A CHANGE OF SEASONS

Same day, I got both "Images and Words" and "A Change of Seasons", and for the obvious reasons I described in my review on the band's second album, I found this production somewhat more pleasant to listen to. Getting these CDs the same evening also got me into serious thinking and gave me some serious work to go through. Firstly, it was the suitable moment for me to compare the instrumentations displayed separately and the improvements made in both albums, and secondly, the quality of the brand new sound the band was proposing with the addition of Derek SHERINIAN on keyboards, having no better excuse to prove he could measure up to Kevin MOORE but to perform elegantly all along the 23 minute lasting epical suite self-titled "A Change of Season", a revealing VII episodes track originally written back in 1989 along with "Metropolis - Pt. 1" which was intended to be included in "Images and Words" that shows off the well written lyrical execution by Mike PORTNOY; and on the original recordings by Sir Elton JOHN, DEEP PURPLE, LED ZEPPELIN and PINK FLOYD just to name a few. Eventually, I appreciated this album most over "Images and Words" due its innovations and the overcome challenges of covering classics from the past, thing that could've came in quite handy in the beginnings of the band but that somehow worked out perfectly here; and mostly because it's has got more metal arrangements and acoustic interludes that suit the album excellently in my appreciation.

From beginning to end, the album is committed to follow up a trendy line so plagued of refined guitar riffs, compassed drum beats and keyboards obviously setting off more that in previous releases like in "Funeral for a Friend" / "Love Lies Bleeding". Still, no matter the parameters of comparison I used, I couldn't tell the improves -if they ever existed- in LaBRIE's voice from the advanced works put into his musical growth in "Falling Into Infinity" (my first DREAM THEATER CD) or even in "Awake"; and I won't put my finger off that line, his voice doesn't belong to prog metal genre or any other whatsoever. Apart from the shortcomings, it was nice to found out that the band worked with some great artist such as Steve HOGARTH (not him) and Steve ROTHERY of MARILLION (but he), Barney GREENWAY of NAPALM DEATH, Bruce DICKINSON and Steve HOWE to pull off the "Uncovered" show in the end.

So here's my two cents: the album contains spectacular, mind-blowing moments like the 23 minute opening suite or the improvements made to the whole instrumentation, thing that's quite remarkable. But, in the other hand, you may find the fact of the "covers" and the issue regarding the new keyboardist unappealing, so it's indeed your call. So what's it gonna be? Great album, astonishing band and provocative suspicions to figure out DREAM THEATER all over again for almost one hour of music.