LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT

This album attract my attention because of few serious reasons. First of all, there plays a great King Crimson bassist Tony Levin. Than, there play two most interesting Dream Theatre musicians - Mike Portnoy (dr.), and Jordan Rudess (keyb.). And after all, there are not participated two most boring persons from DT - LaBrie and Petrucci.

From all this looked that the album has a chance to be interesting. Not a endless boring DT regular release, but possibly different one. And this work is different! First of all there isn't guitar at all in this recording. For good and bad, but whenever most possible guitarist for participation was Petrucci, I prefer guitar-less music. Than, there are just some energetic level coming from metal world, nothing else. The music itself is experimental instrumental heavy fusion. And there are such components used as funky groove, neo-classic pieces, nu.jazz electronic ambient sounds,etc. All this mix is perfectly framed by great Levin bass line.

During the listening you can feel that music there are mostly improv, but three strong musicians are playing great jam there! I believe that main problem with this album is very different target group from usual DT fans. So, too often this album was in wrong hands, and not enough really experimental music lovers just noticed it.

By the way, I believe that this album should be placed under own project name ( "Liquid Trio Experiment") and for sure not in Prog Metal section. If changes will be done, you will see how much higher rating it will receive!

Really recommended for heavy fusion and experimental instrumental rock fans.

Second LTE album is better than their first one. Even if music is mostly very similar in style, there are some changes (for good). If their debut was more bravados of musicians' egos, with open leader in Petrucci personality, their second album is better balanced album , and with higher level of musicality. There you really feel, that project was founded not only as possibility for DT musicians to demonstrate their ambitions more openly, but for playing some interesting music too.

For sure, you still can't speak there about big step towards metal fusion in comparison with the debut album, but because of bigger attention to music itself, the listener is able to hear there much more musical nuances, not only kill-them-all hyperactive guitar attacks.

Still being very prog metal album could attract wider circle of listeners because of it's musicality. One of strong instrumental progressive metal albums from 90-s.

Possibly, it could be named as debut album of Dream Theatre's side-project, whenever you can find there bigger part of DT musicians ( plus great Tony Levin). But in sense of music it is a bit different.

For sure, it is progressive metal. Full of energy and with long guitar soloing. But without LaBrie vocals (first big plus) and in fact a bit different in structure and construction (second plus). First of all, even being metal rock , the music has strong accent on improvs, what shows it's strong relation with metal fusion. Technically music is more difficult (in comparance with DT music) as well, so for serious listener this work is really more interesting than usual DT albums.

Another thing, that there occurred some similar problems, which can annoy in DT music: huge amount of soloing is reasonable only in it's smaller part. Too often axe-man feels as he is demonstrating his guitar attacking abilities without big connection with musical concept. Loud aggressive playing too often isn't a confirmation of musician's mastership. But I believe it could attract more metalheadz, so let say it is a question of taste.

Generally, interesting in places album, better, than many DT works, but still not good enough to be between genre's masterpieces. Around 3,5.

I didn't think much of the previous release but after reading all the positive reviews I started to consider revisiting Liquid Tension Experiment. Finally after hearing the live version of Acid Rain that is featured on Dream Theater's Live Scenes From New York my interest peaked even more.

Liquid Tension Experiment 2 starts out better than the first one but pretty soon begins to fade. I was exited by titles like Chewbacca and Another Dimension but musically they felt very flat for me. The overall feel I get from the album is that it's very creative and it's a pity that the individual tracks don't measure to that overall technical skill and quality.

In retrospect I probably liked the debut a lot more than this release but the difference is very small since both of these albums are made only for the fans of the musicians involved so I can't rate this any higher then my two star rating.

