Customer Reviews

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence

5 star:		(248)
4 star:		(69)
3 star:		(38)
2 star:		(29)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

The cover art is grimy and enigmatic, intimating a sense of violence and aggression. The album's name is bold and maybe somewhat pretentious. What have we here? It seems to be an open invitation for rock critics to assault a haughty progressive rock band. This album seems to fit every critic's definition of "indulgent": a double album, the progressive disposition, and a 42-minute song. And it's Dream Theater.

Direct your derision elsewhere, critics. This may be a strong statement, but I have to venture to say that Dream Theater's Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence is the most dynamic afflatus of progressive music since Yes' Close to the Edge. The band mines a rich vein of influences and amalgamates them into something utterly intense and inventive. The music in this 2CD set possesses the devastating technical chops we expect from the band, this time directed towards a more experimental release than was Scenes from a Memory. At the same time, Six Degrees encapsulates a sense of brutal beauty and depth, with an assertive and clear artistic vision that defies any standard the genre has ever set.

"The Glass Prison" will probably surprise a few people. It opens the album with a metal fury of frightening velocity. No doubt the heaviest thing the band has ever done, it is dark, heavy, punishing, and despairingly intense. Because of its pulverizing heaviness and its lyrics (which deal with fighting alcoholism), comparisons may be drawn to "The Mirror". But this song is far more brutal and poignant (and at 14 minutes, it's twice as long). The song's speed is forcefully carried by Portnoy's alien-hummingbird double-bass, as well as Myung's chiming bass arpeggios. Vocals by both Portnoy and Labrie are fierce, and Petrucci's solo is desperate, shattering, schizophrenic, and shred-intensive.

Petrucci also proves he is adept with the pen as well as the guitar. His lyrics on "The Great Debate" (dealing with stem cell research) are great -- his use of metaphor and cleverly ambiguous phraseology makes him, I think, progressive metal's best lyricist. (Consider the double-meaning of the "turn to the light" lines). The music accompanying his poetry is equally sophisticated. Samples from news broadcasts flesh out the subject matter. This evolves into fiercely heavy grooves, delicious rhythmic phases and accents (at once evoking Tool and Rush), and slaughtering furies of guitar/keyboard leads. A clever mix puts right- and left-wing arguments on the appropriate side in stereo (cool!).

It's been proven that the band is capable of bone-crushing technical wizardry, but they also command restraint and concisely developed melodic progressions. "Disappear" is the album's shortest song, not quite reaching seven minutes. This one is presented with an avant-garde, Radiohead-like production. It is a frigid requiem frail vocals and the sad, seductive susurration of longing melodies, built around gorgeous acoustic guitar and exquisite pianos. Labrie's lyrics and performance are masterful; I believe the fugitive poetry is perhaps attempting to mask emotions the delicate vocals betray.

"Blind Faith" is an outstanding work of songwriting, musicianship, and vocals. It's one of those "perfect songs." The melodies are so liquidy during the verses (with great synth inflections), but it kicks into high gear for an awesome, rocking chorus with a big hook that doesn't let go. There's hooks everywhere, even in the instrumental interlude, which is technical DT at its best. Petrucci plays a simmering, catchy riff which (I think) is on baritone guitar...it's the best! Buy the album to hear this riff. The keyboard/guitar unison part here is the most difficult they've done. Before this, though, Rudess plays an elegant piano solo...he's so talented, and his touch his beautiful.

"Misunderstood" is a very difficult song to classify...it almost passes as a killer rock ballad but it also sports some trippy jamming that reminds me a bit of King Crimson's weirder moments. Petrucci's lyrics about feeling isolated are great in rhythm and metaphors. After the last imploring chorus, the final few minutes of this track are a crazy, dissonant blend of sounds that mess with the head.

