A CHANGE OF SEASONS

Kevin Moore departed after "Awake" for supposed musical differences but DT didn't really waste time in finding someone to fill his shoes. In comes Derek Sherinian, still working as a hired gun on "A Change of Seasons" (ACOS for short), but doing a great job nonetheless. I don't know to which extent he was able to give his own input to the composition but his parts seem fitting and interesting albeit shy.

But anyway, what we have here, considering the title track only, this is a 23 minute epic which was supposed to be included in the band's sophomore album, "Images & Words", but for one reason or another didn't quite make it. So, in order to bridge the two year gap between "Awake" and whatever the next full-length would be, DT finally got the chance to record this monster of a track after having played it in one incarnation or another on a couple of live shows.

I'm gonna stick my neck out and claim that ACOS is quite simply the best DT composition ever. Even if on their latest album, "Octavarium", they again forayed into epic territory, I don't think they ever achieved such dizzy heights again (not saying they won't do it again). The track is divided in seven parts, a couple of those instrumental, and together they are quite a journey. Worth the five star rating just by itself both because this is really the only "real" track on this EP and because I think this can well be the very definition of what progressive metal *really* means. Personally, I'm glad this got released separately and not included in "Images & Words". It really stands on its own like it should.

As for the other tracks, more often that not I hear people dissing them. Whether that is because one of them is originally from Elton John or something else I don't know. All I can say is that these are bonus tracks - some people better brush up on the concept of "bonus" - and how someone (especially progheads) can dislike great covers of songs from the likes of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Genesis or Queen is way beyond me.

For me, again, absolutely quintessential. The very definition of the progressive metal sub genre.