METROPOLIS PART 2 - SCENES FROM A MEMORY

Dream Theater is at the forefront of modern prog. An already incredible discography, with the addition of a well-rounded concept album only makes them that much more accessible. The concept of Scenes From A Memory revolves around a man living in the present day who is haunted psychologically by a murder that took place 80 years before. The story then takes the direction of a Shakespearean-esque twisted fantasy story that remains Dream Theater's trademark in terms of songwriting. While some may be turned down by the seemingly cheesy concepts in Dream Theater's music, this does not limit the success of Scenes From A Memory as a fantastic concept album. The instrumentals, as with all Dream Theater albums, is phenomenal. This album marks the arrival of ex-Dixie Dregs keyboard wizard Jordan Rudess to contribute to the maelstrom of virtuosos that is Dream Theater. There is something for everyone in this album--it is very easily accessible to someone who is discovering American progressive metal for the first time

Compositionally, there may be differentiating opinions. Some may not like the over-the-top shredding and 20-minute keyboard solos that are present in this album; others may adore it. I believe that this is an easily accessible album to a metalhead or a first time prog listener, but for the seasoned veteran it may not suffice. While I strongly believe this is a perfect album in every sense, and it definitely belongs in every prog fanatic's collection, there are much more complex art rock albums out there.

The bottom line: a perfect all around album which belongs in any proghead's collection, but more mature works, such as the likes of Porcupine Tree and Pain of Salvation, exist in terms of modern prog.