METROPOLIS PART 2 - SCENES FROM A MEMORY

This is another good Dream Theater album. The good moments are amazing, and the bad spots aren't too bad. However, once again, the slow songs are terrible. Also, the hypnotherapist is really annoying. This album tells the story of a man who has these visions of some girl getting murdered in 1928. While the lyrical themes are dark, the music is generally not.

The album opens up with the worst song on the album, combining the terrible elements of a slow, acoustic Dream Theater song and the annoying hypnotherapist. But in track 2: Overture 1928, Dream Theater really rocks. Dream Theater instrumentals are always spectacular, and this is no exception. Really good blending of keyboards and heavy guitar. This goes straight into Strange Deja Vu, a great heavy song, with really thrashy moments. Its a really great song. Then comes a slow song with a semi-good melody, plus its short. So all in all not terrible. Then it goes into Fatal Tragedy, a super heavy song, with some clunky lyrics. However, with Petrucci's great fat sounding lead guitar and Jordan Rudess's organ, this is a really good DT song. Then comes a super long repetitive heavy song, Beyond this Life. Its pretty good, but it drags on a little bit I think. Act I ends with a terrible slow song, Through her Eyes.

Act II starts off with my favorite Dream Theater song, Home. Eastern themes, and uber-heaviness combined with some pretty good lyrics and great solos make this a really great track. Then comes another great Dream Theater instrumental, The Dance of Eternity, which has a really gopod, fast bass solo from Myung. This goes into a terribly slow boring song, One Last Time, although the chorus is enjoyable. Then Dream Theater comes up with another terrible slow song, The Spirit Carries On, complete with oversinging from LaBrie. Although the guitar line, reminiscent of Pink Floyd, is somewhat enjoyable. The closing track, Finally Free, has its ups and downs. It starts off with that stupid hypnotherapist, and some slow and not too goodness, but the melody is enjoyable. Then it goes into some kind of weird EMO verse, and then it starts rocking with this wicked riff that is repeated a bunch. Then after some effects, this album ends.

So its got some good heavy stuff, and some junky slow stuff. Maybe I'm expecting too much though, because at the time, there weren't many other good bands, but its good anyway. Highlights include: Overture 1928, Strange Deja Vu, Fatal Tragedy, Home, and the Dance of Eternity.