***** star songs: Acid Rain (6:35)

**** star songs: Biaxident (7:40) 914 (4:01) When The Water Breaks (16:58)

*** star songs: Another Dimension (9:50) Liquid Dreams (10:48) Hourglass (4:26)

** star songs: Chewbacca (13:35)

My friends have recommended me to listen to Liquid Tension Experiment because it's basically everything that is good about Dream Theater. To me, that sounded like a definite stab at the bands vocal section. But since I never actually had a problem with James LaBrie's vocals to begin with I don't really find anything new or different compared with what each member have done previously in their careers.

What I lack are the compositions because what this album offers is pure skill without much more which could probably work for a 40+ minute album but it really gets old here. This problem becomes even bigger on the 28-minute composition Three Minute Warning that in my opinion feels a lot longer and less interesting than the rest of the material combined.

**** star songs: Paradigm Shift (8:54) Osmosis (3:26) Kindred Spirits (6:29) Chris And Kevin's Excellent Adventure (2:21) State Of Grace (5:01) Universal Mind (7:53)

*** star songs: The Stretch (2:00) Freedom Of Speech (9:19) Three Minute Warning (28:31)

Liquid Tension Experiment 2 reunites John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, Mike Portnoy and Tony Levin to do what they better than anyone else.

Fans of the first LTE album should know what to expect here, and should in no way feel disappointed with what is on offer. In fact, the first thing I noticed about this album is how much more 'complete' it feels than the first. That's not to put down the LTE1 album, but there is less improvising and 'random' songs (such as the Kevin & Chris Adventure one) and more full sounding songs, for example, the instant classic 'Acid Rain', 'Biaxident', 'Another Dimension' and the amazing 'When the Water Breaks'.

Of course this album isn't without its low points. Where the first five songs are pretty much musical masterpieces in my opinion, the last three songs are kind of dull and boring, which is a shame because at the rate of the first half of the record, it was definitely headed for a five star rating.

As you would expect with a group that mostly consists of Dream Theater members, the musicianship here is beyond words, in fact I believe the saying is 'often imitated, never duplicated'.

This is definitely an album for Dream Theater fans, and also people who just like to hear amazing instrumentals. I don't think it's better or worse than the first LTE album, but of the two, if you're looking to check the band out I would definitely recommend this album first.

This is the final impressive work of this ingenious quartet before they render themselves trio(in Liquid Trio Experiment) and uninspired. Compared to their previous work, they have evolved their music and created more complex and beautiful songs. From the perfect opening with Acid Rain till the ideal finale with Hourglass. Every song has its special identity that combines elements from numerous kinds of music like oriental, latin, prog rock, prog metal and jazz of course. I can dare to say that Tony Levin is a more accomplished musician than John Myung(with full respect to him) and Rudess is in his more inspiring period. Petrucci as always produces brilliant melodies and shows his impeccable technique. Portnoy is a faithful soldier that knows how to handle his drum kit. Finally, I consider this album a masterpiece of instrumental music by very skilled musicians.

Playing music that is as obscure as their name, LTE consists of Mike Portnoy, John Petrucci and Jordan Rudess from Dream Theater (though this was released before Rudess joined the band) and Tony Levin from King Crimson. If you like Dream Theater you'll love this. If you don't, then I suggest you stay as far away from this album as possible.

Whilst some people who aren't fans of constant shredding and noodling might be discouraged from getting this album, there is a lot more on offer here than a constant display of who can play the fastest. Some of the music is as experimental and insane as it gets. Namely, tracks like 'Chris and Kevin's Excellent Adventure', Osmosis' and 'The Stretch'.

But of course, we can't have an album with such members in it and not have some mind- destroying musianship, for which we have 'Paradigm Shift' and THE song 'Universal Mind' (which alone makes this album worthwhile).

This album would get a five star rating from me, if it wasn't for that blasted 'Three Minute Warning'. A 28 minute improvised jam which, though amazingly impressive and filled to the brim with THE BEST musicianship you'll ever hear, is generally boring and not something you'd tend to listen to unless as background music. The problem with it is that it takes a billion listens just to recognise minor pieces of it, for which I give up and accept as it is.

