SIX DEGREES OF INNER TURBULENCE

This was my second album that I got from Dream Theater. My first was Octavarium, and I liked Octavarium a lot, so I bought this without any fear of wasting my money.

2 things about this album attracted me. 1. That it had 2 disks, and 2. that the second disk was an epic 42 minute composition that I couldn't wait to hear. I love long songs, so for me that was a must-have.

The first disk was quite experimental and progressive and sometimes heavy. The second disk is a classical rock opera type of song. In fact, back in the days of Pink Floyd and Jethro Tull, The entire song Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence could have been released as an album itself. They were attempting to make Falling into Infinity 2 disks, with the second having lots more material, including a 20 minute embryonic version of Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory. So this represented something that they really were ambitious to do.

The first song I heard was the glass prison. 13 minutes long, impressed me alone, and when I listened to it, it had the perfect blend of heavy metal, and progressiveness. Once again, I was amazed by the instrumental ability of Dream Theater's musicians, especially during a guitar/keyboard battle.

As I listened to this in the car with my father after buying it on impulse, we were easily able to pick out Dream Theater's influences. Oh, that sounds like Pink Floyd, and that sounds like yes... oh, and that part's like Metallica, oh and that bassline reminds me of Black Sabbath... Yet it's all blended together in an original form that is Dream Theater. It really showed me that Dream Theater is one of the future generations of progressive rock that will carry on the torch after their idols are gone.

Six Degrees is a concept album, and each song has a mini story to it. The shortest song on the album is nearly 7 minutes. The rest are around 10-13 minutes, and the 2nd disk is 42.

I was excited to listen to the second disk and was pleasantly surprised just by how GOOD it was. The song takes the listener through the stories of six individuals suffering from mental illnesses, and is quite in the same style as the previous Scenes From a Memory, which I believe is tied with Images and Words to be their Greatest album ever.

I believe that Dream Theater is a very skilled and creative band, blending all the elements from all their different influences. The album is EXTREMELY progressive, and a Masterpiece of the progressive rock genre, so I give it 5 stars. Only one thing: if you don't like metal, you might want to stay away from it, but then again, Dream Theater is so diverse that even people who don't like metal may like them for their progressiveness. But if you really don't like metal, stay away from Train of Thought.

In all, 6DoiT amazed me, and I think it will amaze you too. If you love prog and are ok with metal, go out and buy it. You don't even have to listen to it before hand. Just go out and buy it, satisfaction guarenteed!

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