IMAGES AND WORDS

When I listened to this album for the first time I was a thrasher who used to listen to Metallica and Slayer, or simple a metaller at his first steps. Day by day, my cousin talked to me everyday about this group called Dream Theater as the most important progressive metal band. I already knew something about prog music but my heart was metal! Each single day when I was on holiday they spent a lot of time to talk me about this band but I never imagined it was going to become my favourite one. I didn't have a bad reputation for their sound but I prefered other heavy metal genres, easier than prog-metal. But my curiosity forced me to listen to this album too and when I listened to it... I saw that this album had something different than the other ones. I found it so amazing and particular, I was struck by those riffs, those keyboard solos, those complex structures. This is the album that made me become a progster. You have to thank just this album if now I'm here on progarchives! The first track Pull Me Under, although is one degree down the other long tracks is a good example of prog-metal with heavy riff and good keyboard melodies. Another Day, dedicated to Petrucci's father, is a very good ballad with a good piano supported by a great sax excellently played by Jay Beckenstein. Take The Time was, at the times, my favourite song, with a funky-oriented rythm and the first complex instrumental section where Petrucci's guitars an Moore's keyboards are protagonists with very good solos. Surrounded begins with a piano, like a ballad but when Petrucci comes in with his guitars he gives power and vivacity. And what could we say about Metropolis, Part. I? Masterpiece is the one word we know to describe this song, the symbol of prog-metal genre! After a theatral intro we are struck by the instrumental section where all musicians show all their abilities! Under A Glass Moon is a thrash- oriented song, heavier than the other ones but with a good atmospheric sound created by Moore's keyboards; the song contains one of the best guitar solo in Petrucci's carreer followed by a good keyboard solo. Wait For Sleep is a short but strong ballad perfectly written and played by Kevin Moore. Learning To Live is another masterpiece that gives us a real prog lesson! It seems like we're listening to real '70s prog-rock!

I don't want to think how many stars I should give to this album... 5 stars is the right answer. Giving only 4 stars I would just get wrong! And it would be a very big mistake!