SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE

To complete my Dream Theater discography, I bought this album, and I had relatively high hopes on it (being SFAM a masterpiece and TOT an excellent album, IMO). At first (as usual), it took a while to grow on me, specially the first CD, but then it's all enjoyment. It's not a real sound change from what the band has been doing in recent years, but it is certainly well done, and we get all the usual virtuosity from the members.

The first CD is very good, and the standouts are the mid tempo Blind Faith and Misunderstood, which is extremely catchy. I don't like very much the opener, The Glass Prison, it's a bit noisy and not all the riffs are that great, and the middle part is the best on the song. The Great Debate is a grower, it seemed to me the weakest part of the album and I found the spoken parts to be boring, but I was wrong! It progresses incredibly well! Disappear is the obligatory ballad, not a standout but decently good. The real thing is the second disc, which contains a monstrous 42 minute epic with the name of the album. That epic was love at first sight! The Overture is the most neo classical Dream Theater have got. Then it goes mid speed with The Glass Prison, and just when you're asking for more metal, more agressive music it turns to great Trash Metal (War Inside My Head and The Test That Stumped Them All). I can't resist to headbang right there. Then it goes slow and incredibly emotional, with my favorite part on the epic, Goodnight Kiss. I have shivers when I listen to this, and it has an amazing guitar solo, which may be among the most emotional Petrucci has played. Absolutely awesome! The mid tempo Solitary Shell is particularily catchy, and then it rocks it out with the reprise of The Glass Prison, and the big ending is specially emotional because of the awesome vocal lines, some of Labrie's best! Also, the whole song doesn't seem forced, and it flows naturally, despite the drastic intensity changes. This epic is a masterpiece itself, and I wouldn't make justice if I give 4 stars to the album. So, 5 stars. This is among Dream Theater's best works.

Rating: 4.5/5