IMAGES AND WORDS

Whilst undoubtedly very important in the history of prog metal, I would struggle to give this the title 'classic', due to much the same reasons that I have doubts about any potential stand-alone greatness of other DT albums. The problem is this: There are songs here that the album would be better without; songs that decrease the consistancy of it; make it worse. The culprits: Another day, and Surrounded, the two shortest songs in the album. (Wait for sleep being less of a song, more of a prelude to Learning to live) Interestingly, DT's questionable policy of placing songs on their albums that should not necessarily be there has continued up until the present day, with rubbish like Prophets of war appearing on Systematic chaos. Oh well. Gripes over, those songs not included this album is a stunner. The opener, Pull me under, may have worn somewhat with overplay, but when that is taken out of consideration, it is as good a commercial song as the genre has produced. Take the time, when one ignores THE MOST EMBARRASSING VIDEO IN MUSICAL HISTORY, and when one focuses on the awesome instrumental section (a hint of what was to come), is vey rewarding to the listener. Then, Metropolis part 1, which is an undeniably canonical piece, especially when Metropolis pt 2 is taken into consideration, and includes the mental un-timable 12/8-but-not-really section, which must be heard by all musicians even vaguely interested in technical excersises. A song that is superb from beginning to end. Under a glass moon is amazing the first time you hear it, but does wear a little; however, that is only by comparison to the pieces around it. Then, Wait for sleep/Learning to live, which is good of a piece as Prog metal had in '92. In conclusion, brilliance marred only by a strange inabilty to excise the weaker songs from the album.