IMAGES AND WORDS

Images & Words, the monumental 2nd album by Dream Theater, was released in 1992. This album produced Dream Theater's biggest ever hit to date: Pull Me Under. This was unexpected from the band. The rest of the album is fantastic also, and shows Dream Theater finding their musical style. Musically, it could be described as a fusion of Rush, Metallica and Genesis.

There are hundreds of bands today who would note this album as a very influential album. If there's one thing that you remember after listening to this album, it's the talent of the guys in the band. Oh boy can they play! The music on this album is (most of the time) extremely technical and difficult to play, but the members of Dream Theater don't even act as if it's hard at all. The songwriting on this album is fantastic also; some of Dream Theater's best and well known songs can be found here.

Images & Words is very consistent. One of the reasons this is heralded as Dream Theater's best album is because there's not a weak track. Some of my personal favourites are Another Day, Metropolis Pt.1 and Learning to Live.

The songs on the album all feel very individual and strong in their own right. Under a Glass Moon is a more catchy, metallic song, whereas Wait for Sleep is a short and beautiful piano and vocal ballad. There's something for everyone.

Dream Theater was at their lyrical peak on this album. Still, the lyrics aren't amazing, but lyrics have never been DT's strong point. The lyrics here don't sound stupid like they do on later albums, and they suit the music nicely.

This album was a landmark release for progressive metal; a masterpiece to be remembered for a long time. There are hundreds of bands today who would note this album as a very influential album. 5/5