Of course, the LTE guys acknowledge this on the back of the case, where it humourously states 'Caution: 'Three Minute Warning' is not for the musically faint-hearted, impatient, or critics of extreme self-indulgence. If you fall into any of the above categories, please hit the stop button on your CD player after track #8'.

This should have been used to sum up the entire album in my opinion. Regardless of any 'self- indulgence' that goes on here, this is a great album, not to be missed. Especially if you're into Dream Theater!

Ok- a bit of an odd album here that seems rather promising from the start. You have amazing musicians who have proved their musicianship over and over lined up for yet another live show. But one thing goes wrong, in the opening song, (and you can really tell) Jordan's keyboard goes 'kerplunk' and stops working. With a few jokes from Portnoy they decide to continue, much to the delight of the audience, I'm sure. But what about the listeners at home? Does this record hold any value?

Simply put, no. Most, if not all of the album becomes a jam session of simple and also complex experimentation, much of what we have heard before through the liquid tension experiment. Only this time, it doesn't sound NEARLY as good. There just isn't much here. The fact that they sold this album after a vital section of the band fails to work tells me that they are really looking to make a buck here- this should come as no urpride to anyone who knows Dream Theater. Avoid this is you can!

A series of well thought through jam sessions with jazzy, proggy and metal bits

Seven months after releasing their relatively successful debut album, Mike Portnoy decides to once again summon the legendary bassist Tony Levin, the keyboard virtuoso Jordan Rudess and his fellow bandmate and guitarist John Petrucci to record another album in a week for the Liquid Tension Experiment project, that would be known later as Liquid Tension Experiment 2. This time, however, the songs took much longer to be composed and recorded because, in the early stages of rehearsing, jamming and composing, John Petrucci's daughter was born, and that made him be outside the studio for a wile.

With more time in their hands to rehearsal, jam and compose, the trio Rudess, Levin and Portnoy came up with a lot of material that would be reworked or used as the base for other songs. That, for one side, is very good because the songs in this album seem to be better structured, making the album sound more like something that was completely finished, that was well thought through, that was prepared to be the best thing possible. For the other side, however, the project lost its meaning partially, because it was meant to be something raw and completely spontaneous, and that spontaneity was partially lost because they had more time to prepare their material. I mean, they recorded the songs between October and November of 98, so they had much more time to do things.

This Liquid Tension Experiment album, much like the first one, blended essentially 3 different music genres: jazz fusion, progressive rock and metal, but here we have more than only those. A considerable dosage of latin music and, in a smaller degree, folk music were added to the mix, making this album even more different. Also, the jazz element is stronger in this album than it was in Liquid Tension Experiment 1. Still comparing both Liquid Tension Experiment albums, the second one have a considerable darker atmosphere than the first one and sounds, overall, heavier, maybe due to the darker mood.

At first i was going to make a list of the highlights of the album, but then i realized that the whole album is just very very good, so i will say that every song of this album is great and deserve equal attention.

On a side note, i would like to say that this album was also very important to do Dream Theater, as it was during the recording sessions of this album that John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy asked for Jordan Rudess to be a full-time member of Dream Theater, and this time he accepted. With Jordan as a full-time member of the band Dream Theater started a new phase that continues until today. However, Dream Theater present production is definitely not as good as this first 3 years with Jordan Rudess were (97-99).

Grade and Final Thoughts

What a great album! The original Liquid Tension Experiment studio albums never cease to amaze me every time i listen them. Great songs, great musicianship and, SPECIALLY, originality make both albums great albums. Though i personally like the first one better, the second album is definitely not far behind. Its only flaw, to me, is that it lack the freshness and spontaneity of the first album, but the first one still have its drawbacks. But do the better finished songs make up to it? Sure they do, and that is why i am giving this album a perfect score: it is a freaking amazing series of well thought through jam sessions.