A full review should be devoted solely to the phantasmagoric and discursive 42-minute title track on the second disc. "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" is the band's exploration of mental illness. Each section is devoted to a different person's struggles, gracefully enriching the lyrics with character-specific leitmotifs. This is possibly the band's finest moment, countervailing thrashy metal riffage ("The Test that Stumped Them All") with more melodic, pop-influenced movements ("Solitary Shell"). Individual sections show more effort and detail than the sum total of entire albums, but Dream Theater manages to keep everything very concise and coherent. "Overture" is an exhilarating prelude, formed by a grandiose orchestral section, heated interplay, and stormy guitars; "Goodnight Kiss" is an achingly sorrowful elegy where Labrie's vocals are at their emotional best (beautiful guitar work too); "Solitary Shell" is a major-key, hook-laden piece that evokes Peter Gabriel, while Labrie's vocals soar on the power chorus; "About to Crash (reprise)" is an awesomely infectious anthemic rock piece. "Six Degrees..." is so intense in music and pathos that it virtually blows me away note after note for 42-minutes, leaving me physically weak at the end. Yes, it is long...but it is not a song (or album, for that matter) of nimiety. I don't think there is one immaterial note or second. Heck, to some Dream Theater fans it might even be considered exiguous -- there is considerable restraint here.

All throughout, Jordan Rudess proves he is the most inventive keyboardist in progressive metal. He goes through so many different patches rather than sticking to the same tired strings, organs, and pianos. No one can compare.

When a band releases an album so adventurous, it's always a risk that they will create something so self-indulgent that no one will enjoy it. Just remember: Whenever a work of art attempts to transcend the boundaries of its style, it'll likely alienate those looking for the same old, same old. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence is not for those who just want another good "prog" metal album. It is not for those who want another Images and Words. It is for listeners who want to experience the artistic challenge with the band, to celebrate the meaning of "progressive music." There are those who fear that "progress" makes good songwriting null. Have no worries -- Dream Theater's prime songcraft has been polished to an impossible gleam for this album.

Yet again Dream Theater pushes ahead of the pack in terms of creativity and resourcefulness, without ever losing touch with their ability to communicate their sophisticated music to their audience with emotion and sincerity. The kings of progressive metal yet again prove why they are the genre's best band. This release adds another jewel to Dream Theater's crown.

I've been a Dream Theater fan now for about 2 1/2 years. I own all of their releases, and it seems to me that with every new album, they just keep on progressing musically & lyrically. In my opinion, "SDOIT" continues this trend in fine fashion. The music is very mature, combining all of the great talents of each band member and molding them into something completely new. While I think they were able to accomplish this on their other albums, they really hit the jackpot here. Basically, the music absolutley ROCKS!!!! While I think every song is great, my favorites are "The Glass Prison" (a thrash-metal like song, basically it's Rush meets Metallica), "The Great Debate" (very cool song about Stem-Cell research), "Disapear" and "Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence" (like SFAM, but with more of a broadway feel to it). John Petrucci continues to impress me as one of the great guitarist of all time. John Myung does some amazing things on this album. I'm glad his bass is included more in the mix then it has been on past albums. Mike Portney, what can I say that hasn't been said about him. He's just great. Even with the talents of the others, the music would not be the same without him. James LeBrie, whom I thought really came into his own on "SFAM", suprised me with what I consider to be his best vocal performance. Also, it was nice to hear Mike Portney as a more prominent back-up vocalist on many of the songs. His work on the Transatlantic albums was great and made me hope he would continue to participate in that respect.

One more thing...DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM ON A CRAPPY STEREO! Get a good pair of earphones, sit back and enjoy the ride. There are so many little details that one can miss, it really takes 2 or 3 listens to really appreciate what's going on. Overall, this album is an absolute masterpiece and proof that Dream Theater is here to stay. I hope that you all give it the chance I think it deserves. I'm sure you won't be dissapointed with the results!

Progressive rock in general tends to attract comments such as pretentious, bombastic and self-indulgent. This CD shows little reluctance to refrain from these appellations. The length of the music, the threading of the elements into a complex tapestry, the effusive explosion of ecstatic instrumental energy and alternating between obscure lyrics and descriptions with moments of diamond clarity come together to provide fodder for even the most benign of critical detractors. In summary, this CD is fantastic.

The opening track to this two CD masterpiece, "The Glass Prison," has some of the most phenomenal guitar work of any band I have ever heard. Every time I listen to how quickly the lead guitar is being play I am in awe that human fingers can move so fast. The style combines hard rock, progressive rock and a flavor of nu-metal to create an original, technical, and yet artistic song. There is much in this song to commend it to a much wider audience than is typical of any one of these individual genres. Progressive long at nearly 14 minutes, the group uses a variety of influences to create an evolutionary song that is simultaneously challenging and listenable. This song is the antithesis of shy.

