Dream Theater- Scenes From A Memory


Dream Theater have outdone themselves on this album. This album goes way beyond my expectations of any of the mainstream crap coming out of the 90's. The album is based on Dream Theaters underground hit, "Metropolis Part 1" from their album Images And Words...hence the title Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory. The whole album is a concept album based on past life regression, murder, love and all that good stuff. The musicianship is just incredible....I have never heard Mike Portnoy drum so intensely along with hearing John shred on his guitar, John Myung kicking ass all over the place and James LaBrie has never sounded better. As for new guy, Jordan Rudess, he sucks........kidding...he is more amazing than Kevin Moore and Derek S. combined. Choice cuts on this (all of them actually) are "Fatal Tragedy" which reminds me a lot of Images And Words due to the machine gun-sounding guitars in it, "Home" which also has a lot of Metropolis 1 in it, "The Dance Of Eternity", a full blown instrumental which features some weird experimentation from Jordan including reprising Kevin Moore in a section and in another section doing a ragtime piano bit, "The Spirit Carries On" is amazing and very Pink Floyd-ish and includes a gospel choir. As for the last track, "Finally Free"- what can I say except I get chills listening to this everytime....the gunshots, the voices combines with the most incredible music make this one of the best songs on the album. "FF" also finishes the story out and will leave the listener wondering.....