METROPOLIS PART 2 - SCENES FROM A MEMORY

I found myself quite surprised that I'd never posted this review that I did in recent years as I worked to get to know both the music of the 1990s and the valued albums of the metal sub-genres here on PA. After Awake (my favorite DT album), this was my second DT album.

ACT 1 1. "Scene One: Regression (2:06) the opening. James LaBrie's voice has trouble hitting his pitches. Are they trying to imitate Pink Floyd? (4.25/5)

2. "Scene Two: I.Overture 1928" (3:37) impressive instrumental performances with impressive orchestral textures provided by Jordan Rudess, however, nothing really meaty or special here. (8.75/10)

3. "II.Strange Deja Vu" (5:13) okay music, okay melodies and construction; such a weak voice/vocal and basic, matter of fact music (despite Mike Portnoy's impressive nuances). (8.25/10)

4. "Scene Three: I.Through My Words" (1:02) pretty with a decent Freddy Mercury-like vocal performance. (4.25/5)

5. "II.Fatal Tragedy" (6:49) the theatric, rock opera-like feel finally makes itself felt! A song that predicts SYLVAN's wonderful Posthumous Silence seven years hence. The guitar work is a little disconnected and soul-less from the passionate James LaBrie performance on this one. Jordan Rudess' flashy synth work is more impressive, to me, and also informs me of where the Jem Godfrey style and work on his FROST* albums came from. (13.25/15)

6. "Scene Four: Beyond This Life" (11:22) here I like the performance of James LaBrie but I don't like the music: the fast, straight-time choice for the rhythm section is annoyingly mundane (despite Portnoy's beautiful embellishments). The second section is better, looser, but then the vocal performance becomes a bit over-the-top. The third section, beginning around the 8:20 mark, is my favorite: truly creative and adventurous in a kind of jazzy way. (17.25/20)

7. "Scene Five: Through Her Eyes" (5:29) bluesy female vocals is a nice twist, but Theresa Thomason is no Clare Torry or Kate Bush. After that it becomes a kind of Country-Western-twinged rock-gospel ballad. (8.25/10)

ACT 2 8. "Scene Six: Home" (12:53) The Wall can't help but fill my mind as I listen to the opening 45 seconds of this one. Then the sitar enters. And then Mike Portnoy's snare fills. It finally comes all together in a Middle Eastern/Saharan way at the end of the second minute before transitioning into a classic ALICE IN CHAINS song. This is the first time in listening to this album that I feel as if every band member, every instrument, every sound engineered here are perfectly matched and blended. But then the vocals (and especially background vocals) enter and spoil everything. Not even John's djent and flash or Mike's drum nuances can save this one from its descent into a well of run-of-the-mill (and forgettable) 1980s hair band mediocrity. (20/25)

9. "Scene Seven: I.The Dance Of Eternity" (6:13) I love the sonic playfulness of the opening 45 seconds of this. The Crimosn-like three-motif interplay within the next section is wonderful--the most interesting and daring thing yet on the album, but, by the third minute, it's already begun to feel old--as if it serves as a vehicle for displays of individual instrumental virtuosity--and yet the barrel-house playfulness continues. I was not expecting this song to be a full-on instrumental, but could see why this song alone might elevate Dream Theater into some people's minds as prog elite. (The real trick, however, is in learning how to incorporate such prowess into beautiful musical soundscapes that flow and feel purposeful and integrated instead of show-offy and disjointed.) (8.75/10)

10. "II.One Last Time" (3:47) weird to transition from the previous barrage into this--and with a "classical" piano display to open it. The support of James LaBrie's Tommy Shaw-like vocal performance is nice (though not really very metallic; more like classic rock). This is/would have been a good 1980s classic rock hit/anthem--something STYX would've been very proud of. (9/10)

11. "Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On" (6:38) another song rooted firmly in rock traditions--even the subject matter (death and the life of the soul afterwards) is nothing new. John Petrucci's solo in the fourth minute is also quite "classic" despite a few flashes and flourishes and chromaticisms thrown into it. The addition of PINK FLOYD-like vocal choir (with Clare Torry-like vocalese from Theresa Thomason) only completes the feeling that this song belongs more in the canon of classic rock tunes. Good rock song. (Could've been a great song to end the album with. Matter of fact, it feels as if that was really its intent.) (8.75/10)

12. "Scene Nine: Finally Free" (12:00) I understand the role that this song has in the play--like a meta-perspective/overview of the play--and to give the "end" a positive, uplifting momentum; we want listeners to feel hope and reason to continue their commitment to Earthly incarnation (despite its horrors and entrappings). A powerful and engaging song on many levels; easily my favorite on the album; everything here feels in perfect balance, proportional to both the subject matter and the listener's ability to tolerate such a barrage of sonic information. This feels more like a solid Prog Metal song without any of the Emperor's overwhelm ("too many notes"). (23/25)

Total Time: 77:12

Obviously the topics of human mortality and the fragility of life incorporated in this album would draw in many young and impressionable folk--people with time and interest in exploring such "big" topics.

B/four stars; despite some stellar high points, this is an average album that many prog music lovers will enjoy, though a similar number of others may not.