The second song, "Blind Faith," is generally much mellower than the dynamic and explosive first song. The song begins slick and smooth with less heaviness than the first song, sounding almost pop. However, the build up to the chorus puts to flight the thought that this song is anything other than a vicious wolf in sheep's clothing. The charging guitars in the lengthy bridge cracker crunch into the notes leading to a lovely (yes, that is what I meant) piano piece before getting into a bass driven run-up to instruments enthusiastically alternating for the lead until the last vocal set is reached. This song is well-crafted with an excellent balance of art and technical skill.

There is Moody Blues transition between "Blind Faith" and the "Misunderstood." Unless you are watching the track changes you could easily miss the beginning of this track as there is no pause between tracks. "Misunderstood" is one my favorite tracks on this CD. The quiet, slow, introduction lulls you into a passivity that is instantly and violently blown away as the instruments and vocals shatter drivingly into your brain. I think I hear a mellotron in this song, which I always enjoy.

"The Great Debate" takes on the challenge of human stem cell and other human cell research. The song begins with speakers stating portions of the opposing viewpoints, coming from opposite speakers. The complexity of the song matches the complexity of the subject, and the tone of the song is somber and sincere. The music and the lyrics provide ample opportunity to contemplate the content of the lyrics, which summarize the opposing viewpoints nicely (moral and ethical versus practical and beneficial), and suggest that we as a race are at a crossroads of sorts and we need to make a decision. The song suggests that we need to "turn to the light," which I take to mean we need to face this issue rather than turn away, as our decision may define who we are.

The heady moral complexity of the previous song contrasts with the simpler, and yet emotionally more powerful content of "Disappear." Since this song deals with death and loss, some of the lyrics in the previous song are put into perspective, because you sense by the position of this song on the CD that failure of science may have led to the loss felt in this song. Every word sung is painfully wrought and pulled from a deep secret place where you may have thought they were secure. The song has hopeful elements, but the dark nature of the music indicates that the singer is still grieving over the loss of she who gave him hope. This song is one of those that you should listen to only when you are not already feeling morose.

Thus far I have only discussed the first disc of this CD. The second disc deserves its own, completely separate review because it bears no relationship whatsoever to the first disc. In the classic tradition of progressive rock, the second disc is a concept with an introductory instrumental overture that combines some classical elements with hard rock, and an exit finale that sums it all up. In between is an exploration of the human mind, and what can appear to be insanity, or sanity, as there is no single definition for sanity. The music ranges from contemplative to crispy, from idle slow to light speed fast, from quiet to blast-off. This disc contains a concept album to rival some of the best progressive rock music concepts.

When I listen to this two-disc set I hear influences from an array of groups, and I hear something completely new. When I was introduced to this music by another reviewer (now going under the name Samhot), it was so different from anything I had previously heard that it has taken me more than a year to come to grips with the music. This music is faster paced and more complex than early progressive rock. This music brings in modern rock elements, along with music from several other groups, to revitalize progressive rock, which had become somewhat moribund in the 80s and early 90s. The modernization of progressive rock is welcome to an old-timer like me, who has followed progressive rock from its roots in "Sgt. Pepper" to the seminal "Days of Future Passed" and its explosion into a separate genre populated by King Crimson, Yes, Genesis and a few select others. This new generation of artists is giving a new generation of listeners and an old generation of listeners a reason to return to progressive rock.

Being a fan of the group since before "Pull Me Under" broke through, it is sometimes hard to be objective about artists that you have admired for quite some time. But after listening to this latest release from our modern day protagonists of music theory, I can't imagine any DT fan being disappointed in this.

Without getting bogged down in a track by track analysis, Six Degrees contains everything that fans of this band are looking for......and there's lots of it! Disc one contains 5 tracks, most around the 10 minute mark. Disc two is home to the behemoth title track which is 42 minutes in length and is presented in 8 parts that flow together in an incredibly musical fashion.

As previously mentioned, the staples of any Dream Theater recording are here: instrumental performances of the highest caliber, the expressive vocals of James LaBrie, and a production job by Portnoy & Petrucci that is immaculate. The thing that amazes me about these guys after all these years, is how they continue to push the envelope musically as a band. They are always looking to incorporate new influences and ideas into their work. For example, on "The Great Debate", you will notice one section of the song that has almost a TOOL type of feel to it, vocals included. On the more subtle side, "Goodnight Kiss" has a very atmospheric, almost Floydian soundscape within which the band weaves some incredible textures.

