Through all of this, I have only one complaint...WHY DIDN'T I DISCOVER THIS 17 OR 18 YEARS AGO?!!!

Superb musicianship once more, as one has come to accept from this excellent band. once again though what could have been a truly awe inspiring album is only brilliant due to the weedy and feminine vocals of LaBrie, who has to be the 'Ringo' of the group