IMAGES AND WORDS

Is this really a metal album? I find it interesting to read so many reviews claiming that this CD doesn't belong in a progressive rock archive because its music is heavy metal. Perhaps if the people making this claim actually listened to metal (and indeed most of them claim they do not) they would know exactly what metal is, and would then know that this is NOT metal.

Granted, Dream Theater is often classified as a metal band, and this album definitely has its metal influences. It has been pointed out that prog influences do not make a prog album. Well, metal influences do not make a metal album, and that is definitely the case here.

The music on this album is heavy progressive rock. The only album that could be considered as "metal" is the first track, "Pull Me Under". The majority of the album is made up of fairly long, complex songs full of intricate harmonizing and amazing solos. The songs "Metropolis Pt. 1" and "Learning to Live" are two of the highlights of the album typical of this type of music. "Another Day" and "Wait for Sleep" are shorter compositions, and very light, the former featuring a tenor saxophone, the latter built almost exclusively around Moore's delicate piano playing.

This is possibly the greatest release from a band whose music is consistently great to begin with. You'll find very little in the metal vein here. For an example of what heavy metal actually sounds like, listen to some Metallica, Iron Maiden, or even Dream Theater's own "Train of Thought" album. But for excellent musiciains writing their own form of complex progressive rock, "Images and Words" is one of the best of the genre.