Even if you're not a fan of this type of self-indulgent song writing, you have to respect the fact that these guys love to play music that not only challenges them, but their listeners as well. Buy it, and prepare to be impressed.

With every their release, Dream Theater keeps raising the bar for the level of musical excellence for prog-rock bands to achieve. This time, they released an awe-inspiring album that takes their music to a new level, with influences from many mainstread sub-genres of rock music. It seems that DT takes music from bands ranging from Pantera to Radiohead to Tool, and puts their trademark on it, coming up with something quite original. The band's willingness to evolve is always appreciated.

The second disk contains a 42-minute long number broken into 8 tracks (unlike A Change of Seasons, which was all on one track), and this epic song is reminiscent of old-school Dream Theater. Keyboardist Jordan Rudess has done much for the band in terms of musical composition, and his arrangements are incredible. We also get to hear Mike Portnoy play some jazz drums - something that he doesn't do very often. Guitarist John Petrucci shines with soaring solos, growling riffs, and some sweet acoustic playing; in my opinion, Petrucci is at his best on this release.

The vocal styling is very DT-like: most of the vocals are fairly melodic, as they have always been in the past. But although you won't hear any reggae or hip-hop influence in the vocals on this album, there are plenty of innovative effects that vocalist James LaBrie adds to his repertoire. Musically, his performance is probably the biggest step away from what the band had done in the past.

There are also a few disappointments. First off, although the songs on the first CD are fairly long, there are still only five of them, and the CD seems very short, especially for a Dream Theater release. Secondly, the title track, taking up the second CD, has a theme that doesn't very well match up with the music. It talks about mental disorders, but the music is very major key and easy going. Also, the lyrics themselves are not always up to par; some parts are great, others not so much.

Misunderstood is a beautiful piece, my favorite track on the CD, and possibly my favorite Dream Theater song. It's destined to get some radio attention somewhere in the world, I'm sure of it. This one song is probably worth the cost of the CD all together. Bottom line: BUY THIS!

My girlfriend gave me this CD for Valentine's Day, and I haven't been able to stop listening to it since! I mean, no matter what, whether I'm studying, on the way to work, this is always playing. There's just SO much goodness here. Just to annoy everyone, let's go through it a song at a time.

1. The Glass Prison- Whoa! Heavy stuff! This is one mean mother of a song. Great chops from John Petrucci here, and a pretty wicked bass solo from John Myung. I don't like the turntables in there, but don't let that turn you off, it's like 2 seconds of a 14-minute song.

2. Blind Faith- More relaxed, with a heavy crescendo on the chorus. Nice piano interlude from Jordan. Pretty song.

3. Misunderstood- Very dark, sludgy track, with a weird solo from John. I love the lyrics ("How can I feel abandoned even when the world surrounds me?"). Godly drumwork from Mike.

4. The Great Debate- Yeah, it kinda sounds like Tool, but I say, "Tool who?". This burns Tool right to the ground! I swear, if just one Tool fan trashes this song, POW! Nice lyrics here.

5. Disappear- James LaBrie's first writing credit (I think). Yeah, it's kinda slow, but I love it. It almost hypnotizes me.

Okay, now onto the big boy, the title track. A 42-minute exploration of the human psyche. John wrote most of it, but Mike did some too. Anyway, here are the parts.

1. Overture- Nice classical-ish intro. Very pretty. There should have been more keyboard in there, but oh well.

2. About to Crash- This track gets everything going. Nice lyrics here, and very catchy.

3. War Inside My Head- Heavier, crunchier track. This is where the song starts to get angry.

4. The Test That Stumped Them All- Fast, heavy, oh so good. Mike practically destroys his drumkit on this one. Very demented lyrics, from who else? Mike.

5. Goodnight Kiss- Much softer, kind of a lullaby. This proves Mike is a very versatile writer. It's so funny where James says "I'm just a poor girl, scared of this cruel world". He sounds so emotionally sincere when he says it too. I'd bet anything that Mike put that in just to hear James say that. Crazy guy, he is!

6. Solitary Shell- Probably the most upbeat thing they've ever done. All acoustic, with very catchy lyrics. It reminds me a lot of Transatlantic. Nice classical guitar type solos at the end.

7. About to Crash (reprise)- Nice feel-good rocker. Reminds me a a lot of Rush.

8. Losing Time/Grand Finale- This is the end, where James brings it home. Kinda slow and easy, and it ties up all the loose ends. You almost feel like crying when it ends.

