When Dream & Day Unite [Original recording remastered]

Dream Theater | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 17, 2004)
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Aao Music
• ASIN: B0009UC7WA
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #334,103 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. A Fortune in Lies

2. Status Seeker

3. The Ytsé Jam [Instrumental]

4. The Killing Hand

5. Light Fuse and Get Away

6. Afterlife

7. The Ones Who Help to Set the Sun

8. Only a Matter of Time

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Taste of Things to Come, December 20, 2005

By 

Justin Gaines (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: When Dream & Day Unite (Audio CD)

While it has certainly been eclipsed by the albums that immediately followed it, Dream Theater's debut album When Dream and Day Unite is still an excellent album in its own right.

Like many other fans, I discovered Dream Theater with their breakthrough Images and Words album, and only picked up WDADU after I had all of their other studio albums. The vocals are always my top priority in a band, and I wasn't really excited about a Dream Theater album without James LaBrie. I wish I hadn't waited so long to get this disc. It is clear that Charlie Dominici is no LaBrie in terms of talent or emotion, but he still gave a solid performance, and more importantly the rest of the band was in great form on this album. It is full of great songs that I regard as some of their best (Ytse Jam and the Killing Hand are just two examples), and is probably a more consistent album than some of their later albums like Falling Into Infinity or Octavarium. It sounds even better now since it was recently remastered and re-released.

Front to back, this is a great album, especially considering when it came out. In terms of maturity and complexity, there were very few bands in 1989 that could stand up to Dream Theater. Images and Words may have set the progressive metal standard, but When Dream and Day Unite is still a great album, and should be a must-have for fans of the band and the genre.

NOTE: When Dream and Day Unite was reissued in 2002 and featured digitally remastered sound, which is a nice improvement over the original. Early versions came in a neat digipack (but without liner notes/lyrics), while later versions came in a standard jewel case (but with the full liner notes).

5.0 out of 5 stars Dream Theater, October 9, 2011

By 

Wayne Burke-Baker - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: When Dream & Day Unite (Audio CD)

The C.D. that I ordered came in a timely manor. The disc and case were in great shape. When I order more music I will look for this vendor in the future.

5.0 out of 5 stars A landmark album, June 23, 2007

By 

Tarzan (Norway) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When Dream & Day Unite (Audio CD)

I understand that most DT fans got to know them from Images and Words, Awaken and onwards and this album does sound very different. Yes, the production is not as professional and the sound is not as fantastic as on the albums following when they joined a bigger label. Still, the material on this album is so fresh and bold and uncompromising, and at the time nothing out there could compare. Personally, I think the first albums with LaBrie compromised between their progressive roots and neverbefore heard of songwriting, and the "need" to access a bigger audience. LaBrie's vocals on the Images and Awake show potential but immaturity - he seems at times to sing to a following of 14 year olds with an overdone vibrato and excessive airy voice. Dominici is not as good a vocalist as LaBrie but he was more mature and do these songs justice. He doesn't have the variety of tones in his voice as LaBrie and is not as artistic and not a virtuoso but he CAN sing and he does it well.

The material on this album is a canonade of fabulous musicianship and uncompromising songwriting. The changes in the songs come as total surprises which is very refreshing compared to how many bands turn to the obvious again and again. The solos of Petrucci are technical showpieces but always with a great build up and melodic musical approach. The drumming is rock solid and shows an amazing talent. The bass sound is a bit muddy for my taste but when listening closely you hear that Mr Myung is a remarkable player and gives the songs some wonderful flavours with his playing. THe keyboards are also great, the solos are guitar like and the backing is not dominating the music (the guitar is) but adding depth. My favourite here after all these years is still Light Fuse And Get Away, but I truthfully do like every song on this album. Of the DT albums I have this is still my favourite. Don't miss out!