Wow, what an album! Over 90 minutes, and not a bad moment on it. Is it just me, or does Petrucci just get better and better? He cannot be stopped! If you love Dream Theater, buy this, it will knock you to the ground!

I will skip the formality of this review, and move right on to the positive and negatives regarding Six Degrees of Inner Turbulance by Dream Theatre.

Reasons for buying this album (AKA positives):
1. Absolutely wonderful musicianship, especially in guitar, percussion/drums, keyboard, and vocal arrangement. It's Dream Theatre! Nuff said. Myung- don't be afraid to shine on the bass buddy. Rudess- The piano sections are especially attractive to the music. They add a certain maturity and depth to the music.

2. Disk two. The 42 minute title track: "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulance." If there is any reason why I would not throw this album in the used cd bin, it is because of this second disk. It is a wonderfully written piece with a drama and struggle built around the music. It does more than just capture excellent musicianship, but also goes about evoking emotion, and seems to move forward in a story-like quality. It is why this album is worth getting. It is what lacks on the first cd. Organized structural composition. Kind of like a finely written essay. Dream Theatre should stay with this format, because it is what people will keep buying their albums for. It is what will build them a legacy, and why kids will buy "Six Degrees" and albums like it in 20 years. On a side note...I recommend plugging this 42 song into your disk player and taking it out for a steady athletic workout sometime. It fits perfectly.

Reasons why this album is not 5 stars (negative points):
1. James LaBrie's voice. I love the vocal arrangements on his songs, but despise his voice. The Genre of Dream Theatre is heavy progressive, unfortunately- LaBrie's voice doesn't sound that heavy. It doesn't have that cutting hard sound that you would find in James Hetfield or Maynard o Keenan. Don't get me wrong; Keenan and Hetfield's chords are exceptional to a point that they sell millions alone on the sound of their voice. But that is also because they sound as heavy as the instruments playing along with them. LaBrie does not. I do however hear some hope for Dream Theatre. James, keep your tone at conversational level, and deep. Stay away from the Queensrythe/Zepplin vocal pitch. It works for Jon Anderson or Geddy Lee, but not you.

2. Lyrics- This takes special consideration of the second disk in particular. Now do not get me wrong, the song is wonderful, and the vocal arrangements are perfect. But the subject matter does not quite match the inflection of the music. The lyrics are about depression, but the music is not quite depressing enough to tug at my heart strings. It sets this dark story of a girl living with chronic depression. But the music is too much of a fantastic journey and not enough brooding bitterness. If you want bitterness, include dark scary violins, cold lonely finger dancing on the piano, have Myung take a lead role on his bass guitar, and have Petrucci follow behind Myung with a distorted steel guitar.

3. Rudess: on your keyboard- Piano Setting=good and beautiful. Moog Synth setting= cheesy and lame. Replace it with something more powerful.

Regardless of the problems- buy the album. It is worth the money if you are an aspiring musician hoping to get better, or someone frustrated with mainstream rock's inability these days to crank out intellegent music with skillfull ability. Six Degrees on Inner Turbulance has both of these qualities, and the second disk in particular will make it worthwhile to own.

Whenever a musician changes their style in any way, shape or form, there is at least one fan of the musician's original material who does not like that change. Many of these "fans" are quick to judge that musician as "selling out" (a wrongful accusation, as a band has to actually sign with a different record label as well as make drastic changes in their music in order to "sell out"). Dream Theater, and many other bands, change and shape their sound with each album, and thus it's hard for some "fans" to keep interest in them over time. That said, Dream Theater's seventh studio album, SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE, is no more a change than their others, and thus no sell-out.

What we have here are, on two discs, six terrific, beautiful, epic songs dealing various issues. Musically, Dream Theater's never been heavier (except, perhaps, in parts of 1995's AWAKE). This album was heavily influenced by Tool - no denying that - but it takes only the most fitting moments of that band to blend in with Dream Theater's sound. As there are only six songs, I will go through each one individually...yes, even with "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence."

"The Glass Prison" - After the static intro and a few guitar and bass notes, a loud crash of drums and thundering distorted guitar riffs instantly show the listener just how heavy this album is. A few more riffs and crunches, peppered with melodic keyboards, and then all goes quiet except a fast, jagged riff that is simply infectious. Then the song starts up again, but at the same pace as the solo, heavy with double-kick pedaling and an overall METAL feel to it. In fact, when I first purchased this album, I seriously thought that for some reason, this was a different band I was listening to; however, as I listened, I realized that it really was Dream Theater. The singing starts; it's mostly just Mike Portnoy at first, with little, blurry snarls from James LaBrie. As the song is almost 14 minutes long, I won't get into the rest of it. It's alternately fast and medium-paced, extremely heavy, but also very melodic. Nice bass solo in the bridge, too, connecting a simply SHREDDING guitar solo to an eclectic keyboard solo. A terrific song - just make sure you have time to listen to it!

"Blind Faith" - A wonderful 10 minute song, with lush textures and a sort of matter-of-factly depressing feel to it. Parts of it present that Tool-esque feel. The guitar solo is fantastic. John Pettrucci's skill really is present here, then there is a brief instrumental interlude, then a great keyboard solo a la Jordan Rudess. The piano solo towards the end of the bridge is also very nice.

"Misunderstood" - Possibly one of my most favorite Dream Theater songs, ever. A luxurious clean guitar intro, soon after joined by breathy, beautiful singing from James LaBrie, instantly sets the mood. It's much more like a "traditional" (although there is no such thing) Dream Theater song, but it is a bit heavier than their usual sound. This is the second shortest song on the album, but it IS still over 9 minutes long. It gets fairly dark in the second verse onward, but it's just so beautiful and becalming. Eerie outro, too. Ooh, I love this one.

"The Great Debate" - I saw them perform this one in concert, before I owned this album. The song was so good that, although I already wanted to own everything in Dream Theater's catalogue, I wanted to get this album more than ever. Musically it is heavy, with fairly angry snarls from James LaBrie in the chorus. Like "The Glass Prison," it starts off fairly quiet, but gets much, much louder as it goes on. It is also over 13 minutes long. Subjectively, it is about stem cell research, and even features a few samples from radio and TV interviews of people's opinions about the topic. Also, THIS SONG IS NOT IN SUPPORT OR IN FAVOR OF STEM CELL RESEARCH. It is simply about the great debate over the matter, and the reasons behind each argument.

"Disappear" - A fairly depressing song, written by James LaBrie. I'm pretty sure it's about coping with the loss of a loved one. Spacey sound effects and keyboards lead to an acoustic guitar intro, and LaBrie's vocals harmoniously go with the strumming. He sounds so pained and saddened; this is one of the most emotional songs I've ever heard from Dream Theater, if not from any band. Shortest song on the album, too: less than seven minutes long. Regardless of time, this is a splendid, emotional masterpiece.

"Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" - HOT damn, this is a long song. 42 minutes long, this song is the longest that Dream Theater has ever written, beating 1995's "A Change of Seasons" (review coming soon!), which clocked in at 23 minutes. It is also because of this song's length that it was put on a separate disc, and is (thankfully) split into eight tracks. This is the epic tale of a girl suffering from some kind of mental disorder. It has whole sweeping sections of alternating heaviness and melody, and is especially plentiful with keyboards. It's really hard to describe everything within this song, so you'd best just experience it for yourself. Again, just make sure you have the time to listen to it!

So there it is. SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE is the heaviest album Dream Theater has ever made, and as a result, many "fans" were quite disappointed with it. I, however, think it is just as good as anything else. Dream Theater is a band about taking risks and progressing into new sonic realms, and with this album, they have found a new nook in the deepest realms of heavy progressive rock.

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!

In 1989 I was in Brazil and it was there that I've got DT's first album, "When Dream and Day Unite". Back in US, I've been buying all DT albuns for years now.

If you have been listening to their releases since then, you understand that those guys are completely above all bands out there today, maybe sharing the first place with RUSH. I use Rush as an example because like them, Dream Theater keeps renovating itself over the years and always trying new things. They're very careful and smart at keeping their roots and their fans as well.

Here you have a band that doesn't follow trends, but SETS trends. When Judas Priest tried the American market back in the 80's they had to wear stupid outfits and perm their hair.

Dream Theater uses the listener ears and brains to send the message so it only gathers the smartest listeneres. If you think you're smart, stop wasting your time and get the album. Soon you won't stand listening to the radio anymore - you'll become musically educated.

P.S.: Hey drummers, lots of Terry Bozzio influence on this one.